The age-herald., 1902-03-09
Old and New World.

President Roosevelt's cancellation of his daughters acceptance of Special Ambassador Whitelaw Reid's invita- tion to be the guest of the special em- Dassy on the occasion of King Ed wards coronation in June may strike the average American as purely so- cial matter, but, looked at from all sides. it seems to be an act on the Presidents part of more than ordinary political importance.
 Miss Alice Roosevelt was naturally eager to go to London and witness the most gorgeous coronation show ar ranged to take place since the time Of the Tudors. Miss Roosevelt's father, the President, was quick to give his consent for her to be MT. Reid's guest.
 American demogogues made filings at what they called the administra- tion's flunkeyism, but President Roose- welt paid no attention to these dema- gogic remarks. Miss Roosevelt was to go to London, he thought, as any other American girl would go-simply as a private person.
 But it turns out that King Edward and the British government insisted on treating the young woman as the direct representative of the American ruler" and fixing her status in the order of precedence on the same lines as princes and princesses of royal blood hailing from foreign courts. If she was to visit London the German Emperor could not understand why she should not cross the English channel and be the guest of the En- press and His Imperial Majesty.
 The Czar of Russia was not going to be eclipsed in hospitality by Elm peror William, and pressing invita- ton was to be dispatched to the United States for Miss Roosevelt to extend her travels to St. Petersburg. Aus tria. Italy, France and Spain would certainly have followed suit, and per haps the Sublime Porte.
 All this great stir startled Presi- dent Roosevelt, and he took the mat ter promptly in hand, regardless Of the bangs to his daughters heart, and ordered her to forego the pleasures of trip across the Atlantic.
 Americans living a hundred years hence will probably look back and laugh at this political caution on the part of MT. Roosevelt, as being un- necessary, if not absurd.
 It is different today. Court etiquette is all right in Europe. It has been established there from time imme- morial. Official etiquette in this country has been confined chiefly to receiving foreign princes and embas- sadors. and anything like Americans dropping into court style abroad has been frowned upon and practically in terdicted.
 Prejudice is often unreasonable. It is usually wrong; but in cases such as this, involving the democracy of our institutions of today, it Is well enough to consider 1t and in way be governed by it.
 There have been exceptions, when Americans of the plain, old-fashion sort, went to Europe and accepted all the suited courtesies that could be bestowed upon a monarch. U. s. Grant was one of the Americans who was received with all the ceremony due a sovereign; received with elab- crate ceremony, not only in Europe, but in Asia as well. He had been the general of the United States army, but was not at the time holding any military title or rank. He had been President of the United States, but when he made his trip around the world he was an unofficial citizen of the United States. Congress did, how ever, give him a semi-of1cial status by passing a resolution allowing him to wear the uniform of full general of the army. But then Grant was hero of international fame.
 In 1890 or 1891, Grover Cleveland, then ex-President, was invited by friends to take trip with them to Europe. He declined on the ground that he would be the Democratic nominee in 1892, and his going to Flu rope might compllcate the situation. In other words, he feared that official courtesies would be thrust on him. If he accepted royal hospitality it might hurt him politically. he thought. If he kept aloof from court, that might hurt hIm automatically as the future President. 50 he stayed at home.
 The late Benjamin Harrison went to Europe after he was President. He was one of the few ex-Presidents who ever went abroad. But he was natur-