The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-12-22

When the newly elected president
of the United States arrives in Wash
ington next March to assume the reins
of government he will enjoy one eX-
perience not vOuchsafed to any of his
predecessors in office upon a like occa-
sion. This novelty in the Inauguration
program will be the formal reception
of the incoming chief magistrate in
the special apartments provided and
set apart for the exclusive use of the
president in the new Union railway
station at Washington. This magni-
ficent edifice which, after several years
of work, has been brought to a state
of completion during the closing
months of 1908, has many distinctive
features which distinguish it architec-
turally and otherwise, from all other
public buildings in the world, but per-
baps its first claim to public attention
arises from it's dignity as the "Presi-
Dental Station"
This nickname has been applied to
the new edifice at Washington by rea-
son of the fact for the first time there
have been provided in a structure of
this kind special apartments for the
use of the president of the United
States when setting out upon or re-
turning from journey. No other rul-
er of a republic has ever had such an
institution provided gratuitously and
entirely on the initiative of the rail-
road company, and indeed no foreign
sovereign has been enabled to enjoy
similar apartments of like luxury and
convenience.
1t was the definite aim of the arcnt'
tects to make the state Suite" at the
new railroad terminal at the American
capital as different as possible from
the royal apartments in European
railway stations and at the same time
have it in keeping with the dignity
of the United States as the greatest
railroad country on the globe. For in
stance, the new railway rendezvous
of the American president is in mark
ed contrast to the royal apartments
provided for the use of the British
sovereign at the Windsor station il
London, and which apartments ma!
be cited as representative of European
ideals on the subject.
At the London station referred t
the private waiting rooms for royalt.
are found In a one-story house of mar
BILE and iron, with ornamental door
and windows, set down on the mail
platform of the station and thus pos
sessing an individuality of its own
instead of being an integral part o
the main station as is the suite re
Gently completed at Washington. T,
continue this comparison a step far
ther it may be noted that the edific
provided for the benefit of the British
royalty at the London station con
tains three separate rooms, all beau
tifully furnished and ornamented will
ferns, flowers, costly hangings and ar
objects There is a reception room,
dainty boudoir and a lavatory-all IT,
embodiment of luxury. In short, tn
whole effect of the trio of rooms /
that of a suite in a palatial privat
home-an extension to the railwa
terminals of the comforts and conve
niences to which the occupant ha
been accustomed in his private resi-
dence.
In direct contrast to this in architeC
ture and appointments is the frs
state suite to be provided in an Anne
rican railroad station. Instead of pro
viding group of small and cosy con
Meeting rooms, the American archi
tects have created a series of apart
ments that constitute, from an artist
standpoint the browning feature O
the most beautiful railroad statiol
ever constructed The presidential
suite may almost be said TO be monu
mental in character, and the aim ma
plainly been TO make it one of tn
show places" of a tourist mecca.
Notwithstanding the fact that tn
state suite in Washingtons new rail
road statiOn-the largest and costlies
railway terminal in the worlds ma
rifestly designed TO be ornamental a
we'll as useful, the special apartment
will supply facilities, the need o
which has frequently been felt In IN
past Conditions at Uncle Sans sea
~ government are In no sense parable
10 those In the leading European oapl
tfls where ruling aOyereina are con
SANITY exchanging visits with one an