The Washington herald., 1909-01-03
Presidential Messages.

The London Times Of recent days is
moved 10 solemn retrospective thoughts
anent the strenuous and feverish activ-
ity supposedly attaching 70 American
life in general. and the business end in
particular. The Times has been studious-
y contemplating the matter Of Presi-
Dental messages, and concludes, in part,
as follows.
There Is evidently considerable exaggeraton IN
the European conception Of the United States as a
land Of universal hurry and hustle No one can
glance at Mr.. RooseyeIts message to Congress- some
extracts from which We publish to-day without feel
ing enyicus of the immense leisure and repose
which alone can enable the American people TO
digest a document 50 yolumiuous For It Is. Of
course understood that though addreSsed 10 Con
g7css. the Presidential message IS intended 90 be
read by all god citizens throughout the Union.
No European rzler would venture to address such
an alocuton to his subjects Every one is painfully
awa-e that life in the old World is too short and
too busy for a disquisition q such length 10 BE-
cone the subject q general study. however august
nay be its source. But it is evident from the
habituaI prolizty Of these manifestoes that those
who best know the American citizen credit hin
with those habits o. patient study vhich leisure
alone can evolve.
While. of course. we are not the idgety,
fussy. fnicIy lot we are sometimes said
to be, and while, irresponsible gossip TO
the contrary Notwithstanding. we do not
drink our morning coffee as We rush 10
catch the car IN immediate sight rather
than wait a minute for the one just be-
hind. II is true that Americans are given
to extraordinary hustle and get-up-and-
get. and the Times wabbly argument n
dicates nothing to the contrary.
Our London contemporary .wades neck
deep in error al the very beginning Of
its analysis Of the problem confronting
It by assuming that the people Of this
land find either "the leisure or rspose"
sufficient 10 enable them 70 digest"
Presidential documents so voIuminous.
Nor Is it evident from the habituaI pro
Hxity Of these manifestoes that those
who best know the American citizen
credit him with those habits of patient
study which leisure alone can evolve"
As matter Of cold and diStresSingly
prosaic fact. probably not per cent
OF this nations population reads the
messages through understandingly. or
cares a particularly Iarge-sized hoot
what they contain, He does. perhaps.
skim through the sections the newspa-
pers frame uD in black type for his delec-
tation. or instruction and Information. as
the case may be; and If there is anything
unusually exciting about It. he may seek
that out and try It on his mental equip
nent mildly. That. however. Is about all
that may be expected Of him-and he
thinks it is a good deal, TOO.
We Go not say these things by way
Of praise altogether II may be true that
he misses through such questionable con
duct much Of instruction. calculation.
erudItion. and so forth and so on, that
he might have. and should have for the
mere trouble Of reading the things so
generously placed before him in this re-
gard. But be is contrary "cuss" az
times. is the everyday American citizen.
and while ne may prefer some varieties
of SKINNED milk 70 the real creme de
Ia creme Of Intellectual sUstenance he
insists. nevertheless. that that IS his
own business. and there unmistakably. II
unfortunately. You are,