The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1910-07-28
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llfe OF course commissions are for the most part
engraved, but there arc names and dates to be
hled in and these are written deity 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 u commission after
commission while carrying with some visitor
at MS elbow 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 over the United States
who write to the president upon the most trivial
affairs
When one :akes into consideration the fact
that hundreds of persons who have really legiti.
mate business with the White House either call
or write every day, it can be seen at once that
the secrotary's hands, time and mind are well
filed There are certain orders of rank which
have to be respected, and in a democracy it Is
pretty hard work 10 convince the ordinary cti
zen that any man has the right of precedence
AS far precedent Is concerned the presidents
Audiences are governed by the supposed impor-
taAce of the visitors official business For in.
stance If a senator Is waiting to see the presi-
dent and a 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 q willingness that the sen
ator shall gst 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 see him alone
Tor a minute If he could, and so the president
took him into side room and closed the door
They staid 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 secusion. On entering
the presidents Office the caller met senator
who had been waiting for fifteen minutes The
senator is jovial soul and with mock solemnity
of spirit he bowed low to the newspaper man
Would you mind going back to ask the presi
dent" said the senator IF now that he has com
pleted 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 are great stick
le-s for precedence and every known means has
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 to
keep rigid track of the rank Of the diplomats and
the attaches at all the foreign legations in Wash
ington. So 1t occasionally happens that some
second assistant secretary of the legation Of the
king of the cannibal islands is allowed to get into
a room ahead of the first assistant secretary OF
the legation Of the king of balynoo and then
there are black looks waich If they could be put
into words would be tansamount to ;, declaration
of war against the United States,
The American officials in Washington life are
not above being psqued If q JUNO. gets in ahead
of senior, though troubles of this kid are con.
fined IS far as Americans are concerned almost
wholly to social offenses fur senators represeu.
tatives, supreme court Judges and the rest have
finally made up their minds that at the White
House one must take his changes of precedence