The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-20
TRUE DEMOCRACY.
The Foreign Views of President
Roosevelt.
FOREIGN VIEWS OF PRESIDENT
RCOSEzN Elf

LSOOSSNG4Ls
FOREIGN VIEWS OF PRESIDENT
ROOSEVELT
The following article was prepared for
Golfers Weekly by a well known Euro
pean diplomat unoffieially resident in
Washington for a time. The observa-
tons on society at the national capital
show some of the love of empire that
mingles with the American democracy
in the national capital:
Three views of Mr.. President; First
vieW-oolitical. [ am just arrived III
your country and at your national cap
rated-a most interesting and instruc-
tive event for the foreign observer. The
Dresident-elect IS for the moment resi-
dent at the hotel at which I am staying.
The day before the inauguration 1 have
small glimpses of him, dignified, not
too self-consciouS man, not unlike VIVA
my imagination had pictured as the
probable kind of person for the chief
place in a democracy. He is always
surrounded by distinguished looking
men, respectful and eager. but not OBJ
SequlOus. much like the famillars Of a
monarch. In the evening a vast and
agitated throng pours into the streets
round the hotel Bands are playing.
there is much shouting, singing, laugh
ing, great deal of what you call pro
fame swearing" but no anger or ever.
III nature The throngs press into the
hotel, into the corridors leading to the
suite occupied by the Dresident-elect.
They find his door. They beat, they
kick upon it. Speech speechi'' they
shout. Come out. old boyi Come out.
old man! We see you hiding theret"
look on amazed I say to myself:
The soldiery Will appear and sweep the
corridors clear The door 17sesentI.5
is his face angry, frowning, displeased2
On the contrary, his eyes dance; his lips
wreathe in smiles; he waves his hands
depreca tingly. You're too good to me
DOYS. he at 1,aff
mixture of familiarity and dignity And
ne submits with apparent delight to the
indeed demOcracyt" I exclaim.
THE SOCIAL SIDE.
second Vlew-social. 1t is perhaps
SIX weeks later / am guest at din
ner at the house of a member of the
cabinet We are all assembled in the
profusely decorated drawing rooms.
waiting for something to occur which
IS evidently to be of the highest i'm
portance The agitation of my host
and hostess is visible, carefully though
they strive to conceal it. Presently the
musicianS-an orchestra. almost=be-
gin to play THE Star Spangled Ban
ner." Or, perhaps it is the British ma
tiOnal air-tCSOd Save the King'7-tO
Thee Every one rises and his majes-
ty-pardOn me the slip-I mean his ex-
cellency the president and her excel
lency, his wife. appear in the doorway.
of them with a depth equal to that re-
quired in throne room. Their excel
lencies advance to a white-and-goId
sofa placed nOticeably apart and fur
Their marked by an empowering mass
of palms and ferns. The scene is sim
pie sylvan. but almost royal. Indeed.
it is royalty in the hours when court
etiquette is relaxed not laid aside.
The ceremony of greetings and pres
entations which follows is in all essen
tiaIs-except one-what I have often
seen at private entertainments to royal
persons in Europe. The one lacking
essential is-ease It is amusingly-but
by no means ludicrously-app arent
that the effort at court ceremony is an
effort. honest and determined. but
hampered by ignorance eyes. and as
ness that I did not then know.) Once
more stare amazed
Democrat y-perhaps, I say to my
/ self but democracy with passionate
yearnings for monarchy.
THE OFFICIAL SIDE
Third VieW-official. I am at the White
House. guest at an informal lunch. When
we leave the table the president leads us
! into a hall where We stand in a group
round him. he and all OF Us smoking lie
/ is talking-his attitude toward Us and ours
/ toward him that which characterizes dis
/ tinguished host and hattered guests any
where in the world An attendant in llv-
cry pushes through the group with small
ceremony and places himself beside the
4 president He waits with some Impotence
+ until the president finishes the sentence
Then he says-his tone that Of teacher cor
ssBeg pardon, Mr.. President Smoking is
I stand amazed for the third time. used
as I am by this time to social and poiitl-