The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1909-05-16
TO THE PRESIDENT
SAMPLE LIST OF THOSE WHO
COME TO SAY 1T.
,r+s Of Axes smusgled m for Grinding
INIT Some Of Them Don't Get It
politicians, Ordinary Citizens and
mustered Schoolgirls In the Line.

T,s Cabinet room In the White House
1. Americas nearest approach to q throne
roor It is about the size Of a dining
room in the average country house OF the
colonial style. II is almost severely
s,mple. The coloring Is olive green and
rhits-shite woodwork with olive green
burlap on the walls.
The chairs OF the President and his nine
r,hinet Ministers. which surround the
,enn mahogany table in the centre OF tho
.oom are covered with green leather.
~. Presidents differs from the others
anIv in that the back is q trifo higher.
Nv ANAL metal plate or the back OF each
oh.ir h. the title OF the holder and the date
~ bis accession. but not his name.
m one side OF the Cabinet table Is q
srenlsce, with a very high msntelpieoe
over il. On the other Is a c%apacious
,ssther covered divan. At n end OF tho
,sb,e are the sliding doors leading to tho
pr.sident's private Office; at the other.
,bre. large French windows looking out
..ro.s the White House grounds toward
Pennsylvania avenue
Th.re are leather oovere cd armchairs
in the corners. Tho room 10 practically
xi,bout decoration. A ROOF more COM
pIet.ly symboi;Eins republican simplicity
!, would be difficult to imagine.
Here all callers are presented to the
Chief Magistrate. All, that 10, except
those whose business Is Of such nature
that he prefers to have them closeted with
him IN his private Office.
On a particular day not long ago, says
A writer in the Circle, the following group
might have been found in the Cabinet
room awaiting the Presidents appearance:
Two Senators with friends to introduce;
two Representatives, also with friends;
Gen. Allen, who was the commander Of
the constabulary forces in the Philippines
when MIR. Taft was Governor-Ge nera
there, a man who had been q Provincial
Governor under MIR. Taft at tho same
time. a Boston man ~profaning tho chair
of the Secretary OF State, a New York
upstate politician. a dapper little man
who nervously vacillated between sitting
on the edge OF the divan and pushing
hack into it's capacious depths with his
short legs %protruding; and four traction
ma drawn somewhat aloof from
the others and evidently plotting to make
their interview more protracted. Per-
haps a dozen others. whose identity and
occupation were more difficult to .Avine,
from time to time Joined this original
group in the purse Of the hour that
followed.
When their appointments were overdue
anywhere from fifteen minutes to an hour
Mr.. Stone. the head d~oorkeeper. came in
and requested them to form in line prepara-
tory to the Presidents appearance. Then
came some unobtrusive jockeying for po-
sition. which left the uninitiated at the
head Of the line. The traction men and a
number Of others did not line up at all.
They were mano>uvring for more extended
and more private interviews.
Atio'clock the sliding doors rolled back
and the great mar stepped forth. Every
one rose and a thrill ven around the room.
The President smiled. and every n
smiled back. 1t is safe to say that the
Presidents smile Ii more infectious than
that Of any other member OF the Optimists
Club Of America. 1t IL q big. whole souled
smile, altogether irresistible.
It is surprising how little Mr.. Taft's
photographs prepare one Tor the man him
he does not look like a fat man. While he
is good natured and jovial, those terms
give an entirely false idea OF him. The
impression OF strength and keenness Is
much more dominant than these character
istics. He has q clear, ruddy complexion
and a face that is not too heavy to be hand
some
Unlike most men. the nearer you come.
70 him the better he looks. His eyes are
his most remarkable feature. We're he
insignificant in every other respect his
ewes would mark him as no ordinary man.
They are a red brown in shade, with
~curiously slanted lids. and they indicate
kindness. shrewdnees, inhexible determi-
nation. Their expression is constantly
changing with hghtningike rapidity from
mirthfulness to intense seriousness. 1here
is disaster ahead OF the individual who
mistakes this big, smiling mans good ma
ture for essygoingness,
One thing Mr.. Taft's smile does 10 10
Danish embarrassment. In spite Of our
vaunted equality and I'm as good a.
undistinguished American citizen is rather
nervous when he meets the President Of
the United States. The way Mr.. Taft
dispels this embarrassment with a glance
and a smile is one OF his small achieve
ments. which must loom large in the
aggregate. The smile is genuine. because
TIE man DdCh d IL 10 Renuluc.
The Boston man was the first with an
axe to grind, BE came in behalf Of some
ofceseeker or of1ceholder. He said:
mir. President, We simply want you to
give Mr., - a square deal"
The President replied Il do not pretend
nor desire to quote him verbatim either
here or later: Il shall give Mr.. - .
square deal. A square deal for him and
for every one else concerned. When l
say a square deal ] mean a square deal.
! DO not mean a figure Of speech. I tell
you frankly that from what l know Of
his case l do not like the look Of it,
He looked at the visitor with a stern
ness which made him precipitately seek
cover in his second item Of business.
which related to some kind Of a prison
reform movement.
After listening T. him intently (Mr.
Taft is a marvellous listener) tho President
said: Il approve Of your aims. Of course.
As to your methods ] cannot express an
opinion until ] know more fully what they
are. Put your plan on paper and send
v TO me. I shall not shade my opinions
10 suit the predictions OF amateur re-
formers. Amateur reformers are too apt
" get up a cult and then pronounce every
thing wicked that does not conform to
their cult"
The Bostonian seemed relieved to- be
Interrupted at this point by a delegation
Of patriots from. North Carolina. TIE
Carolians, escorted by their Congressmen.
were about twenty strong. They filed
past the President, each In turn being in
troduced by Mr.. Stone. Whenever Mr..
Taft does not catch a name he insists on
rs being repeated and apparently tries
tn fix il in his mind before he lets the