New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-26

- ENG President Of the United States
IL big. busy job, and those VINO
- have seen William Howard Taft per
form in the position are inclined TO the
belief that he earns his little $1,000 a wear.
President Taft is one of the hardest work
ers in America, but much of his mighty
labor is concealed in the systematic manner
in which no utilities each day, the ease and
regularity lending the impression that he
takes things sort of easy. Although he is
firm advocate of the eight-hour law, his
days activity ranges from ten to twenty
hours-and he gets fat on II.
Mr.. Taft usually arises at o'clock, and
goes through various exercises to reduce
his flesh and keep his muscles IN trim.
These include wrestling bout with his
physical trainer. and often a fast round
with the gloves. He then eats breakfast
ENJOYING the first meal of the day thorough
". He chats with members of his family
perhaps about a new hat that Miss Helen
wore the night before or about an attrac-
ton at one Of the theatres-almost any
thing but big matters of state, with which
he will grapple within few hours He Is
lust A plain man at the breakfast table.
Washington Post" and The New-York
Tribune. a special messenger being sent 10
the Union Station for The Tribune in order
that the Chief Executive of the nation may
peruse it before undertaking his daily la
bors in the executive offices. The reading
of the two newspapers is done in manner
not different from that employed by any
other American. First the headlines on the
front page are scanned, and then he turns
to the sporting pages to see how the Ma
tionals. the Athletics. the Giants ct al
Jared the day before. for the President is a
real baseball fan Then the important
stories and such others as strike his fancy
are read.
Along about $50 O'Clock the President
walks through a private passage to the
executive offices, pleasantly greeting every
one on his arrival. On his desk is list Of
APPOINTMENTS for the day, and this he scru-
tinizes carefully. There are also several
intimately personal letters for him TO look
over and perhaps answer, but only IN eN-
ceptional Instances does he handle any
great deal Of mail, although the letters to
him number about one hundred thousand
2 year.
RECEPTION FOR VISITORS.
4 general reception of visitors is held
from 10 to 1890 o'clock, the President greet
ing nearly two hundred persons every day
with a pleasant word and handclasp tor
each. From far and wide come these ioIN
to see the President the event being an
epoch i'm their lives. Mr.. Taft Is always
in a buoyant spirit during this half hour
despite the fact that invariably he expert
cnces trouble in handling d crowd ana
much prefers TO pick out an acquaintance
or an individual who has referred 10 pet
subject and take him TO the Cabinet room
for chat Secretary Hiles often verges
on despair during this reception, which he
tries to rush through without undue pres
sure in spite Of the Presidents tendency
to be ultra-sociable with his visitors
Senators and Representatives having
business occupy the time of the President
bv appointment from 1890 TO y o'clock, eN-
cept on Tuesdays and Fridays, when the
Cabinet holds his attention from II to |
o'clock or later. Subjects discussed at these
conferences range from the appointment OF
2 postmaster at Oshkosh TO universal peace
sometimes the tariff, often the currency
question, the Mexican situation or condi-
tions in China. Sometimes there rs an al
gument, but usually the Cabinet MEMBER
seeks the idea Of the President or ASKS
sfor advice or about the probable attltude
of the administration. At these CONFER
ences the destiny of the country Is shapcu
IN a great extent as hardly bill Of any
importance is introduced which does not
at one time or another reach the President
previous TO its passage or defeat
hue
nom and o'clock This class includes
leaders in every field Of effort who come to
Washington to confer with the President
or seek his aid in some national project
delegation from Boston may want nm 10
sneak at some celebration; noted hgure III
the financial world may wish to give MS
ideas on the monetary question ceIe-
brated divine may have religious SUBJECT
ia discuss labor chief may have grew
ance against capital-every sort Of mission
is likely to be presented.
Not infre0uentIy the Presidents day Is IN
terrupted to enable some now member OF
the diplomatic corps TO present his Gre
dentials. The ceremony, according 10 ira
dition. must take place in the Blue Room
Of the White House proper. and the fresi-
dent must be attended by at least TWO Oh
his aids. who wear full dress uniform Tor
the occasion. II may De the Ethiopian rep
resentative Of his majesty the President or
Uayti wearing a Uniform wonderful to be-
hold, or II may be the Ambassador Pleni-
potentiary and Envoy Extraordinary OF his
gracious majesty the King of Prussia and
the Emperor OF Germany, who calls and
in the elaborate phrases Of diplomacy. eX-
tends TO the President of the United States
the regards and solicitations OF his great
and good friend. and begs to add his humble
hope that the cordial relations which have
SO long existed between his msJestys do
minion and this glorious Republic may con-
tlnue on the same terms of friendship and
mutual regard The President, clad only
In the simple gsrb OF an American In morn
ing dress, replies in the somewhat simpler
phraseology Of a democracy, and the call
Ia concluded.
Then, too there are the receptions TO
school children. President Taft can never
turn q deaf ear 20 the plea Of 4 member
81 Congress who says. There are nearly
hundred school children from my district