Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-05-19
McKinley's Handshake.

Tie latest thing out i the "Pre>i-
Dental handshakc," inaugurated by
Mr.. Mckinley, at Hot Springs, Va,
where he has been sent 10y his doctors
to wash the nicotine out of his system
that has been implanted by excessive
smoking. Tn" President is improving
the tim" oi his enforced retirement
from the duties of State, by inaugural
iny new fads illustrative OF the per-
sonal nature Of the chief executive.
The first OF these is the Presidential
hand>hakc. 1t is unique, and is thus
Described bya correspondent Of the
New York World:
The President stands very erect, his
chest expanded as though his lungs
We're filled IL overlooking. his saunders
thrown back his feet planted closely to-
ycller >oll,lly Oh the floor, while his lett
arm rests limp, almost motionless, at his
side. As the caller approaches the
President raises has right arm, which is
bent at the elbow and carefully folded
over the watch pockets of his white
wastcoat and shoots it out gently al
most full length, holding it on line
about three inches below his shoulder.
Graspng his caller by the finger tips,
he shakes the hand gently in perpen-
dicular motion, smiling as he says:
Glow do You do, Mr.. So-and-So," and
then lets 60. And "Mr. So-andSo"
gets only within an arms length of the
President. Every caller is given the
same shake. No exception is made, the
acknowledgement. sweet-faced, peach
checked women getting the same arms
length grasp which is given to the
peaked head little man. Some one ia.
cetiously suggested after the perform
ance that the President might have
warmed up little to the pretty women,
! BAT as the President evidently knew his
business, this suggestion would doubt
less have been rejected.
How different this is from the warm
cordial greeting of that other great
Republican, James G. Blaine, who
rode on the engine tender instead of
an ice-wagon. Blaine was so noted
for his hospitable manner of greeting
visitors, it is even said that noted
politicians who belonged to the other
wing of his party avoided the hypnotic
influence he was said to have exerted
over all who came within the charmed
circle of his gracious manners.
The Mckinley handshake was intro
duced at q reception held in the
Homestead Hotel, on the night of
May 10th, a date made memorable
thereby. 1t is said that after the first
half dozen had given an exemplifica-
ton as it were of the precise motions
and exact attitude to be maintained
while the ceremonious ordeal was on,
the remainder of the large assemblage
caught on with the avidity of ducks
taking to water, and the next day the
Presidential grasp was the only correct
thing in Fashions circles. Everybody
admitted the shake was new, and of
course everybody voted it quite the
correct thing. To-day nothing goes at
Hot Springs but the Presidential
shake and it is rapidly following the
rule of expansion wherever the Presi-
dents wishes are respected. 1t will
doubtless reach this distant corner Of
our wide domain in due time, and for
that reason We give the precise ex.
PLANTATION of the World so that his adj.
mirers may be at their ease when he
visits this coast in July and line up to
do him honor.