The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-09-27
Introduction of Lord Mayor
imposing Ceremonial
Event.
THE JOB is EXPENSIVE
Incumbent Chosen From AL
dermen Without a
Contest.


doner is anxiously awaiting the cleo
ton Of the new Lord Mayor, on Mon
day, to succeed Sir David Burnett, the
present incumbent.
Despite the fact that the Lord May
or is elected" there is never any
doubt as to who will be the next Chief
Magistrate. Following the custom of
years, the Lord Mayor will be chosen
from the members of the Board of AL
dermen, and it is always the senior
Alderman, who must have served as
Sheriff of London, who Is elected
Sir Vansittart Bowater, a wealthy
paper manufacturer will be the next
Lord Mayor. In order to be Lord May
or one has to be extremely wealthy,
for the chief duty of the office is that
OF entertaining, consuming must roast
beef at imposing official banquets,
and wearing gorgeous robes of office
with becoming dignity. If fthe Lord
Mayor had a sense of humor-but ap-
parently no Lord Mayor ever had, for
they all managed pretty well to sur
vive occupancy of the office.
Costly Job.
Outside an American ambassador
ship to a European capital, there
probably Is no quicker way of spend
Ing hOuey LudH " the mayor Vi
London. To be sure, the incumbent of
that office receives a salary of 5000
year. but this is a mere drop of the
bucket compared to what he must
spend. If he hasn't large fortune he
might as we'll not become chief magis-
trate, for the government only spends
about 100000 a year to maintain the
dignity of the office. The occupant of
1t must spend not only his salary, but
about 100000 additional. He must
simply! Why! Because every Lord
Mayor of the past has done it, Odd,
isn't it? Custom, y'know, old top. 1t
has er-er always been done, y'know
Which is quite sufficient for an Eng
lishman.
The Lord Mayor, who is always ell
e"ted on Michaelmas Day, September
Goth, takes office on November 9th,
following, and that is the occasion for
another imposing ceremony. After that
h7 life is just one imposing ceremony
lf'Nr another.
The Lord Mayors authority extends
Z further than the borders of the one
care mile of the Corporation of Lon
7, which has a resident population
My about $4,000. In the day time
Dc small area probably holds about
ways the center of Great Britain.
Within this territory the Lord Mayor
rs supreme. Should the King or Queen
visit the Lord Mayors square mile"
they should have to obtain permission
from him before entering. Word would
be conveyed to the Chief Magistrate
that his Majesty was about to visit
and the Lord Mayor would g-eet his
Majesty at the border line and pre-
sent him with the key to the gate
There is no gate, but trifle like that
doesn't interfere with the ceremony,
because you see, in theages of the
past there really were some gates.
Heads Police Force.
British troops cannot enter the
square mile without permission of the
corporation. The Lord Mayor is the
head of a police force which has no
connection with any other police force
in London OF Great Britain. Even the
Home office has no control over it.
In order to become a Lord Mayor,
one must first become an Alderman
You have to get the ratepayers to ell
ect you to that office of honor Then
you have to become a sheriff That is
where you get through with the rate
payers. They can't do anything more
fofr you, having already elected you
ran Alderman for life You now turn
your attention to the Liverymen, or
Freemen-Liverymen. who elect two
sheriffs every year. The principal &C.
,cupation of Sheriff of London is up
holding the dignity of the law with the
aid of many magnificent robes and
chains Of office, and much insignia.
While much Of the time of a sheriff
Is spent UNFOLDING the dignity of the
law and taking part in official ban
iQuets, he manages somehow to find
leisure in which to study the Lord
Mayor. for some day one of the sher-
IFS, or both, will become Lord Mayor
Not at the same time, of course.
Like everything British. there is
much solemnity attached to the cleo
zion of Lord Mayor. Also there is
tmuch rigamarole; many colored robes,
chains and things pleasing to the eye.
An American studying the office
might be justified in coming to the
conclusion that the principal qualifi-
cations for it are a thorough knowl-
edge of form" the peerage and bar
onatage, an excellent appetite and
good digestion, plenty of money, an
Amiable disposition and an imposing
figure on which to drape the robes of
office.
Method Of Election.
A week before the election Of a
lord Mayor a summons is sent to the
Masters and Wardens of the City
Guilds, commanding them to assem-
ible the Liverymen at the Quildhan on
lMichaelmas Day. The Civic Sword
Esummons the Lord Mayor, the Alder
imam and the Sheriffs.
On the great day they are all as
sembled in the Guild Hall. with all
of the city insignia, mace, sword, robes
of scarlet and costly furs. 1t is compar-
satively safe to wear furs in London in
September. 1t is always pretty sure
to be at least chilly, or, if not that,
tolerably damp.
What would first strike an Ameri-
can as funny would be the sight of
the City Recorder and the City Re
membrancer each carrying in his hand
a little bunch of flowers. This, like
most of the ceremony, was inherited
from the dark ages. 1t appears that
when knighthood was in flower" the
Guildhall had no sewerage system,
and consequently was permeated by