The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-01-12
LAWS FOR THE PRESIDENT.
They Are Very Strict and He Alone
Must Obey Them.
Philadelphia North Americar)

philadelphia North Americana
There are a number of unwrittsn laws
which hedge about president and CIR
cumScrlhe his movements. Not that the
chief executive could legally be required
to observe them, but that ne does 90 so
from q Difference TO custom
That the president must not leave the
country even for day is one. or these
restrictions imposed. not by statute but
by public opinion This was the reason
why President Mckinley on his trip
south last May, did not cross the boun-i
dairy line into Mexico. although ne very
much desired to see that country.
At FL PasO, Tex, he received Pres
dent DlaZ's personal representative. From
FL PasO there extends into Mexico the
international bridge which spans the hi0
Grande. The president went 10 the very
entrance TO the bridge that he might
catch a view of the Sierra Madre, ana
have at least q glimpse of the country
into which official custom forbade him
10 enter
President Harrison few years before
went a little nearer the limit Half way
across the bridge is the line that sepa-
rates the territory OF the two countries.
and President Harrison. awaiting hlmselL
OF every inch OF privilege. walked onto
the bridge and up TO the line though ne
forebOre to set foot across IT,
In compliance with this same sentiment
that restraints q president from stepping
onto foreign territory, ne may not enter
any foreign embassy or legation III
~ Sllu9LOu the OLLeLaL LC=iAe-LlE OF L---
representative OF another country IS as
much foreign territory IS II IL We're SIT
uated across the ocean The pdJcn ot
/ land thus owned by another government
/ IS exempt from taxation and immune
/ from our legal processes
In the same way TT is prohibited 70
/ the president to so aboard foreign war
| ship. This rule, it IS explained, mas us
origin in the precaUtiOu against q pos
cible plot 10 3u1ucr the cllel executive
] President Arthur is said TO have once
/ de6eG this rule when he accepted an IN
vitatiOn to luncheon aboard foreign
/ warship anchored at Newport.
] The etiquette OF calls is in Ike man
/ ner well defined for me president 11e
/ may not make a formal call attlrec IN
! ceremonial dress upon anyone except q
! president-elect. an eE-presi0ent, q preSl-
! dent Of a foreign state OF relgnlng
! monarch visiting in This country All
/ others are officially beneath his rank.
/ This. OF course. does NOT apply 70 IN
/ formal calls. which the chief executive,
! as any. private citizen, may make When-
! ever he likes
! Not to receive any but intimate friends
/ On Sunday is a rule TO which the earlier
| presidents were glad to adhere Even
now only the most urgent reasons are
I excuses for iuterrupting the president
| rest on the seventh day.
Another rule which is still respected
| forbidS the holding OF state receptions OF
dinners during Lent 1t IS a relic OF
/ TDgla0d'S religious influence. and Orig1-
mated with Washington, who was COM
municant of the Episcopallan church
! The precedent which he established has
since been adhered to. even by presidents
not of that religious faith
a president must never pay rrsI can
except upon the arrival of the head Of q
foreign state in Washington A crown
| Drf1ce even is beneath him in rank, and
must make the first social advances