New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-29
OLD WORLD MAYORS.
,xE OF THEM is soUNDLY sNUBBED.

,>,r OF THEM is SOUNDLY sNUBBED.
~. parliamentary committee Of investigation,
ruhlic exposure of municipal abuses and
-runtion rivalling those of New-Yorks gov
nrent In Tammany days. has ever succeeded
=. ,rnicting so damaging a blow to the prestige
:, the ancient office of Lord Mayor of London
a the snubbing which the presumption of the
.~ssent occupant OF the chair OF Dick Whiting
an has Just brought upon himself. 1t is snub
N the more crushing since 1t was administered
:. the full sight of the entire civilized worid
- . foreign ruler. namely, the President OF the
-,cn Rspublic. Until now there has relgned
.ove among the initiated-a certain amount OF
- and respect for the Lord Mayor. who' IN
- on the Continent was popularity accounted
Gar more important and pCwerfui oighi'ary
nav the Archbishop OF Canterbury the LORD
. ,r~ chancellor and the Prime Minister, or
an than all three combined For was not the
o,sen herself compelled 10 crave his permits
-, whenever she had occasic 10 pass through
A. city of London her own capital!
TRADITIONS OF THE OFFICE.
r..n in England the people at large had re-
..,red the conviction that the Lord Mayor was
re-v great man They observed that when
a- there was birth marriage or death IN
a. re,sning family. the occurrence was solemn
~ communicated by a Secretary Of State in the
no,.s name to the Lord Mayor. with the re-
80. that he would make II known to the citi-
o,s NJ London And then. too, they had reao
:. hooks that his office dated back to the days
:, William the Conqueror. and that by virtue
,,sreof he was ipso facto an Admiral or the
pr, Of London. a General Of Militia Chiet
p,.lsr 10 the Crown ConserVator OF 'he
Thames a Judge in civil and criminal cases a
Master Of the City Hunt (Which. by the BY no
,o,ser exists Controller Of Weights and
,,.osures n Dictator of he Public Markets and
member Of the Queens PriVy Counch.
- that he had his budget. his civil list Of
sso mn his official residence, his men in armor'
.,s chaplain. his police. his JAIL his gentlemen
a. waiting. his pursebearer his swordbearer his
MARSHAL and last but not least. his own hang
80, Nor is this all 1t is stated in books
-, the subject of the Lord Mayor that his
o,vs, g so great that. We're IT to please him ~
so-aa that no one should pass the Bank or
rrgland without dofing his hat or enter the
c.ock Exchange save in knee-breeches. no
higher power in the land would have the right
% eainsay his mandate. What wonder then'
that the masses Of the English people should
have looked upon the Lord Mayor Of London as
q very august parsonage indeed?
These Lord Mayors Of London City hold their
,soa for q term Of twelve months and as they
,,a freouently successful tradcsmen belonging
% the lower middle classes and IN every way
,,ts-or m social status to the great bankers
md merchants Of the metropolis VINO hold
aIoos from municipal office in London. their
bsads are not infrequently turned by the super
sc,aI splendor and magniaoence Of their position.
One has 70 b. an English shopkeerer in order
.o realize To its full extent the ecstasy of waking
o., and finding ones self addressed as My Lord.
and ones wife honored with the title Of MY
lady" Hence It often happens that the LORD
MAYORS. entirely carried away by their tempo
rarv exaltation. say and do remarkably foolish
things. calculated TO bring rdicule upon them
solves upon their Office and. worst Of all. upon
that grand cid city which they are supposed TO
renresent. This Is just what has happened In the
case Of Sir Joseph Renals. the present occupant
~ tho civic chair Having read in the news
haners that there was considerable amount
NJ friction between England and France, he con-
re,ved the idea no one knows exactly how that
.he bad feeling might be removed if President
sr,v-- were invited 70 the city of LONDON 70 ne
ccrne its guest He had already promised 10
attend in state the opening Of the exhibition al
Bordeaux and accordingly announced that on
mis- way through Paris he would call az the
r,lysee for the purpose Of solemnly inviting the
president 70 cross the Channel and TO visit Eng
land.