Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-12-21
CAPITAL GOSSIP.
Continued from Page One.)

thousands upon thousands of people
in these United States is in trip
they take down to Washington once
a year to attend some Congress" or
association and to feast one evening
at a laden banquet board, where the
President comes and adds dignity and
gayety to the performance. Occa SION
ally he comes in to stay all the eve
ming, but sometimes only drops in
for little while, most of his visit be-
ing occupied with a speech.
Perhaps it is asking a little too much
of a President to attend on such func-
tions. There is no particular reason
why the highest official in the land
should be dragged before all sort- of
gatherings, simply because they are
within earshot of the Capitol. OF
course the same thing is done in 9TH
er cities. except that they do not
catch" the President quite so easily
outside of the District of Columbia
He has To be invited al a time when
h can make the journey and il Is not
SO easy % arrange all the details, even
if the President is willing to go.
From all his preliminary sayings
President-to- be Wilson may be quite
as much Of Il traveller among the
people as President Taft has been. For
did he not assert, some days ago, in
effect, that he did not propose to be
cooped up in Washington altogether
but would go out to ascertain the
views of his neiehbors in the states.
And thus it may happen that as Pres
ident, Mr. Wilson will travel much
up and down the land, exhausting that
annual appropriation of $4,000 for
travelling expenses, and keeping ac-
quainted with all the people. He in
Inmates, however. that while he in
tends to do these things, he expects
TO devote his time very much to hard
work in his office.
Every President who takes mn his
big tasks for the first time has soon
to determine what his methods of
working shall be. He is the boss of a
mighty big plant. He has nine big lieu
tenants in the members of his cabi-
net, With plenty of other officials. sta
toned at various places, upon whom
he can call for almost any amount
or kind of work he chooses. If he
trusts all these officials and has faith
in their capacities for performance,
he may transfer to their shoulders nu-
merous official burdens. Or he may
choose to pile high the load upon his
own shoulders and struggle along I'M
der it.
Comparatively speaking neither
Roosevelt nor Taft, as Presidents
Were hard workers. They were willing
that others should take some of the
worry and do much of the patient APP
plication to duty. They could not, of
course, and did not shirk the respon-
sibility but when it came to a task
of investigating and concluding
Smith, or Jones or Thompson, known
to be Il tried and faithful official was
summoned and told Ito go to it," At
ter day or weeks or months he brought
n bulky report. nicely typewriter,
perhaps also briefed, and it was put
upon the Presidents table. If men
had to be sent for to give testimony
or advice, Smith, or Jones or Thomp-
son, whatever his name might be, was
empowered to summons them and ex-
tract whatever information they had
to impart.
Some Presidents have chosen to con-
+.
after all is said, there is no particu-
lar reason why they should. 1t is
largely detail work and the President,
as executive of the establishment
should not be tied down to such rou-
tine. Mr. Wilson declares that his of
| flee door will be open to everyone who
| has legitimate business and if he car
ries GU that program he must, of ne
cessity, do much of the investigate
and inquiring, which constitutes so
large a portion of the work of admin
istration at Washington. The incom-
ing President is a great publicity man
and evidently there are to be mighty
few whispered conferences in the cor
ner room where he has his office. The
White House stenographers will be
kept mighty busy. for there is rule,
which presumably Mr.. Wilson will
follow. that all important converse