The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-18
THE PRESIDENTS BoDYGUARD.

On Two or three occasions President
| Roosevelt has indicated 10 the secret
/ service men that he did not want them
10 follow him and watch out for his
| safety. he objects 10 being guarded
whenever he steps out Of his house, as
/ II his life were at all times in danger.
/ he wants 10 feel that he is as safe as
any other citizen whenever he takes
a walk or a ride. The feeling is a
very natural one. but he is not acting
wisely IN refusing 10 admit that he is
in more danger than any other citizen
Of prominence or TO realize that his
death might be followed with far
greater consequences to the country
than that Of any other citizen. AS a
matter Of fact It is not for him TO
consult MS feelings in the matter. The
thing for him to consider is the well
fare Of the entire country. When
therefore ne refused TO permit the Sc
cret service men TO guard him when he
went for a walk in Buffalo. immediate
~ after he was sworn In as President,
he did not show as good judgment as
he ought.
No one Of course thinks that he is in
the least afraid Of assassins. He has
too often shown that he is a man Of
courage. But because he is not afraid
il doesn't follow that there are not
sssassins abroad looking for a chance
TO take his life. Mr. Mckinley was
never afraid TO walk abroad when in
Washington or in any other city OF the
country. but he understood that his
life belonged to his country,
while he remained in the high
Office 70 which he had been called. and
that It was his duty to take every
precaution to preserve it. At Buffalo
therefore there were secret service
men near him all the time. It is true
they did not succeed in preventing the
sssassin's bullet from reaching him,
but who can say that they did not save
his life on a number of other occa-
siOns?
The death Of President Roosevelt at
this time, or in the near future, at the
hands Of assassins. might bring about
such an industrial and business dis
turbance as TO ruin thousands Of
homes and cause suffering in tens Of
thousands Of families. Therefore,
when the President goes about guard
ed the people understand that the
guard does not indicate that he is
afraid. They know that every precau-
ton IS being taken 10 protect the well
fare OF the country.
SIR. Mckinley was not assassinated
because he was hated He was not a
tyrant. He was one of the gentlest
OF men, and he had the affection Of the
whole people. He was killed because
anarchists teach that it is right to kill
the heads OF government in order that
there may be no organized government
OF organized society. II President
Roosevelt should be attacked it would
be for the same reason.
1t was in 1895 that the practice Of
guarding the President was inaugu-
rated. 1t was reported that there was
a plot to kidnap the Cleveland chill
dren and Mrs. Cleveland insisted that
steps should be taken to guard them,
and also the President. Mr. Cleveland
objected strongly to a bodyguard, but
Mrs. Cleveland declared that she would
have her way in the matter and the
President yielded. At first men from
the secret service were detailed for
this duty. but, eventually the police
Of Washington rendered this service,
while Mr.. Cleveland was in Washing
ton and the secret service officers were
detailed for IT whenever he left the
capital for other parts of the country,
but he never would permit the secret
service officers to accompany him on
his fishing trips.
When Mr.. Mckinley became Presi-
dent George Foster of the secret ser
vice became his principal bodyguard
and accompanied him on his various
trips. He was with him at Buffalo.
1t will be hard for President Roose-
welt to submit to being guarded when
ever he leaves the White House. He
has roughed II with cowboys, and
fought Indians on the plains, and been
in the battles around Santiago. He
has never, however been the object OF
anarchist hate until now. Hence there
is reason for a bodyguard which did
not exist before. In view of the
fact that 1t is to the interest of more
than 100000 people that he shall not
be the victim of an assassin. there
ought to be no objection from him tc
any precautions thought to be neces-
sary for his safety.