The morning times., 1896-12-18
Some of the Presents Which He
Usually Receives.
McKiNLEY'S COMING ORDEAL
He VIII Receive Everything From a
Cane to a Three-Year-0ld Thor
Oughbred-BOoks the Chief Form
of Gift-Puppies, Eagles and Kit
tens Also Plentiful.

be at band for museum or cuTloS1tleS.
A President, PresidenJ-eiect, even q
Presidential candidate, is constantly re-
ceiying all sorts OF souvenirs from people
throughout the country. 1t is difficult
matter to classify Presidential presents
They might be classified as To motive,
in which they would range from gifts
presented in the purest spirit of generosity
and good will TO articles sent with an
idea of getting back ten dollars for every
one invested.
IN ouner ', ords, there is a string at
tached to large percentage OF lresden-
tial gifts IL is cCHIn- oniy Il desire Tor Uusl-
ness advertisement; at other times wish
for sheer notorietyi and again, perhaps,
desire for pieasanter acquaintance with
the President-clect. A lady called at the
White House few days ago. T,Dd, when
she was not given the InterVIe% she de
sired, she exclaimed Indignantly, Why,
I am the lady who sent Mrs. Cleveland
dog three years ago, and iye gp near
the Bro oklyn navy yard" .ftr.
LIVE ANIMALS GALORE.
Speaking of dogs, it may be remarked
that large share of Presidential presents
come i'll the shape OF live animals, and these
are somewhat difficult presents to handle.
They cannot be placed in storage vaults or
even kept in the attic OF the W hlte House,
and ordinary courtesy fOrbids your giving
away the presents accepted by you. Mr..
Cleveland used to send his live animals
of the order not commonly classed as
household pets, like raccOOns, etc, to the
Central Park in New York or to the
Zoo in this city.
Dogs, wialUn the most Common gifts,
are declined whenever there is a Chance
to do SO, but any Presi lent is liable TO
have at least six dogs delivered Ut his
front door within his first six months in
f.ffi hfCt, will
TO say anything about before their arrival.
There Is usually good sized express
cnarge due on these packages, and their
arrival is not always hailed with Joy,
says Washington letter To the New York
Evening Post.
Angora cats, guinea pigs, squirrels, geese
come in their turn. The usual procedure
is this: A small boy in Minnesota becomes
the possessor OF half dozen Gor1On
setter pups; after five OF them are disposed
OF by sale or gift, and one remains for
which he has no particular use, he re-
calls the fact that during the last cam
paign lie was an intense Mckinley boy,
and how could he show his feelings better
than by sending tins pup TO his ravlnte
candidate?
NEVER WARNED IN ADVANCE
The same logic moves the minds of
boys or a larger growth. OF course an
year-old thoroughbred once IN 4 while,
but as rule gift OF that sort Is pre-
ceded by a lettet asking ir IL wuntd he
welcome President Is never troubled
by gifts that are preceded by such an IN
quiry; but il is remarkable how few
people ever take pains to warn aim in
advance
There may be certain historical value,
for museum purposes, in collection OF
Preside ntial gifts The class OF gifts
which are really historical are the souvenirs
or important occasions, like Army re-
unions, other soldiers encampments, Ma
sonic conventions, political gatherings, town
and city ami versaries, dedications OF
public buildings, and the like
VALUABLE SOUVENIRS.
President Cleveland brought back from
Princeton the other day several interesting z
medals and tokens which commemorate
the anniversary there celebrated. When
ever town reacheSits wo-hundredth birth
day the President OF the United States is
remembered with copy of the memorial
volume published Tor the occasion!
Whenever a new snip OF war u launched,
or the cornerstone of a new college laid
some sort of souvenir goes to the Presi-
dent. II Is not at all Necessary tEat he
should have attended the exercises for
which these souvenirs or books We're de
signed. He Is usually invited, and usually
ucCliHSS- lHdJ iiiS UdlIlS has DttH on Ltla
list OF possible guests puts him in line for
receiving the honorary tokens got up for
the occasion.
The hedepartment ofliterature among Presi-
dental presents is also interesting. 1t is
of course assumed that the President of tn e
United States reads constantly, and always
with sevenIeague boots. Every amateur
author in the country wants the President
to read his latest took, and sends IL TO
nf ph Why 0TliOfr bf1 re.16
it? Young and inspiring authors frequently
write asking q testimonial fIom the PreSt-
dent, and many explain at length how much
good it would do.
WITH THE AUTHORS COMPLIMENTS.
The young authoress relates that her
means are limited, that she supports u
! widowed mother and wishes to send her
! younger brother through the state uni
| yersity; il her new book would only make
| "a hit the fortunes Of the family would be
| made. and let the President of the United
! States say that he enjoys the book, and 10,
| its success is assured OF course it wUulsl
| be necessary to establish a literary censor
| at the White House If the President were
| to make a practice OF expressing even the
| faintest opinion ON all the books that are
| sent to him.
But besides the aspiring schemes of am
| bilious young authors, large number of
| books come from the advocates OF theory,
| social, political, economF. or even re-
| Iigious. An enthusiastic young Sweden
| boreinn minister. il is related, called upon
| James Buchanan one DAY and presented
| d copy OF the complete works of Emanuel
| Swedenborg, that the Pre-. lent Fu3ght not
| be without the light which these. works
\ contain.
WELL STOCKED WITH CANES
| THE President who hasn'ta a huudredcanes
/ IN a,
else has been very active in disposing of his
/ gifts. Closely allied To the canes are thC
| symboliCal gifts. like gavcls male from tht
| trae under " hiCh Henry Clay delivered some
/ famous speech. or the house la which Martin
I Van Bdrend or pa per eight> ma de from
| the nrsttinplate en!anuractu ured in theUnit
| States. or the cheaviestcable ever produCediu
4 America Few things that are good TO eat
| are sent TO the President. Sometimes Il bar
| rel Ofthe handSOmeSt apples. OF q fat turkey
or fine string of trout. or piece of veni-
| son. is sent to the White House but as a rule
thiS class OF gifts is not large.
! Mention should be made also of the
curious things which curious people worS
out. Some man in Jail viii cut ont OF a
shinglc very perfect representation oI
| a locomotive, or a iuuatic viii construct
a pincushion with such minute detail as
would almost upset normal reason, Peo-
pie who do extraordinary things in The
line or mechaHlcdi ueNtrrlty usuaIly t..-
! member the President. The man who car
write the whole inaugural address OF Mr..
| Mckinley on card the size OF a cabinet
photograph will not forget the new Presi
dent and the inventor OF a novel rat
trap will send one of his first consignments
! to the White House.
1 ,--
After He Saw Them.
George, that is very bad fitting suit
| of yours
Yes, know it,