The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-02-08

THE POLICEMAN AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
man with half weeks growth of beard
on his face, his uniform, buttons, star
club and all suggesting more the street
corner than the parlors of a presidents
house. policeman is a useful agent of
society in his proper place, but submit
his proper place is not in the executive
mansion among ladies and gentlemen of
high degree.
One would not be likely to 90 a second
time to the house of a, private gentleman
in which policemen were stationed among
the guests, possibly for the purpose of
arresting the disorderly or keeping an eve
on the silver. 1t is shock to ones sensi-
bilities to come up short against a police
man In the long corridor of the White
House, and 1t does not relieve ones feelings
any to discover that the officer is fresh
from his beat, perhaps in the slums of the
town, where it may have been his duty to
arrest malefactors of exceeding vicious
ness and vulgarity Of course there is an
excuse for it, and it is no new thing. Po-
lcemen from the city squad have been de-
tailed for the executive mansion on recep-
ton occasions for many years, and the re-
sponsibility cannot be laid at the door of
any one in particular. The fault is in the
way we republicans of the greatest repub-
lie have of running things. In the first
place, our White House or executive pal
ace is very much too small for the cere-
monial purposes to which it is so often
put, and in the second place the regular
staff of employees, servants and watchmen
is much too limited
have made inquiries about this with
the result of ascertaining that it is physic-
ally impossible fer the regular employees of
the mansion, on account of their limited
number, to handle the crowds which at
tend the presidents levees and card recep-
TONS They have all they can do to guard
the door, see that the, cline" is kept NOV
ing in good order and to attend to the
cloak and hat rooms. Outside the house,
where the coachmen are to be called and
occasionally disciplined for the coachman's
chief fault, that of crowding and over
reaching, and inside the house, where
prudence demands the presence of guards
and watchmen i'll case of accident or panic,
policemen from the squad have to be en-
ployed. Sometimes officers are sent in
citizens dress, but of late the custom has
been to send them in full uniform. The
BhNpSi iOi1iOoy III uhlS 10 W give Uu6 pTCSl-
dent staff of employees commensurate
with his station and his requirements
When the president of the United States
sleeps he is guarded by the same policemen
who guard, or who are supposed to guard,
private citizens. Only one man, and he a
night Waterman, who, in addition to his
other duties looks after the fires and lights,
is specially detailed to stand sentry over
the sleeping head of the nation After
midnight he is the only man awake within
the White House premises. lisa peculiar
fact, and one on which L have heard for
eigners comment in surprised tones, that
half dozen resolute men could assault the
executive mansion in the dead of night,
break down the door, or force entrance
through window, and murder the presi-
dent in his bed. They would have but the
one Waterman to deal with, and by taking
him unawares they might even prevent
him turning in an alarm.
Perhaps no other ruler is left thus prac-
tically unguarded, without soldiery or
sentries. AT very late hour one recent