The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1903-10-15
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Secretary Root expects to sail for home,
Oct. 21, which will give him time to sub
init his annual report to Congress. Secre-
tary Root will not retire until the first OF
1904. re
One of the dearest wishes of Secretary
Moody is Naval training station on the
Great Lakes somewhere. 1t is suggested
that this be on the AID degree latitude, on
the southern shore of Lake Michigan
Secretary Moody asks an appropriation OF
$250,000 for the purpose, but it is not like
iy that Congress will grant it.
The question of protecting the President
of the United States from attacks by as
sassins and insane people Is becoming
mighty serious. A republic is no freer
than a monarchy or despotism from at
tacks upon its rulers by anarchists and
maniacs, and yet it is our proud boast that
our President needs no protection" As
q matter of fact, he needs a whole lot, and
he needs it everywhere-in church, on the
street, in the White House, and, more than
al. when he is travelling:
Inc luHaCiC WHO kllleu ouCoE
Ciscle in the White House the other
day, sat in the gallery of the Presidents
church on Sunday with q pistol in his
pocket. and it is said that he never took
his eyes off the President during the ser.
vice He could have fired the pistol and
killed the President, and no one have been
one whit the wiser till the tragedy was
complete. The man is clearly crazy and
irresponsible, and will never be punished
for what he has done. but that would have
made the assassination of the President
none the less horrible, had he accomplish
ed the purpose that was in his crazy mind.
President Roosevelt has had about him
more Secret Service men than any other
President. 1t seems imperatively neces-
sary. He is man of action, and wishes
to live out doors as much as possible. To
do this he must be protected from the
cranks and varied tOrmenters who get at
him in one way and another every time
he sticks his head out doors. unless there
is somebody to act as buffer between
him and the public. 1t is not that the
President is not approachable, for he Is.
He is extremely democratic in his ways,
and likes to speak to everybody. Nobody
could possibly accuse him of being up
pish." Yet, he realizes the responsibilities
of his position, and he knows how akin
to panic the money world goes when the
head of Government is 'snuffed out"
and he deems it the part of wisdom to
guard himself from attacks and sudden
death.
Strange to say, that although President
Cleveland was the first to set the example.
and a wise one. of having himself guarded
by Secret Service men when he sailed out
of the White House grounds. Tammany is
now poking fun at President Roosevelt for
doing this very same thing, and Benton
ofT wi IN "a
ernor of that State has openly charged the
President with cowardice in thus protect
ing himself
There has always been lurking suspi-
cion that Mr.. Cleveland was really a ply
steal coward. At any rate. he had built
at various places around the White House
a lot of little misunderstanding affairs
which tormented the vision and ruined the
appearance of the Executive Mansions
grounds. In these coops the sentries were
to stand at night. Mr.. Cleveland had
House when the things were torn down,
and have never been put up since.
To one who knows both the President
and Mcmillan. the charges sound very
funny 1t isn't likely that Roosevelt has
a cowardly drop of blood in his veins. He
has been tested in an hundred different
feather. Mcmillan is big, soft, babyish
looking man. who parts his hair on the
left ear and combs it upon his bald pate.
and who has voice like fog horn, and
probably wouldn't say boo to goose were
he to meet it in the dark. He is as mar
row in mind as he is sluggish of body. He
would never be in danger if President, for
he would mighty seldom let the public see
him. But. then. he is in no danger, any
how; he Will never be President
The 57th Congress wrested with bill
for the protection of the President. but it
never got out of conference. Senator
Bacon, Of Georgia. who never originated
an idea in his life, hut who delights in
staying the ideas of other men, talked the
bill to death. Senator Hoar said in the
dying hours of the Congress that such
bill must soon become law. That it was
an absolute necessity. There is now de-
cided movement for just such bill. and
It will probably be introduced early in the
session.
Another question that is being discussed
is the Presidential succession. OF course.
Congress after long years Of delay passed
n law of succession. in case both Presi-
dent and Vice-President should be strick-
en-, but there is an aspect Of affairs that
is even more serious than that Suppose
the President-elect should be stricken be-
lore inaugurated. what would then hap
pen? There would be no Vice-President in
augurated to take the place of the Presi-
dent. The law only makes the actual Vice
President a President in case of the death
of an actual President. Suppose both
were TO be killed before inauguration?
Wouldn't there be a state of affairs?
Neither the Constitution nor the law
makes any provision for snch a catas-
trophe, yet it might come. We were peril
ously close to it when Lincoln was assas.
sinated.
Senator HOar has urged Congress to act
in the matter and provide Tor the awful
contingency, and once got bill through
the Senate, but il died in the House The
Democrats there have always laughed to
scorn any protective action of this char
acter. 1t is quite probable that the 5Sth
Congress will do something to protect the
President, and to provide for succession.
Senator Penrose was in the city a few
hours last week. and he Consented" to
talk about the Fall election in Pennsyl-
vania. He seems TO think the Republi-
cans have creased the rails to a Republi-
can victory.
Two very distinguished men were pre-
scented to the President one day last week.
They were the Able Klein and the Abbe
Sicard, of the University Of Paris Both
of