The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-10-13
Life in the White House.


President Mckinley has returned to
work in pretty good condition. From
now on till next summer he will leave
the White House only on rare occa-
sions, and then for but day or two at
time. 1t is going to be long and ar
duous campaign for him. Since the
war there have been few periods in
which president of the United States
had as much to worry him as President
Mckinley is likely to have during the
coming year. While the president
feels his responsibility As an earnest
and conscientious official, it is fortunate
that he does not fret. Not long ago
Mr.. Mckinley found he was not sleep
ing well. Ii became more and more
difficult for him to throw off the cares
of state on retiring, and his health
suffered little in consequence, writes
the Washington correspondent of the
Chicago Times Herald. This was some
thing new in his experience. All his
life he had been able to leave his
troubles outside his bed room. This
was the secret of his remarkable en-
durance during the long campaign of
lS96-a campaign which really began
in January and ended in November,
with most extraordinary demands upon
his nervous forces.
Obviously something was to be done,
and then il was the president took him
self in hand. He resolved, by will
power, to Conquer the habit Of think
ing when he should be asleep. He has
suceesded in his eflsrts,s and izagain 8
living example of the rule that no
troubles or anxieties are too great for
him to endure who can put them be-
hind him and go to sleep in half an
hour after retiring. The president has
discovered another thing, and that is
that he is better off when sctually in
harness and hard at work than he is
when trying to rest in vacation time.
Many another man has had the same
experience, and the reason for il is
very simple one. The man who has
large sponsibilities, and who leaves
them alone during the day while en-
gagged in riding, driving, boating, din
ing or social converse, invariably takes
them up the moment he is alone in
his chamber. On the other hand,
the man who works hard during the
day disposing of many callers and
mass of routine is tired enough when
bedtime comes to drop everything and
go off to sleep.
This simple and accurate statement
of the effect of the presidency upon the
habits of the man is an indication of
the overwhelmingness,s so to speak, OF
the presidential Office. The man who
is president of the United States leads
during the time of his incumbency, an
abnormal life. Possession of such vast
power means the burden of cores
ponding responsibility. With the issue
of peace or war in his hands, with vast
influence upon the prosperity and hap
piness of 100000 people dependent
upon his policies and successes the man
DOES not live who could take this Office
and fill it properly without feeling the
weight of it day by day and hour by
hour.
As in great things, so it is with innu-
merable small affairs. He must many
times day ask himself the question if
this or that suggested action is in keep
ing with the dignity of the president Of
the United States. Personal impulses
by the thousand must be suppressed.
The man must to a great extent make
himself over. Almost without excep-
ton every American who has occupied
the presidential Office has risen to it,
risen in character and dignity and
manner, no matter how much below it
he was at the outset 1t is an office
which demands that the man shall
sink himself and become almost anoth-
er entity.
The wonder is that so many of our
presidents have retained their personal
characteristics and habits, their aatu-
ralness and simplicity, while in office.
All the tendency is in tn. other direc-
ton. Unconsciously to the man him.
self, he ceases to be as his friends
knew him, as he knew himself, and he
takes on new consciousness He is
'the president" This fact he is never
permitted to forget. 1t follows him
everywhere. 1t bobs up impertinently
at the simplest dinner in country
house as we'll as in a cabinet meeting
at the executive mansion. That Mr..
Mckinley has retained his charming
individuality, his real self, as fully as
the average of his predecessors, Is the
testimony of all who come much in
contact with him.