The Washington herald., 1910-05-15

Comparison Of the daily reports OF the
travels of Theodore Roosevelt about Eu-
rope with the chronicle OF Gen. Grant
tour of the world thirty-three years ago
reveals more contrasts than similarities.
Grant covered much more ground. but
fewer people know about it. He was
more skillful in his occasional efforts 70
enjoy a day incognito. He gave advice
to no nation except the Japanese, and
they asked for II. He both saw the Pope
and received a delegation OF Methodists
in the course OF his Journey but the
world was not stirred up by either in
cidents, says a writer in the New York
Post.
Gen. Grant lost one great opportunity
by changing the schedule OF his itinerary
TO postpone his visit to Paris in 1871 from
summer until autumn, because there was
bitter national campaign going on in
France that summer. and both sides
feared that the arrival Of the ex-Presf-
dent Of a republic would stir the excite
ment OF the public TO the danger point
When Cen Grant learned that that was
the opinion Of the French leaders on both
sides he decided to wait It may not be
fair TO assume that Theodore Roosevelt
would have done under the circumstances
because there has been no excitement IN
Europe in the course Of HIS travels ex-
cept that which he has made as he went
along
Grant dned with kings and queens and
emperors. but never In fannels. Neither
did he wear a sombrero. Grant was often
silent. according TO the chronicler OF the
trip who was in his party. But that
suggests one OF the similarities Col
Roosevelt was silent for fifteen minutes
the other day while looking at Rem
brandt's the Night Watch. There seems
20 be no doubt about that, for scores
Of correspondents rushed the news TO the
nearest cable Office and their reports sub
stantially agree on the main point. The
fact that the periods OF silence attributed
10 the colonel ranged from eleven minutes
TO half an hour. according to the various
reports. does not impair the interest Of
the stiffness.
Points of Similarity.
other points that the two journeys
seem 10 have in common may be briefly
summarized Both ex-Presidents began
by crossing the Atlantic Ocean IN boats
Gen. Grant had had two terms IN the
White House, and went abroad lmmedl-
ately after the expiration OF the second
one, sailing in the May following the
Inauguration Of his successor. After his
return to this country. Grant was again
q candidate for the Presidential uomlna-
ton, but he failed 70 get f.
Then. as another point Of similarity. IL
should be recalled that Gen. Grant had
had some military experience.
But Fort D0nelsOn, Shiloh, Vicksburg.
Chattanooga, the Wilderness. Spottsyl-
vania, Cold Harbor. Petersburg. and
other affairs preliminary 20 Appomattox
apparently had made little impression
upon him. At least one might infer that
from the following passage in John Rus
sell YOunE's Around the World with
General Grant" a formal visit was
paid TO the Elysees. and there was a
presentation 20 Marshal MacMahOn. The
marshal was extremely cordial. and
greeted Gen. Grant as a comrade and fell
low-soldicr. and wanted 10 show him the
came something which often perplexed
the generals hosts while he was in
Europe, and that was his aversion to
military displays. He never seemed 70
want 70 see a review nor hear a drum
beat nor visit any military pageant"
Views Of French Army.
Within a week col. Roosevelt has viewed
Of a.
the back Of a charger and said 20 his en-
tertainers: There was one thing that ]
simply had 10 see before going into
Germany, and that was the army Of
France"
But Gen. Grant never went so far in
his aversion for military pomp as 20 an
nounce that he would persuade the rulers
Of Europe 10 reduce their ornaments.
However, If he had been at San Juan Hin
he might have been more appreclatlve Of
the military displays that all Europe
wanted 20 have in his honor. He might
have worn his army SLOUGH hat once IN a
while as Col Roosevelt wore his rough
rider hat and khaki uniform the other
day when he determined 10 travel in
cognito from Rome to Porto NIaurizlo
by way Of Spezia and Genoa.
That trip was q disappointing failure
for the traveller. He was recognized as
soon as the crowd saw his hat. and he
had 10 submit 70 ovations all the way.
He told mayor after mayor and crowd
after crowd that he was incognito. that
he was mot an American king" but a
plain traveller. but they hitched three
horses to his carriage and decorated the
animals and vehicle with ribbons and put
a military band fore and aft for the en-
tire journey. And at the destination.
Porto Maurizio the unknown traveller
was detained in the midst OF a vast
throng while the town dignitaries IN
yelled a marble slab that had been erected
for a street sign, and upon which was
inscribed, "Viale Theodore Roosevelt, %
as much as 70 say, we knew who you
were all the time"
His Trail Easy TO Follow.
SO complete was the failure Of the at
tempt to travel unknown that Clifford
Pinchot had no difficulty in trailing his
friend. and was with him before he had
got through shaking hands with the peo-
pie who had named street for him.
AS already intimated, Gen Grant had
better luck in Concealing his identity. Ac-
cording 10 his chronicler, ''he did not feel
that he had really learned a foreign town
until he had had an opportunity 10 slip
off by himself and walk about its streets
with his identity entirely concealed"
on another occasion, after the Porto
NTarr{,io aDygo1a Col poOee,-ertrs nj
vacy was intruded upon. This was at
/ The Hague. A crowd walked through
the coloners car, in which he happened