The Washington herald., 1906-10-09
NEW LORD MAYOR
OF LONDON TOWN
d The wa.hingtan -.

OF LONDON lOWN
Correspondence Of The Washington Herald
London. Oct Having set tight as an
alderman for twenty-five years and filed
the Office of sheriff for one term, Sir
William Purdie Treloar has just gone
through the solemn farce of being
elected Lord Mayor Of the City of Lon
don. Time was-some 200 or more years
ago-when the lord mayors were really
elected by the citizens. But the, alder
men-they are elected for Iife-took c0un-
sci among themselves and decided that
position so exalted as that of lord
mayor should not be thrown open to
outsiders and made dependent on popu-
lar favor. BY some hOcus pocus they
fixed things up so that every alderman.
If he lives long enough, is assured Of
becoming a lord mayor, just as a man
who goes to barber shop to get shaved
and finds a lot of customers ahead is
certain that he viii be next" if he only
waits long enough. When the last lord
mayor was elected Sir William was
next" and now 1t is his turn to take
the civic chair
The system plcases the aldermen and
does not make much difference to any
body else The Office Of lord mayor has
long been shOrn Of its once great powers
and has become mere hgurehead billet.
though II Is invested with more fictitious
dignity than any other post in England
As lord mayor Sir William viii have to
eat a prodigious number Of official din
ners spend twice or thrice his salary
Of $4,000 IN entertaining. wear gorgeous
robes, ride IN a most uncomfortable and
wonderful old coach. and go through d
lot Of fussy ceremonies just as they were
carried out hundreds Of years ago. II
he should introduce anything in the shape
Of a modern innovation 1t would cause
10 end Of 4 fuss.
It illustrates the irony Of fate that the
man who IS compelled TO play this role
an alderman who shirks the lord mayor
JOB when his turn comes around Is sub
Jected TO heavy fine-has nothing OF the
old fOgy about him. Sir William is
thoroughly up-t0-date man, and one OF
the most tOviai fellows living He makes
a rattling speech, has written a book or
two, and Is an inveterate cIubman. He
pioneered the adoption of the ballot act in
the city, fought for and won the opening
OF the Guildhall Art Gallery on Sunday
afternoons, and has uniformly waged the
battle of healthy common sense, activity.
and progress against the antiquated con
servausm Of which the Office Of lord
mayor Of the city OF London is a monu-
mental survival. For some years past he
has been president Of the National Sun
DAY League. which IS guilty Of the sacri-
lege Of striving to make Sunday a day OF
rational recreation as well as OF rest and
prayer. But his pet hobby IS poor chill
dren, especially those who are crippled
and are thus handicapped in Hfe's strug-
gle For these afflicted little ones he Is
always doing something and enlisting
others In the work.
Perhaps il is his own superb physique
which makes him feel such tenderness
for them. He is the biggest member of
the aldermanic body. He stands six feet
-FOUR in his socks. and when he was
lnighted by Queen Victoria her majesty
was visibly impressed by his height. Att
erward lord-in-waiting approached and
obtained for his royal mistress the exact
measurement Of this son Of Anak. An
amusing story. by the way IS told Of
this same knighting Sir Williams wife.
who, unfortunately, died not long ago.
was travelling 20 BournemoUth II is sup
posed that she became Lady Treloar
somewhere about Baslngstoke. that being
the moment when her husband was hay
ing it on the shoulder" at Windsor. At
any rate. when she arrived NJ Bourne
mouth there was a telegram awaiting
her" Operation successfully performed:
both doing well"-the allUsion IN both
being 10 Sir Williams brother sheriff.
who was knighted with him. He Is sixty
four years old, and has made a big for
tune out of carpets and mats
Sir William viii not be sworn IN as lord
mayor until November Q. when takes
place that queer annual pageant. the
lord mayors show. There can be no
doubt it would afford Sir William much
more satisfaction If he could devote the
money il viii cost him to his pets Grip
pied children. but in this. as in all the
other functions associated with the Office.
ne Is bound 10 conform TO cast-iron Gus
tom Americans should understand that
what Is known officially as the city OF
London comprises only one square mile OF
the metropolis, with the Bank Of England
as the center.
Nhy EngAsh women, who exhibit dogs
Tor prizes at shows. should affect bull
dogs, the most homeIy-vfsaged of the
canine species. IN preference to env