Mexico Missouri message., 1910-07-28

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life. OF course commissions are for the most part
engraved but there are names and dates to be
filled in and these are written deftly and then
the pile of parchment is laid on the desk before
the president, who frequently in a seemingly au-
tomato way signs his name to commission after
commission while carrying with some visitor
at his elbow a conversation relating perhaps to
intricate matters of state
The White House officials, secretaries and
clerks have to concern themselves with all kinds
of matters. Secretary Norton is the recipient
of letters from people all the United States
who write to the president upon the most trivial
affairs.
When one takes into consideration the fact
that hundreds of persons who have really legit
mate business with the White House either call
or write every day IL can be seen at once that
the secretarys hands, time and mind are well
filled. There certain orders of rank which
have to be respected, and in a democracy 1t is
pretty hard work to convince the ordinary cti-
zen that any man has the right of precedence.
AS far as precedent is concerned the presidents
audiences are governed by the supposed impor-
lance of the visitors official business. Tor in
stance II a senator is waiting to the presi-
dent and cabinet officer happens to come in
the member of the presidents official family al
ways will see President Taft first unless he says
specifically that his business is Of little impor-
lance and expresses a willingness that the SEN
ator shall get to the president ahead of him.
A newspaper man with whom President Taft
has had frequently personal relations for some
years went to the White House one morning and
told Mr.. Taft that he would like to him alone
for a minute If he could, and so the president
took him into a side room and closed the door.
They stald together talking for fifteen minutes
and then the newspaper man went out into the
presidents main office, leaving the president be-
hind him to write letter in secluson. On entering
the presidents Office the caller met senator
who had been waiting for fifteen minutes. The
senator is jovial soul and with mock solemnit,
of spirit he bowed low to the newspaper mar
Would you mind going back to ask the pres
dent" said the senator "if now that he has COM
pIeted his affairs of state with newspaper cor
respondent he will consent to see an humble
senator of the United States?
The ambassadors and ministers representing
foreign countries in Washington great stick
lers for precedence and every known means mas
to be taken to prevent giving them offense. II
is almost impossible for any human being except
one or two of the state department officials, tt
keen rigid track of the rank of the diplomats anc
the attaches at all the foreign legations In Wash
ington So it occasionally happens that some
second assistant secretary of the legation OF thu
king of the cannbal islands is allowed to get int
q room ahead Of the first assistant secretary o
the legation OF the king Of balyhoo, aud thel
there are black looks which If they could he pu
into words would be tantamount to declaration
of war against the United States.
The American officials In Washington life ar
not above being piqued II Junior gets in ahea
of a senior, though troubles of this kind are cor
hned as far as Americans are concerned almos
wholly to social offenses, for senators, represer
tatives supreme court judges and the rest hav
finally made up their minds that at the Whit
House one must take his changes OF preOSdsnc'