The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-12

not infringe upon the President on his
 rounds in the city, but some thousands
 of them will insist on punishing him New Years day. At any other time he may walk the streets or drive wherever ne
 desires. but there will be no attempt to
 disturb him or take up his time by hand-
 shaking. Citizens who pass him raise
 their hats or salute him verbally ana
 pass on President Roosevelt IS re auently on Washington streets, nearly always walking. Several weeks ago ne
 and Senator Lodge of Massachusetts walked from near the point for the new Connecticut bridge to the White House in inst twenty minutes. The distance is close to two miles, and they came near
 walking the legs off the secret service
 athlete whose duty 1t was to keep near them and to watch for suspicious charac- ters That is merely a sample Of what
 the President can and does do Tn the
 walking line. Shortly after Secretaries Morton and Metcalf entered the cablnet
 he invited them to accompany him on a stroll of the suburbs When he got back
 with them Secretary Metcalf. antold Yale
 athlete was so sore he could hardly walk for three days. while Secretary Morton was also put out of the game.
 President Roosevelt rarely manages to
 elide the secret service officers and get away from the White House without one or more of them near him. They are un-
 der the strlctest instructions from Chief Wilkie never to lose sight of him, wher-
 ever he may be, and they follow these instructions. He knows many Of them personality likes them and speaks to them at every turn outside the White
 House. When the President first came
 to Washington to take up the executive
 duties he did not like the idea of being
 followed everywhere by officers. and
 many times he got away from them by
 suddenly emerging from his offices for a long walk alone. In the course of time,
 however, he came to look upon them as necessary and valuable. He never
 stops to consider whether they are around when he goes for a walk or drive or starts out to keep an engagement but he
 is not surprised when he sees them near. The President Is physically able to take care of himself from the front, but 1t Is in the rear and sides that the careful
 officers keep the closest watch.
 Result of Mckinley Tragedy. The presence of numerous secret ser vice officers wherever the President goes is the outgrowth of the assassination of
 President Mckinley at Buffalo. Up to
 that tragic affair secret service men had
 no place at the executive offices. During
 the first four years of President Mckin- ley's first administratio, even during all the Spanish war, there was not a detective on duty at the White House except when receptions were held or there was some function that would draw strangers. The regular White House force of ushers ex- ercised watch over the movements of the President inside the building. This did not extend to the outside President Mckinley went for long walks through the principal streets of Washington unac- companied or followed by a soul In the middle of the days work, when his visitors had grown scarce, he would leave his offices, go out the rear door of the building and take a stroll through the grounds or neghboring streets. He wanted the sunshine and fresh air and that was the only way he could enjoy both. He didn't care much for the exer- else, as Is the case with President Roose welt. One secret service officer always accompanied President Mckinley on his journeys through the country, as much with the idea of keeping him from being too rudely jostled or handled by surging crowds as anything else. Two detectives were with him when he was shot at Buff falo. but that was the largest number ever with him on a trip. There are two or three times as many near President Roosevelt when he goes out of town.
 The first secret service man assigned to duty in the beginning of the Roosevelt administration was poor fellow named Craig He was killed at Pittsfeld. Mass. at the time President RooseveIt's car riage was struck by street car. He was sitting on the seat with the driver and was thrown under the car. He was an athlete and broadswordsman. He was. like all the men assigned to duty at e White House, bright, active, mus cular, quick.