Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-11-22


Secretary, who in turn, if he saw fit,
would repeat it to the next higher UP,
( and so on, and if there was anything in
my request would be duly notified.
NATURALLY thanked them for their in
formation and departed. Later on in
the evening was fortunate enough to
meet the relative of mine who with
other Englishmen had spent the day
with the President as his guests. He
said he was sorry Ihad not come around
! (meaning to the White House), as he
was leaving on the midnight train, and
wished he could have had a chance to
speak with me. was too ashamed of
the democracy of the country to tell
him l had attempted that very after
noon to have my card sent up. The
only thing that Jared was the breaking
of old traditions. Both Englshmen
were too enthusiastic about the superb
ity of his specimen, his open nature,
his charming democratic simplicity for
me to have the heart to put any dampers
on. knew his guests had been loaded
well nigh the muzzle by the President
that afternoon. Mr.. Roosevelt does not
make every one more patriotic by his
own actions.
think it is quite proper for Mr..
Roosevelt to do away with general re-
ceiving day and the footless nuisance of
indiscriminate handshaking under the
now existing circumstances. He w ould
not have had it to do, however, had ne
not himself catered from the start for
this very thing. Other Presidents have
not found it necessary to adopt the same
domestic rules which govern the White
House today because they have never
courted the same popularity. Again
on and off the pedestal at the same
time. 1t is right and proper that
man should protect himself from i'm
possible and dangerous cranks, but why
not guard himself completely, and al
low his public utterances to voice only
the sentiments of the people? Why
should it always be personal? Again
must we hark back to 'predestination. 4"
Mr.. Roosevelt finds himself in office
with almost everything "done." There
could be no attempt at emulation of any
of the previous characters of the Pres
idents of this country, for that would
not give the Light from on High" a
chance to shine. At the start there
was some spirit of Mars that made his
thoughts for the moment turn to wrest-
ing the laurels from George Washing
toms hands. Fortunately this was
given up, and the least said about the
war with Spain the better. In the
reign OF the Georges many found adj
vent into the higher ranks of society by
doing peculiar things. A Jew of
wealth, hipped with histrionic ambition.
jumped into fame by playing Hamlet in
long fur overcoat. They tell us that
the house was crowded to suffocation,
and never had London so nearly died of
laughter. A Picadilly dandy of those
times leaped into prominence from an
obscure beginning by walking only on
the furniture, hopping from sofa to
arm chair and refusing to touch foot on
carpet. Beau Brummel depended en-
tirely on the novelty of his arrayment
to bring him to the fore. Lord Byron
became picturesque homebreaker, and
by advocating everything but chastity
was the lion of the hour. / fancy Mr..
Roosevelt must have cast about him
somewhat in this wise when he reviewed
the histories Of previous Presidents. He
believed that he had to do something
but did not know quite what it should
be. He now twits and fits about from
limb to leaf like little wren scolding
its mate and really not meaning any
harm. Q'm afraid this simile is bridg-
ing bit toonear Mr.. Longs territory. }
Mr.. Roosevelt does not yet know THAT
HE HAS ALREADY MADE THE
EPOCH. There is nothing more for
him to do.
1t is impossible now for any man, be
he Democrat or Republican, togo to the
White House and attempt to reinstate
the old order of things. The stamp of
EGO has been placed indelibly upon the
office door, and the acknowledged pre-
cedent will be too strong for most
mortals to withstand. Would the new
incumbent do away with the ''May-
flower" as a private yacht belonging
to the President for his own use?- If
so, it will be because he does not like
the ways of the sea, and will have a
special train standing on its siding with
steam constantly up. The old time
hangers on are dismissed and many OF
them dead. 1t would be impossible to
get the pack together in sufficient num-
ber to everagain give full cry and pave
the way for the return of the old. The
old is past. That is what we have tc
thank Mr.. Roosevelt for. When the
subject of another term for Mr.. Roose.
welt is presented, in one mood 1 would
be inclined to vote for him believing
that ''the serpent had stung himselt
: OUT and that ne had lost his pace
Possibly in the losing of it he will con
fine himself to the petty details of lif,
and leave the prosperity and welfare o
the country alone. If he is beaten i
will be on this one ground
No matter how consistent and SINGER
: a voter may be in party belief, com
S plexion changes with poverty, and he i
very apt to place the blame where
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