The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-18
A VIEW OF THE PRESIDENT.
observations by an Unofficial Euro
pcan at Washington.

Golfers Weekly.
Three views of "Mr President" First
view-political / am just arrived In your
country and at your national capital. A
President is about to be inaugurated-a
most interesting and instructive event Tor
the foreign observer. The President-elect Is
for the moment resident at the hotel at
which l am staying. The day before the
Inauguration have small glimpses of him.
a dignifed, not too self-conscious man. not
unlike what my imagination had pictured
the probable kind of person for the chief
place in democracy. He is always sur
rounded by Observation-Disclosures men, re-
spectful and eager. but not obsequious.
much like the familiars 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 laughing, great deal of what you
call ''profane swearing" but no anger or
even i'll nature. The throngs press into the
hotel, into the corridors leading to the suite
occupied by the President-elect- They find
his door. They beat, they kick upon It,
Speech speech" they shout Come out,
old boy, Come out, old man! We see you
hiding there!'
1 look on amazed. say to myself: The
soldiery will appear and sweep the cor
ridors clear" The door presently opens
In it appears the President-elect. is his
face angry, frownng, displeased? On the
contrary, his eyes dance; his lips wreathe
in smles he waves his hands deprecating-
iy. "Y ou're too good to me. boys" he says
"a curious, attractive mixture OF famillar-
ity and dignity. And he submits with APP
crowd. This is indeed democracy" 1 ex-
claim.
Second view-social 1t is perhaps six
| weeks later. l am guest at dinner at the
| all assembled in the profusely decorated
| drawing rooms. waiting for something TO
| occur which is evidently to be of the high
| est Importance. The agitation of my host
| and hostess is visible, carefully though
they strive to conceal it. Presently the
| musicians-an orchestra almost-begin TO
haps 1t is the British national air-"God
| Save the King'-to which you sing MY
| Country, Ills of Thee" Every one rises
and his Majesty-pardon me me-, the Slip 81
Excellency. his wife, appear in the door
way. All bow, the women courtesying,
some of them with a depth equal to that
required in a throneroom. Their Excellen-
| cies advance to a white-and-gold sofa
| placed noticeably apart and further marked
| by an empowering mass of palms and
most royal. Indeed. it is royalty in the
hours when court etiquette is relaxed, not
! laid aside.
The ceremony of greetings and presenta-
tions which follow is in all essentials-ex-
cept one-what have often seen at private
| entertainments to royal persons In Europe.
| The one lacking essential fs-ease. Ii is
| amusingly-but by no means rfdiculously-
| apparent that the effort at court ceremony
| is an effort, honest and determined, but
| hampered by Ignorance. (Yes, and as
now know by certain shamefacedness
that l did not then know Once more
| stare, amazed
'but democracy with passionate yearnings
| for monarchy"
| Third view-official 1 at the White
T, House, a guest at an informal lunch. When
we leave the table the President leads Us
him, he and all of us smoking. he is talk.
| ing-his attitude toward us and ours toward
| him that which characterizes distinguish
host and fiattered guests anywhere In tne
world. An attendant In livery pushes
through the group with small ceremony
| and places himself beside the President
He waits with some impotence until the
President finishes the sentence. Then ne
says-his tone that OF teacher correcting
pupil:
''Beg pardon. Mr.. President. Smoking Is
| not allowed here
/ stand amazed for the third time, used
as l am by this time to social and politica
| and official incongruities at your Washing
| ton.s The President looks confused for ar
instant-rather, as 1t seems to me, because
| his train of thought has been broken thar
| because a mental has been guilty OF
frightful. an incredible insolence. Tnen M
says with an apologize smile:
''Oh, is IT? Very well. Come on, boys.
He leads us into room. / guess they'll
let us alone here" he says. "Fm new Il
pae. snS rules
perhaps / say TO myself, but, emphat
ically a democracy"