Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-04-08
GIFTS TO A PRESIDENT.
Piles of Presents Sent to the White
House.

plies of Presents sent to the White
House.
President and Mrs. Cleveland had a
unique task preparatory to their de-
parture from the white house. 1t was
a task that all presidents have had to
perform since the time of Washington,
but none of them ever had so much of 1t
to do as Mr.. and Mrs. Cleveland, and the
great popularity OF the latter is large
~ to blame for 1T.
During the last four years thousands
of packages have been delivered at the
white house addressed to the presiden-
tial couple. A large proportion of these
were gifts to either the president or his
wife, and nine-tenths OF these gifts
were piled up in the great roomy garnet
CT the extensive mansion.
What to do with these gifts is the
problem which now confronts the re-
cipients. 1t would probably make Maj.
Mckinley the enemy for life of MIR.
Cleveland if the latter left the accumu-
lation undisturbed, as the president
elect will doubtless need all of the great
garnet space to dispose of the gifts
which he is certain to receive during
his stay in the white house.
From certain sources in the white
house the information was obtained
that at least 5000 unwelcome gifts have
been showered upon Mr.. and Mrs. Cleve-
land since March of 1892.
1t is the duty of the presidents pri-
yate secretary to receive all gifts and
acknowledge them when the latter is
advisable. Enough patent medicines
are in the garnet to stock drug store,
and these will be turned over to the
steward for disposal as he sees fit.
Many owners of patent medicines send
a sample of their wares to the president
in the hope of securing testimonial or
acknowledgment.
Photographs there are by the thou
sand, and some of them have tackled
onto them letters full of pathos- Por-
traits of babies named after him are
there by the score; some of them cray
ons in gilt frames, which probably cost
the admiring parents many sacrifices.
These are always acknowledged, the
letter being signed by the president.
| When two photographs are sent the
president signs one and returns it to the
| parents, when it is destined to become
a family heirloom.
The mighty fame which Mr.. Cleve-
| land has achieved as a huntsman led
| hundreds of folks to send him fishing
rods, guns, game baskets, cartridge
belts, reels, lines, hooks, boots, jackets,
| hats and every imaginable kind OF
thing that man might need on gun
ming or fishing expedition Dealers in
sporting goods were the greatest
givers of stuff of this kind, but when
ever anything of value was sent Secre-
| tary Thurber returned the gift with
note explaining that the president
could not accept it. Of course it would
be great card for some firm to adver-
tise that the president of the United
States used Sure Shot G Co.'S gun or
Big Catch & Co.'s fishing rod.
During the past four years Mr.. Cleve-
land received enough mascots to last
his descendants for the next so genera
tons. There is one big package made
up of photographs of gentlemen who
detected in their own physiognomies
| startling resemblance to the presiden-
till features.
The most unique gifts and the ones
representing the greatest sacrifice are
those sent by homely country folk.
Bed quilts of the ''crazy" pattern, which
must have taken years to sew and en-
broider; bits of rag carpets; one OF
them made from pieces of clothing
worn by seven generations OF the same
family; knitted wooden panels depict
ing religious scenes and host of sim
liar things are strewn about, each and
all of them unwilling rich mine of
kindly feeling for the president. Mrs
Cleveland says all the gifts of this char
acter must be treasured, and soon they
will be distributed among the new
homes of the family.
Every time a new brand Of cigar was
put upon the market the average maker
sent box to the president, in the hope
of securing testimonial. These were
ignored, and the president never
smoked the cigars; in fact he did not
know of their arrival, as Mr.. Thurber
received everything and had the things
placed in the garnet without notifying
his chief. When anything exceptional
ly odd or out of the ordinary arrived
it was shown to the president, but this
does not happen once out of so times
Washington Letter.