The Washington times., 1905-04-09
Being President.

It's a mighty hard job being the
President Of eighty millions of people,
but that fact is known only to very
small proportion Of the people Of this
country. And this induces COM
parison of certain other facts.
President Roosevelt's trip down
into Texas has emphasized the fact
that he is travelling as the Chief
Magistrate and not as an individual.
1t has shown the absolute impossible
ity of his consulting his own wishes
or his own physical WEAKNESS after
days of steady travelling, or even of
keeping to the schedule made out in
advance to assure his personal COM
fort and rest between times. Extra
stops have had to be made frequent
ly to NEE. the patriotic demands Of
the people to see their Chief Magis-
trate On what Is likely to he, for
most ef them, the only opportunity of
their lives. At Temple, Texas, the
city council appreciated the fleeting
opportunity to the extent of conven-
ing in special session and passing
an emergency ordinance forbidding
the Presidents train to pass through
the town without stopping. Every
where there has been the same ex-
hibition of civic pride in having the
nations Executive as a guest.
In sharp contrast with these hap
penings, emphasizing the official ma
ture Of the Presidents trip-as, of
| course, the Executives journeyings
must invariably be-is the following
dispatch from Colorado Springs:
The information was given out at the
| Colorado Midland's headquarters this
morning that the Presidents train or
that road will be paid for at regulal
| rates. and that all bills for transporta.
| ton will be settled through the auditing
| department of the Pennsylvania road
and will be paid for by the President
The only special courtesy which will BIZ
| accepted by the President will be per
mission to ride on the engine through
Red Rock canyon.
/ Thus, it seems, has the Presiden
determined to disarm partisan criti
cism by paying his way as an individ
ual while doing the country's busi
ness as fully as though he were a
work in the executive Offices righ
here in Washington. Every day
batch Of dispatches published in an,
: newspaper show the Official, publ
nature of the Presidents tours. Thes
trips break down sectional barrier
and make his thousands Of hearer
: lfellow-Americans,i in the fullest sens
of the word His meeting with then
makes him more sensible of tie need
of all sections, more sympathetic wit
all their troubles. 1t enables him t
prove himself thereafter a bette
President than anyone could possibl
be who had not experienced sue
. direct contact with the nations cit
zens OF every State.
+, Yet, according to the dispatches, tn
President has planned to pay his ow
expenses as an individual, eve
though he daily sacrifices ali ind
: vidual freedOm-rather than max
S himself liable to partisan criticism.
} is to be hoped that no such plan wi
actually be carried out, merely b.
e cause of a personal sensitiveness O
the Presidents part to unjust crit
e cism and unfair deductions. Whe
e the President travels about the couI
: try as the Chief Magistrate, he shouI
: not pay his own expenses, nor shoul
t he be dependent upon the generosit
|. of the railroad corporations. tt
/ country is big enough and ric
: enough, even with a present nation
. deficit, to Ea; y. its own dignit
e unimpaired W., Che President go