The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-05-12

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The Presidents nave been aecustcm-
ed 10 spend mora or less OF their time
away from Washington, although oncs
in the history OF the country the lower
house Of Congress took IL upon itself
to criticise the Chief Executive for his
absence from Washington. The cfiti-
cism consisted in asking the President
What executive acts were performed
by the Chief Executive while they were
away from the capital. The House
that asked the question wa Demo-
cratic. The President of whom the In
Quiry was made was Grant. The act
grew out OF partisan feeling. IL was
considered good politics by the opp
sition at the time.
AS 4 matter of fac Presidential va
cations began in the Administrations OF
Washington. Investigation shows that
the father of his country in the eight
years of his Office took Isl days to him.
self. The country at that time Jii
not offer the same inducements in the
way OF travel as now. Ii is not men-
toned anywhere. SO far Investigation
ioS SANCAuNu, IAaN JUS
gested any deduction from his pay for
the tim he was on his iaunts.
Adams the first beat the travelling
record of his predecessor. While he
was in office one term he was away
from the seat of government altogether
one year and twenty days, or more ,aan
~one-fourth of the time for which he
was chosen. Jefferson was a good deal
80 an nkrora ETrlo-r thA Rn~.~az s.
his case are wrong he was away from
the capital 100 times in the eight years
Of his administration.
Monroe, in whose term there was a
surplus of good feeling in the country.
was away in the eight years he serv-
ed nearly one-third of the time. Jack.
son served two terms and o more
than a year an d 4 half out OF his time.
While all of the Presidents ave
taken vacations, those who served in
the good old times, when, according
to some, the government was nearer
the people than IN more recent years,
did a good deal more knocking about
than the Presidents since the Civil
war.
Lincoln, by reason of the war, was
| forced to remain in and about the cap
| tldI IlOIS GIoScis Iildh ALI ~ A~S
ident. After Lincoln's death johnson
made his famous swing around the cir
Gle, for which he was censured by the
country generally,a as his travels were
Enthusiastically for political purposes.
Grant made several trips while he was
| President. Hayes made a few. Arthur
was the first President to go into the
| far west. During part of his visit, he,
/ AL Doa1a.-1t for a faU
| days from the correspondents when ne
| went into the depths of Yellowstone
| park.
In Cleveland's first administration
| he went fishing to n of the inland
lakes of Wisconsin. In his second ad-
ministration he made brief trips, AMI
hunte d ducks frequently. Harrison,
who came between the W administra-
tons of Cleveland, made a swing
through the south. and later made a
rapid Journey through Illinois, Iowa,
Kansas and Missouri. During that Trip
he addressed the Grand Army Of the
Republic of Illinois, laid the corner
stone of a coI~IegebuiIding at Galesburg,
dedicated a corn palace in Iowa, attend
ed a Grand Army of the Republic re-
view at Topeka, Kan, spoke in Kansas
City the same night and visited St.
Louis the day after.
AS is we'll known. President Mckin-
ley was the first President TO visit
California. His was the longest con-
tinuous Presidential journey in point
of miles.
President Roosevelt Is the greatest
presidential sportsman in b history
of the country.-New York Sun.