The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-03-24

though the younger was the po.ses.
sor OF a personality sinvulariy rree
from warmth and spon,ansity. John
Tyler ana james *. Polk we're men or
the world and Gui,e Ut home In polit.
society Zachary Taylor uulettcrel
and unpublished soldier that nc was
knew as little OF the d.muads of ell
quetto as ho did or politics, and he
admitted ct the time OF his noml1,n-
tion. he had not voted for fort, years.
Thc frontier and sinall military nusts
haa been his home, ana he wns iEnor-
ant Tor his rank and bgot,d In his
Ignorance. Fed men hnvt ever hnL :,
more undisSuised contempt 10 rsoclaI
nsages than General Taylor. and no
fouhd the society game nj Washington
more trying to his nerves than all hia
battles with The Indians and MeSicaus.
Mi!laFd Fillmore Franklin Pierre. and
James BuchnnRn were all in more or
iess harmonious accord with the nc
cepted good form OF their periods.
The latter. especially. was notably
punc,ilious il his observance Of In,
laws OF soclal requirement He was
Il vigorous supporter Of the measure
regulating the dress OF our ambassa-
doris at foreign courts, prohibiting the
military coat and small sword aud
chapeau which were required. lie was
q man or imposing personal appear
ance. with notable charm OF manner,
ana during his administration the pub
lie festivities at the White louise wero
conducted OF Il scale OF gr,at 1nprni-
ncencc.
Lincoln Diamond in tho Rough
II may be said of Abraham Lincoln
mat. although he bore not the fainlrst
resemblance 10 the variety of the
genus homo known popularity ms the
society man. he was not thrown into
panic by his sudden plunge .nto tho
social vortex at the national capital.
His was personality so individual
uhder all conditions THAI It stood out
as forceful!y at a fashionable gather
ing as 1t did at political meeting in
n prairie town. lie never affected a
disregard for the usagcs or polite So
ciety, but seemed inclined 10 adopt
them as rapidly as he became familiar
with them. He had no quarrel with
suquette. rs had General Taylor, puc
no was too honest and too great to as
sumo a gent!llty 10 which he had no
claim.
at the time of his accession TO tho
presidency. Andrew johnson had freed
himself from all the crudcness of his
iilterate early. life and had become .
polish,d man OF the world. Although
~, IT was not from lack of early train
ing and long association with those
who were. His dislike OF social forms
was probably due to his~ disincIInatlon
10 use small talk and to shyncss
which theSgreat soldier was never able
20 overcome. Both Hayes and Gnr-
held were men of unusual culture and
were society men In the best sense OF
.he term. Chester A. Arthur and Will
nam Mckinley knew how to malrs
themselves agreeable under any condi-
uons. although neither had marked
Iondness for ultra fashionable socie-
Grover Cleveland was never social
luminary and made 1t his business to
see as little of fashionable life as was
consistent with his position. Quite at
one with him-perhaps in that particu,.
lar only-is Theodore Roosevelt, w1Io
~ tar less convincing In dress suit
than when he is CARRIED in the rough
and-read attire of rancher>
AS for President Taft-perhaps he is
more distinctively a society man than
any American President since James
Buchanan.
Copyright. 1912. by ths Associated
Literary Press.)