The age-herald., 1901-10-17


 Roosevelt has been President of the United States long enough to have made distinct impression on the public men who make up what Is vaguely termed Washington sentiment. The question on everybodys lips Is: What kind of President is Roosevelt going to maker" Enough persons have been to see him, from Senators and other party leaders down to the most trivial callers, and he has said enough in reponse to their varied requests, to furnish the data by which all interested observers may make their own predictions according to their individual standards of political exped- iency and public duty.
 No one can go to the White House on any business day without realizing the terrible strain to which we subject a President of the United States Even though Congress Is not now in session, and the building is theoretically closed In mourning for the late President. the public corridors of the second story have much the appearance of steamship wharf on a sailing day. The space re- served for waiting-room purposes is lit erally packed; there Is hardly standing room. Official Secretary Cortelyou, per- sonal Secretary Loeb. and clerical Sec retary Pruden are constantly besought by anxious groups to procure an audience with the President. Captain Loefher, the Presidents doorkeeper. who admits with out challenge personages of recognized importance, like Cabinet officers and we'll known Senators. Is Kept busy swing ing open the door Into the Cabinet room. When one considers the number of Presidents callers, and the diversity of their business, one may well believe, In thinking of his duties, that being talked to death must be a terrible death to die"
 That the Presidency Is an office In which a man must submit to endless inn portunity is the experience of every re- cent occupant General Harrison told the friends who inquired concerning his will lingness to be candidate in 1896, that he should dread to have to go through again the terrible ordeal of grappling entangle- ments and listening to the appeals Of patronage. President Cleveland, in his second term, issued a notice to the effect that he would not receive importunities for office but that all the preliminary discussion must be had with the Cabinet officers in whose departments the posi- tions respectively came. President Me- Kinley, as was often noted, possessed an almost magical faculty for passing peo- pie along and yet doing it graciously. Still the office wore heavily on him, and left his constitution somewhat weak ened.
 President Roosevelt, 1t Is acknowledged,
 Il. ME.T(A (Ar.lo 0 vt taking these troubles easily. While per fectly good-natured and cordial to all his visitors, he bears quiet evidence of being frightfully bored by the office-brokers, and tells those who come to see him on matters of public policy how glad he IS to have the patronage harangue occa- sionaIly interrupted. Of course, every thing that President says to his callers Is repeated to somebody and tends to travel rapidly. When he tells the bearer of a statesmanlixe message that he well comes such an oasis. the virtuous man loses no time in letting it get around to the place hunters that their visits are less welcomed than his own. Already there is some feeling among the politi- clans that they are suffering slight when their errand relates to office. Some of the Presidents jocular remarks at such times have been quoted afterward as coming a little near the truth to be wholly enjoyed. Two Senators were pressing him closely in regard to patron age the other day and thought they had about made their point, when the Presi- dent, with a wave of the hand, invited into the conversation third man before whom they could not talk, saying in testing way that he wanted to get little respite from their importunities. His hu- mor for some reason, they did not wholly like, and they went away questioning whether he would be a real success as President.
 Another thing with which the politicians find fault is that MT. Roosevelt talks too loud and does not give them much op- portunity for privacy. He receives great many callers In his large room at one time, listening to them in groups or one by one as they get around to him. Tn this sort of conference much that he says can be overheard by the others present, as was his home thrust at Sena- tor Mason the other day on the necessity of Masons picking out for Federal posi- sitions men of the highest integrity. The Senator's opponents are already guying him little about the impression his henchmen have made on the new Presi- dent, and Mason is one of those who wish that their patronage conferences might henceforth be held in a shady nook of Lovers Lane. There Is also disposition in some quarters to resent the notion that the President should himself per sonally ascertain the fitness of candidates presented for places by the Senators. These dignitaries maintain that no Presi- dent can do this without reducing greatly the time at his disposal for-listening to further appeals.
 The Presidents callers however, while saying that he lacks something of MT. McKinley's skill in handling people ex- peditiously and smoothly. acknowledge that he possesses wonderful faculty of knowing in advance what they are going to say. His mind habitually leaps ahead out on subject with platitudes and pre- liminaries are suddenly interrupted by some pregnant remark containing the gist of the whole matter. An important visitor the other day, known to be long winded and painfully precise in his pre- sentation of a case, was coached by his advisers beforehand as to the necessity