The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-25
THEY ARE PERSONAL FRIENDS.
CLOSE sOCIABILITY BETWEEN THE
M'KINLEYS AND HOBARTs.


dents-Mrs. Hobart VIII BE Next to
Mrs. Mckinley In Coming Social
Functions.
Washington, July 24.-President McKin-
ley and Vice President hobart are warm
personal friends, and the latter frequently
strolls over to the white house in the
evening and smokes a cigar on the south
portico with the chief executive. Strange
as it may appear, this is the first admin
! istration since the days Of Lincoln, in
which the friendly relations between the
President and Vice President have not
been strained. 1t is therefore, a novelty
to see Vice President Hobart attired in a
| Tuxedo SUIT, these warm evenings on his
way to the white house to enjoy an after
dinner talk and smoke with his friend, the
| President
Political factions, and the conditions
surrounding the selection of the success
| fui candidates for President and Vice
| President have been such as to preclude
| the choice of two men who were personal
| friends, to go upon the presidential ticket
| 1t will be recalled that Andrew Johnson
was not friendly to Lincoln, and he never
went to the white house except when Of
fetal business called him there. Grant
and Colfax were not congenial and the
"Smner," as Colfax was called seldom
| appeared at the executive mansion while
he was Vice President. Henry Wilson Of
Massachusetts, maintained amicable rela-
tons with Grant after he became Vice
President, but he could not be called a
personal friend.
While Hayes presided over the white
| house Vice President William A. Wheeler
seldom appeared there except on state &C
casions. The relations between Garfield
and Arthur were strained almost to the
| breaking point, growing out of the hostil-
tiles between Garfield and COnkling There
was no warmth of friendly feeling be-
tween Cleveland and Hendricks, nor be-
| tween Cleveland and Stevenson Harrison
and Morton were political acquaintance
| while in office, but they could not be called
personal friends.
Two factions are invariably rampant
| at national conventions, and the faction
| falling to name the head of the ticket has
the consolation of selecting the candidate
| for Vice President. 1t frequently occurs
that the fractional feeling runs so high
that the President and Vice President
never succeed in cultivating those rela-
| tons which ought to exist between the
| two men who occupy the highest positions
of trust within the gift of the American
| people.
| AT the last republican national conven-
ton several well-worn and time-honored
| precedents were thrown aside. Instead
| Of taking the vice presidential candidate
from the anti-McKinley ranks, Garrett A.
Hobart, a personal friend of Mckinley,
was given second place on the ticket. 1t
has been the custom for Presidents and
! Vice Presidents of the same administers
ton to hold aloof from each other, and
| maintain a strictly official Intercourse. The
| relations existing between a President and
| Vice President were aptly expressed by
| private" John Allen, the humorous
J statesman, from Tupelo, Miss, when he
| remarked one day, while Vice President
| Stevenson was passing down the street:
! There goes Stevenson, deep in thought.
| He is thinking that only one man stands
! between him and the presidency. At this
| very moment l venture Cleveland IS say
ing to himself: Stevenson is wishing
| something would happen to me, so he
could get my job "
With President Mckinley and Vice
| President Hobart the circumstances are
| entirely different. They are congenial,
companlonable and entertain similar
views on nearly all of the great issues of
republican faith. They are near neighbors
| and 1t Is but natural that they should
come together quite frequently on the
| south portico of the executive mansion,
| those warm evenings. 1t was during a
recent twilight smoke on the portico that
| the President concluded to spend his com
| ing vacation at Lake Champlain. The
| President was commenting upon the va
| ried assortment of invitations he had re-
| ceived from representatives Of various
| mountain and seaside resorts. Vice Presi-
| dent Hobart remarked that he had spent
| several sea sons at Lake Champlain, and
! proceeded to enumerate its attractions.
Before the evening chat concluded, the
! President had decided to pass his vaca-
| ton at Lake Champlain.
Not only are the men Of the two families
| congenal, but Mrs. Mckinley and Mrs.
| Hobart are very dear friends, and they
| pass many pleasant hours together. The
| IIobarts while In Washington occupy the
| Don Cameron residence, fronting on La
| fayette square, Immediately opposite the
| white house. II is therefore very con-
venlent for visiting between the two fam
| lilies The visiting is not done entirely by
| the Hobarts, for the President and Mrs.
| McK inley often go over to the Vice Presi-
| dents for a social call or a game of cards.
The friendly relations existing between
the President and the Vice President viii,
greatly facilitate the social programme in
| official circles during the coming winter.
| II has been decided that the Vice President
| and his wife will take precedence over all
other official guests at all state functions.
| Mrs. Hobart will contribute largely 70 the
| briliiancy of the social end of the present
! administration. She is admirably equip
| ped mentally, physically and financially to
lead in society, and the Don Cameron
house is well adapted for entertaining on
| a lavish scale.
In the Senate and in official circles Vice
President Hobart rivals ex-Vice President
| Stevenson IN personal popularity. The
! latter was probably one OF the most gen.
isl and courteous presiding officers OF the
| Senate. Vice President Hobart is an apt
| parliamentarian, possesses a strong clear
voice and renders his decisions with
promptness and dlstinctness. He frequent
! ly leaves the chair and mingles with the
senators on the floor and In the cloak
room, and he is exceedingly popular with
| all OF the officers OF the Senate
There Is no ostentation or unnecessary
display about him and he Is easy 10 APP
| proaeh either at home or al the capitol
| He seldom uses his private carriage 20
convey him TO the capitol and back He
| prefers the street cars or the most de-