The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-03-04

Washington, Special: For some
weeks past the personal effects of the
Roosevelt family lave been packed and
from time TO time shipped to the oyster
Bay home. which hereafter will be
merely the suburban residence of "a
summer capital of the nation.
President Roosevelt has received dur
ing his administration a vast number of
trophies from all sorts of people and
places. Some of them come within the
description OF articles of intrinsic value,
policy to refuse. There has been a
vast number of articles in this cate
CORY, which had to be returned to the
donors with letters explaining that It
would be improper for the president to
accept them.
A Regular Zoo.
Articles which have been donated to
considered to be the property. not of
the president, but of the government;
and these go to the various museums
and other proper depositalies. Thus
Emperor Menelik. of Abyssinia. sent
him Fl fine pair of lions. which looked
when they We're delivered. They We're
turned over to the Washington zoo, and
If the president cares to go into the
lion business on his own account he
will have to bring back his " live
stock from Africa after his coming trip.
IN this class have been bears, 'coons
and all sorts of animals.
People who wanted to donate exactly
the right horses to the chief executive
have been numerous. Mr.. Roosevelt
could have done handsomely in the liv-
cry business If he had accepted the
horses which admirers tried to present
to him; but these ave been refused as
OF intrinsic value. Likewise, if he a
encouraged people who, recognizing
him in his capacity as a faunal natural
list, wanted to donate animals, he would
W. had two OF three menageries.
Medals and insignia.
Medals. orders and insignia of organ
izations to which he belongs as active
or honorary member, ave been pre-
scented III great numbers. These. being
of value mainly for sentimental rea-
sons, the president will retain; and the
number Of them is almost unbelievable.
He Will have a wonderful museum in
his home at Oyster Bay. stocked with
the trophies that have come from all
over the world.
Not by any NEAR the least interest
ing presents are those which will be
put in the Oyster Bay library. Authors
from all over the world have sent him
autographed copies of their books. and
these the president prizes very highly.
While Mr.. Roosevelt has received far
more presents than any other president.
the advantage in his favor has been
especially striking in the matter Of
books, because he is himself an author.
1t has been his custom when books
were sent to him to reciprocate by
sending back an autographed volume
of some OF his own writings. Incident
ally, the presidents writings have had
Il great vogue While he has been in Of
flee.
The sort Of trophies which have been
favored by the presidents naturalist
and hunting friends may be judged
from the collection of heads In the state
dining room. which includes a caribou,
a reindeer, a moose, an antelope and
a buffalo. The Roosevelt children have
been remembered constantly, With all
sorts of gifts from r%accoons to bob
sleds.
Gifts From Royalty.
But the most personal and the
most highly priced trophies are prob
ably those which tell the story of the
appeal he president has made to the
imagination of the great rulers OF the
world. He has a the most delight
ful personal relations with many of
these, including correspondence of a
sort which would provide reading of
highly interesting character if it could
be given to the public, which it prob
ably never will be. The plain people
all over the world have looked 10
Roosevelt as the great democrat Of
his day; and the rulers. members of
hereditary houses that have held
crowns for centuries. rave looked to
him as the true aristocrat. The true
aristocrat, the best democrat" has been
the aristocratic analysis of the presi-
dent, and SO he has attracted the