The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-01-09


United States, to take on the great cares
AMI responsibilities of that Office, to diss-
pate ones reserve strength day after day
i'll struggle with the Office seekers, with
the questions of the day and with Il host of
details OF which no WAY has Zen devised
Tor relieving our chief magistrate. The
work of receiving official and other callers
Mt the White House is alone enough TO
break down man evho continues long
enough at it. The mere effort to remem-
Der names and faces of people who consider
themselves Of much importance and to
concentrate ones faculties upon the bust.
ness which they bring forward one after
another, like the changing colors of IL XII
leidoscope, is hercuean task in itself
This is only part of the tension to which
apresident is subjected. The semiweekly
cabinet meetings are not mere social gath
erings by any means. They are councils of
state, in which the president is the central
figure. Matters of the highest importance
come up for consideration. All eyes are
upon the man who sits ut the hend of the
table All listen when ne speaks. tSle feels
that sense of responsibility, of leadership
which Is wearing upon the nerves, which
even in Il man as well balanced, us strong
almost phlegmutic, as Mr.. Cleveland is
surely though slowly detracts from his
PoNei vi eHuurulcc anu mental STABILITY.
The Penalty of ONCE.
The president of the United States is one
OF the few men in this country who never
get any rest. His station is so high, the
matters and the men with whom he has to
zeal so numerous, the questions which he
must concentrate his mind upon so vari
Gus and so fraught with importance to the
country and to his reputation. that even
when the holidays come, or the vacation.
he cannot stop. He must work ut his
desk iii his reception room or with his
mind all the time. The wonder is that Mr.
Cleveland has not ere this shown signs of
breaking down.
Nor is this all Does any one imagine
that n man can lead the life Mr.. Cleveland
has led for 10 years without strains ,pon
his mental fiber, his nervous system, which
will leave their marks? The conventions,
the campaigns, the suspense, the election
days, the speeches, the public appearances,
all contribute to Il state of tension which
wears and eXhausts Thus the fact has
come about that, after the campaign of last
year, starting with the ante-convcntion
period with its peculiar embarrassments
and anXieties, the closing days of the great
battle, the winter of cabinet meetings and
consultations, the inauguration the ordeal
oil forming new government and dispos-
ing OF the hordes of Office seekers the long
summers work on the silver question, the
worries of the Hawaiian and tariff aues-
tons and Il treasury situation that has de-
manded his closest attention, Mr.. Cleve-
land is not NOW altogether himself.
Ii would he extravaganza to say that he is
breaking down. Ii would be malicious to
say that his mind is giving way But he
Is irritable; he Is easily worried: he is quick
70 son 1,..,r l< Il. Il. go
tive; he Is, in short, suffering from a loss
of nervous force. The long strain has had
its effect. While Mr.. Cleveland himself
laughingly REFUSES to admi; that he is los
ing his mental and nervous ruggcdness his
lntimntes perceive that this is true They
are worried as to what the future NAV
bring forth They do not hesitate to say
that if Mr. Cleveland goes on mt the pace
he has followed for the last year through
out the remainder of his term there will he
grave danger of IL collapse He will suffer
nervous prostitution, or some physical dis
OF Ter will supcrvcne Therefore efforts
VIII be made, Whenever opportunity offers,
to get Mr.. Cleveland away from Washing
ton for Il few weeks rest In Justice to
himself he should seek to get away from
the cares of his Office
Earns His Salary.
The immediate prospects are not favor
able. J., ginning in IL few DAYS, the social
season will make considerable demands up
on the president. He will have To stand for
hours at The head of the receiving column
mt four White House lcvccs-the lcvces
which tradition has prescribed and which
no president has had the courage To dis
pcnar with. Then he must give IL series of
dinners TO the members of the supreme
court, the senators and representatives, till
ali lave been entertained. \ state dinner
at the White House is not recreation for
any one concerned especially not for the
host. 1t is athcr Il solemn and formal oc-
caSon, on which great care must be cXcr-
cised not To say too much, but to say Just
enough. There are public questions us all
the world knows which greatly worry the
president just ut this time. Things are
not going as we'll with his administration
policies as lie could wish. Congress is here
is ION his hands," as Mr. Cleveland not
long ago expressed it-and will be here
probably till the LIST of next August There
does not seem To be any escape for he hard
worked, harIssed president of the United
States for many long and weary months 10
come. He gets Il big salary. but the chances
are that lac will be compelled To earn it,
1t is noticed that Mr.. Cleveland cares
more for the company and assistance Of his
intimate friends than he ever did before
The meaning OF this is that the president
has lost somewhat of that self reliance
which has always characterized him. Near
ly every evening either Secretary Gresham,
Secretary Lamont. Postmaster General Bis
sell or Don Dickinson is ut the White House
assisting the president with his work and
keeping him company. He feels the need
OF them, ana they do all in their power to
t.