Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-11-26

fourteenth century when the common
crler was Of some use he was paid $40
year and 90 cents Tor each cry he
made through the city Now that the
common crier is OF no use Maj ker-
Fox gets $4,000 d year FOR the Job.
There Is another mace, called the
sceptcr OF the city Of London which
the lord mayor totes around himself
on special occasions 10 measures only
a foot ana a half In length, but IL
worth lot of the bio ones the hend
being OF gold and studded with dla-
monds and other gems. Lots Of other
costly baubles and gewgaws form part
of his paraphernalIa Among them Is
golden KEY which ls supposed tQJln-
lock The city gates There happen to
be no gates 90 unlock. but That makes
no difference the game Of make be-
lleyo' ~ SIN kept up When the King
goes On state 90 the city the lord mayor
meets him no Temple Bar with his a.
tendant rctinuc and hands HIN the
golden KEY that unlocks nothing.
10 was in 1915 that King John grant'
ed the citizens OF London the right To
elect their own mayor annually but
though the nrotanse OF on election rs
gtll maintained with much solamnlty
and ceremony Il has long been a farce
Tbe one thing necessary 10 become a
lord mayor 0f London is 10 get elected
ny the uteplyaw of one of The wards
To- lie membership I'm "a highly orna-
mental board of aldermen, There are
only IS OF them. and aa they take good
care OF themselves aud most or them
live to "a green old age such opportuni-
Ties are rare, But once elected all
"wCrshiphl' alderman has 10 do 10 be-
come q lord mayor Ia 10 sit tight ana
wait his turn, Hike @ man In "a BARRIERS
shop. until he Is next
First though he has TO pass through
the office of sheriff, election TO which
De- equally nrclca Two sheriffs are
chosen annually from among the alder
men and hold Office Tor year They
have nothing % do with catching Of
tenders, locking mp prisoners or any
of the duties that pertain TO the JOB IN
America Their chief business rs To look
imposing IN wonderful robes, with gold
chains around their necks. and other
wise help maintain the cllys dignity
as mayorl satellites. Between them
they have TO defray half the expense OF
the lord mayors great inaugural func-
tl0ns-the lord mayors show and the
lord mayors banquet Each Of them Is
allowed $3.50 for expenses, but sher-
III counts himself lucky who gets
through for less than $4,000, And 40
heavy are the demands ON the lord
mayors hospitality that although his
salary EQUALS that Of the president OF
the United states Il usually costs him
between 100000 and $4,000 during the
year that he occupies the Mansion
House" ne nls official residence Is cali
ed.
DIGNITY TO A DECREE
The tremendous amount of dignity
with which the lord mayor Is invested
and rs rem0teness from modern life
Is well illustrated at the "swearlng-in'
ceremony which takes place at the
Gundhall, II involves a SHOW down
OF all his insignia. The mace, the scep-
ter, the sword OF state, the purse, the
seal and other things are IN succession
laid on the table before him to the ac-
OF many obesances by he
robed functonaries who
carry them, and In the same solemn
fashion they are again removed from
the table On this occasion the lord
mayor gets one dozen low reyerences,
three dozen Ordinary reyerences' ana
half a dozen bows and nobody cracks
a smil
Though the recipient OF so much hom-
age, as he If but a tigureheGd II does
not make much difference whether the
lord mayor be a great man or a little
one The one Just elected. Alderman
John Pound is, q trunk manufacturer.
He has proved himself good business
man by making a lot Of money out OF
It, but otherwise he Is man Of no
particular distinction All the same,
he Is sure to be knighted before his ten
ure OF Office expires
The real lord mayor-the man behind
the scenes who pulls the strings that
work the puppets-is the private secre-
tary Lord mayors come aud lord may
ors 60 at the rate Of one year but
the private secretary hangs on. For
the last 2S years William jameson |
William since l902--has |
held that job lie Is the one man who /
knows how everything should be done |
to conform 10 the ancient standard
without harsbreadth deviation. ne !
prepares the lord mayors speeches and |
pilots him through the maze of cere-
moninl I'm which ne would be speedily |
lost without such guidance. What each |
successive lord mayor does is TO put !
himself unreservedly In Soulsby's |
hands. and Soulsby puts him through. |
This is what John Pound will DO, and
when his year Of office Is up he viii |
retire, happy and smiling, Sir John
for the rest Of his days.
But il the corporation does not mend |
lis methods some OF the aldermen who
are waiting their turn viii never get |
next" II. Isle SMELL.