The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1902-01-10

Washington, Jan. THE Washing
ton Post prints an interesting and i'm
portant article by ex-senator William
E. Chandler, president of the Spanish
claims commission, entitled, Wanted,
by the United States. a President"
The article is a strong argument for a
reform in the present methods of con-
Quoting executive business.
Mr. Chandler asserts that a presi-
dent has only three objects in his
life-frst, to see 10000 people a year;
second, to accomplish 1000 little
things, and, third, to try to do 200
great things. In the seeing of so
many thousand people about trivial
matters and in giving his attention to
these little things, the president, Mr..
Chandler insists, is worn out and be-
comes physically unable to grapple
with the great problems to which he
ought to give his undivided attention.
Mr.. Chandler cites from personal
knowledge the cases of presidents
who have almost succumbed under the
strain, instancing particularly Presi-
dent Arthur, in whose cabinet he was
secretary of the navy, and President
Mckinley, to whose impaired health
Mr.. Chandler attributes inability to
recover from the shock from the as
sassin's bullet.
Mr.. Chandler expresses his regret
that President Roosevelt, "even with
his quickness, his acuteness and his
present untiring industry and energy,
has given cOuntenance to the idea that
he will do all the appointing himself
and hear all that any one has to say
nfro
Mr.. Chandler thinks that the great
weight of the pressure for office ought
to fall upon the cabinet ministers and
that the president ought to have more
time for important things.
what is wanted in the person of
Mr. Roosevelt" says Mr.. Chandler,
land in every other person whom the
twentieth century may see in the
White House, is a president who will
be allowed to serve the whole people
with all his heart and strength, with
all his mind and body in the dis
charge of his official duties. unhin-
dered by the pressure upon him of so
many thousands of his cOuntrymen as
have in recent years encrOached upon
the time and patience of our presi-
dents and kept them from their public
work, or compelled them to do it by
impairing their physical health and
oyerstraining their mental powers.
"The time has come when access to
the president, except at public recep-
lions, should be limited to the cabinet
ministers. senators, representatives
and ambassadors, and to such other
persons only as are given interviews
for public purposes after written APP
plicatiOns have been received and
carefully considered. The public re-
ceptions of the president should be
few and there should be no intrusiOns
on his social life, which he should be
allowed to regulate according to his
own will and pleasure and no person
should take offense because not in
vited to his presence or find fault with
his selection of his company, what
ever may be it's race or color.
"This needed change of custom will
at first no doubt, be unpopular. 1t
will be condemned as unrepublican eX-
1t will require, to begin
the new rule, a president who has
been a man of the people, who is
known to be at heart thoroughly dem
ocratic in his ideas and ways, and who
is also strong in his convictions and
fearless in his actions. Is not Mr.
Roosevelt such a president? Will he
the reform?"