The Forrest City times., 1910-07-29

life. Of course commissions are for the most part engraved, but there are names and dates to be hIted In and these are written deftly and then the pile of parchment Is laid on the desk before the president, who frequently in 0 seemingly au- tomatic way signs his name to commission after commission while carrying on 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 over 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 legitf mate business with the White House either can or write every day 1t be seen at once that the secretarys hands. time and mind are we'll filed There certain orders of rank which have to be respected, and In a democracy it is pretty hard work to convince the ordinary clti- zen that any man has the right of precedence As far as precedent Is concerned the presidents audiences are governed by the supposed mpor tance of the visitors official business For n- stance. if senator Is waiting to see the presi- dent and cabinet officer happens to come fin the member of the presidents official family al ways will see President Taft first unless he says specifically that his business Is of little mpor- tance and expresses a willingness that the sen ator shall get to the president ahead of him.
 newspaper man with whom President Taft has had frequently personal relations for some years went to the White House one morning and told MT Taft that he would like to see him alone for minute If he could, and the president took him into a 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 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 solemnity of spirit he bowed low to the newspaper man Would you mind going back to ask the presi- dent" said the senator, If that he has com. pleted his affairs of state with newspaper cor. senator of the United States?"
 The ambassadors and ministers representing foreign countries in Washington are great stick lers for precedence and every known means has to be taken to prevent giving them ofense. It 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 canniba islands is allowed to get into a room ahead of the first assistant secretary of the legation of the king of ballyhoo and then there are black looks which If they could be put Into words would be tantamount to a declaration of against the United States
 The American officials In Washington life are not above being piqued If q junior gets in ahead of a senior, though troubles of this kind are con fined as far as Americans are concerned almost wholly to social offenses for senator's represen. tatiyes. supreme court judges and the rest have finally made up their minds that at the White House one must take his changes of precedence