The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-09-10
Better Abolish Presidential Hand
Shaking.

" TT not high time that the anti
quated and obsolete custom of
Il presidential public receptions,
with obligatory hand-shaklng'
were abolished? DO not thc recent
events at Buffalo clearly demonstrate
that this, like many other customs
which in their time were pertinent ana
adequate to the social and political
life of the people of the young republic
have become senselcss, inadequate ana
even dangerous 10 the welfare OF the
nation through the march of time and
progress. and above all through the
altered relations OF the United states
to the other nations of the world?
.Icffersoniar simplicity, in its con-
GO option that the chief executive OF the
nation is and remains a citizen OF the
United states as citizen no better nor
worse than any other: and that he be-
comes exalted above his fellow citi-
zens only by virtue Of the office OF
president to which he has been elected
Ivy q majority of the people to watch
over the welfare of the nation with
fathcrly eye and like the father OF
large family, to be approachable at
any time to the humhlcst member or
that family, Is a beautiful idea and In
! the freedom of intercourse Of the prcsi-
dent with the people it was put in
practice. and the public receptions, ana
particularly the hand shaking" were
| introduced as symbolical expressions
| of the ideal democracy.
| Rut as in the lives of individuals so
| also in the lives of nations, the ideals
of youth have to bow to the altered
conditions aud the mental expansion
| of adolescence and ripper age, and natur-
ally the expression of ideal democracy
Of the infancy OF the American nation,
! like the Blue Laws" of tho Puritans.
has become inadequate and therefore
senseless, inapplcable, nay, even per-
ncious In its unaltcrcd form at the
present time and under the greatly
altered conditions and relationship or
the American nation as body polite
But in the same ratio as our nation
has grown and advanced in import
auCe and has emerged from the iso-
|
merly held in the large family of ma
tions to one of acknowledged import
ance. the importance Of the office of
president, and the responsibility and Ia
Dor of the chief executive, have grown
and with them the value of the life aud
health of the president Of the United
States, while in office, TO the nation
has been greatly enhanced. 1t follows
in logical sequence that if the presi-
dent is selected for the purpose of TAX
ing care of the welfare of the nation
the nation is in duty bound to take
care of the welfare of the president
and should be willing to give M cheer
fully the Misunderstanding at public presi'
dental receptions as a symbolic ex'
preston of ideal democracy.
This custom exposes the presiden
not only to the danger of being as
sassinated by a fanatic or of beinl
infected by a contagious disease whicf
may cause prolonged sickness and ever
death, and is therefore not one viii
better in its effects than the assassin
knife or pistol, but also subjects th
chief executive and even the members
of his family to useless physical anC
mental suffering, depriving the nation
of the valuable services of the presi
dent for a number of days after suCl
, a reception because his right arm he
comes swollen, painful and almost par
alyzed from the frequent heart.
, claspngs." or even may result ip seri
. Gus illness, as was the case with Mrs
Mckinley last spring, who suffered
, severely from a bone felon on tn
finger, caused by the hand shaking.
. Let us abolish once for all these pub
lie receptions, oven though now il /
, almost like locking the stable door If
tor the horse is Stnlcn.