Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-29

American president is pre-eminently q mar
OF vast practical activity, and that here,
surrounded by clicking telegraphs and Rhir-
ring telephones, he Is presiding over the
business once OF the nation. It is only
within recent years that the White House
management determined to keep abreast.
II not ahead. OF the times in the matter OF
telephone and telegraph facilities.
War Time Inconvenience.
During the civil war, Mr.. Edward. Rose
water, now editor and proprietor of The
Omaha Bee. had charge OF the messages
that came to the president.
'As / look back" said Mr.. Rosewater.
ut seems incredible that the government
had not then awakened to the necessity Of
running wires directly to the White House.
All messages for the president were re-
ceived in the ofhces of the War department,
and as we had no telephone then and the
president was sometimes impatient of mes
sengers, 1t was a common thing to see Mr..
Lincoln walk into my once at all hours
OF the day and night. He would stand at
my desk and wait for messages from the
front"
In striking contrast to this picture Of
Lincoln. strlding over to the War depart
1 anu waiting aAOubA AOi nlCo1uHCba 10
the record OF the way the signal service.
by the use OF the telephone and telegraph
made 1t possible for President Mckinley
actually to direct the movements of fleets
and battalions during engagements in the
Spanish war. But for the unquestioned
| ofAcial reports It would tax ones rredulity.
The part the telephone played in accom-
pllshing this extraordinary achievement is
a matter of unique interest.
Then, as low, Captain Benjamin +. Mont
gomery Of the signal corps. a scientist and
ofhcer OF unusual intelligence. was In charge
of the White House telephone and tele-
graph system. He prepared elaborate maps
Of Cuba and adjacent waters, OF Porto Rico,
the Philippines. and. in fact. OF all lands
and seas on which American ships and
regiments we're operating.
In Touch with the Firing Line.
At the front the flying telephone" sys-
tenn under the direction of General Greedy
Colonel Samuel Reber and other signal
service experts. followed both ships and
soldiers, and in some instances led the ad-
vance Everything known 10 the ohheers OF
the nring line was instantly communicate
by telephone to the nearest telegraph in,
strument and thence by direct private wire
TO the White House.
On Colonel Montgomery's big war mapi
the movements OF troops AID vessels were
indicated by pegs. and President Mckinley
watching the progress Of battles. sent di
rect commands to his generals and ad
mirals. For the FIRST time in American his
tory the president. in the fullest sense, wal
enabled from his executive once to exer
else his prerogative as commandments
Not only did President McKinley's vigi
liant direction Of the war render telephon,
service Indispensable at the front, hut 1
likewise made IL necessary that he SHOULD
never himself set beyond telephone call
Thus began the modern telephone service
At the White House.
The night before President Mckinley lef
Canton. o.. for the fatal trip IN BunalO b
called up the White House by long dAtano
telephone and asked Tor deAnite data Il
regard to the service the telephone la
!, rendered during the spanish war The fact
were furnished him ~ telephone, ana h