The Savannah morning news., 1901-05-05
SOME WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
roysOLED BY THE THOUGHT OF
OLD SHOES.

vays on Dress Parade-Mr. McI<in-
lev VIII Break the Record as the
Great American Travelling Presi-
dant-The Man who ArranGes the
president's Trips-He Is the Pas
.ourer Agent of the Pennsylvania
RaiIrOad-The Presidents StenOg-
amber Takes His Impromptu
Sreechse-Other Matters of General
interest.
washington, May 3.-While most of us
ara inclined to envy President Mckinley
his splendid trip. which need not cost
linn a solitary penny-ft is no doubt true
,,at the humble private individual. who
eoss about his summer pleasuring in his
on way wearing old shoes to ease his
I'D feet if he wants to, and free to
elevate the soles thereof to any angle he
nleases, has a great deal better time.
mink of seven straight weeks of travel
ing with the search-light of publicity
,,rned full upon one every minute OF the
lime! There wild be no getting away
fron, II. even in the deserts and noun
aims of the distant West, with reporters
an
hawks for the smallest items to tele-
eranh to their--papers, and every little
yav-side station packed with curious
crowds. The distinguished party must
ha all the time on dress parade, its every
word and action duly measured by the
,edLtape line. Beyond question, many
times before those thousands of weary
miles are covered, poor feeble Mrs. Nc
Kinley will be signing for the wrappered
and corsetless freedom of a hot June
morning on the Canton farm. EXPIRES
ident Cleveland was wiser in his day and
generation, when he took his frequent
outings "far from the madding crowd
where only a few chosen chums could
see him in disreputable fishing Jacket
and trousers tucked into top-boots, and
know what sort of larks he was up to.
OF all the Presidents that have ever
Swung around the circle" in this coun-
trv President Mckinley will break the
record for luxurious surroundings; but
then he is the first in the twentieth CEN
Jury. with its rapid strides in the way of
modern improvements. President Harri-
son, on his California trip had the best
that was going in his day, but it wasn't
"a patchin," as the darkeys say, to the
uxuries of 1901 1 fancy that the hon
ored shade of the original travelling Presi-
dent, Gen. George Washington, must re-
gard with something akin to envy the
extraordinary style of his latest success
or That aristocratic scion of the F. f.
VS. set a worthy example TO all future
Presidents by trying to get acquainted
with the, country and its people between
1t I,.-
no small undertaking, though California
was nowhere, Chicago, St. Paul, st. Louis
undreamed of, and the great Northwest
only blur on the map. President Wash
ington Travelled as far and wide as he
could in his own private carriage, and
spent two delightful summers in New
England and the South.
Jackson, Tyler and others of the early
Presidents made some extensive perigri-
nations, considering the facilities then ex-
listing, but always as unostentatiously as
any private citizen. 1t was reserved for
later executive to be exhibited in spec
Gacular fashion by the railway corpora
tons. to the music of Hail the Chief
by brass bands all along the route. Only
one President has had a private car OF
his own and that was Lincoln, the ex-
rail-spitter and simplest man of them all.
fair, and to-day would be hardly up to
the requirements of second-class traffic;
but it excited considerable adverse crit
icism among his political opponents as be-
ing not in accord with Republican sim
pHcity." All other Presidents
since the era OF railroads,
have Travelled in private cars
loaned for their use by railroad CORPORA
tons. Sleeping car companies are par
ticularly anxious to tender their finest
coaches for this purpose, and would
gladly pay a good round sum for the priv
lege of carrying the chief magistrate,
because of the peripatetic advertisement
afforded. OF course, as a rule, the Pres
ident doesn't pay cent for anything.
Yet, as all rules have exceptions, Presi-
dent Cleveland furnished a shining one
on his first trip West, by paying regular
fare for himself and ell his party, though
the bill mounted up into the thousands.
He did it because the interstate COM
merce law had just gone into effect, and
TO be the first to violate it, might cost
him the coveted second term.
Hauling the Presidents special IL a
very expensive thing for the railroads.
II means side-tracking all other business,
however important or perishable. Hun
dreds of cars of grain and livestock, and
lncalculable amounts of coal and freight,
TO say nothing of decaying fruit and veg
elables will have to wait indefinitely ell
along the line, to make a clear track be-
tween the beginning and end Of the Pres
dents journey. AS an added precaution,
pilot engine steams a little way ahead
OF the presidential train, to make sure
mat all is safe and clear
Inc distinguished traveller for whom all
mis- is done has really little voice in the
"details of his outing. He may state his
estimation and time of starting, and
moose the guests to accompany him, but
mat is about all When President Nc
hlhley wishes to make an extended jour-
ney' he always sends for Mr.. &. W.
hoyd, assistant general passenger agent
VI the Pennsylvania road, who has had
more experience in arranging presiden-
Val schedules than any other man living.
VT Boyd boasts that ne could take
resident safely around the world on
lufy-eight hours notice; but some no
H'e there must be in advance of the
shortest journey. Mr.. Boyd has to look
up the regular schedules of all the roads
70 De covered, and calculate the running
,lIne OF their trains; and then he must
o'dnee everything with extreme nicely.
." order TO avoid delays or collisions, and
d, the same time not to bring the Pres
peht into big cities at hours of the night
"hen he cannot be exhibited, or to land
UilQ Al haf 10 train