Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-24

MR. WILSON As LISTENER.
ing. That tale takes me back to my
glad and happy boyhood in more ways
than one. There Is such thing ~ q
story being so old TINT ii Is new.
The time OF the president elect is not
all taken up with conferences. he
also travels back and forth TO his home
in Princeton. sometimes by automobile.
and. when the weather is bad. by train.
One morning he acted as parcel post
deiveryman for Private Secretary Tu.
multy. personally carrying the pack
age from Princeton. On another morn
ing he was in conversation with some
one on the train. Wilson had for q
neighbor an old gentleman who had
book on his lap that gave him good
deal Of trouble. Every few minutes.
as he got interested In the conversa-
ton. the book would spring OF his lap
and land on the floor. and the old gen.
ueman would recapture 1t. The third
or fourth time this happened the gov
ernor remarked: THAT seems to be q
very live book. ] must read It"
Ready Letter Writers.
These are but the beginnings Of the
daily life Of president elect. Merely
TO recount what he has to so through
in single twenty-four hours would
give some people nervous prostration.
He himself has said that II the de-
mands on our presidents grow much
I,nx tn n1s,Isf nPOfo2-
sional athletes to the job. Among 9th
er things. he receives a few letters.
Some Of them want money. TWO or
three men are IN prison because they
sent gentle epistIcs to the governor sug-
gesting that he mail them few thou-
sand on pain Of bein. blown up by an
Internal machine. 1t is in such ways
that the American people. or at least
part of them. make glad the life Of
the man chosen for our highest office.
Others among the letter writer's ten
, der their services. Still others apply
for positions A few modest ones want
jols Some more seek Office. A num-
Der desire to enter the service Of their
country. Mnltitudes ardently wish the
! success OF the coming administration
and knowing their own merits. feel
that it cannot lie truly great and pros
porous unless they are part OF It.
! They write the governor to tell him 40:
| also their friends write. The inissives
snow. blow md hail in by every mail.
| The president elect is not the only one
! to hear burdens The postuan also
| has II few OF his own.
Then there are the patriots who
! write to tell Mr. Wilson how to run
! the government 1t Is touching to see
| how generous our people are In this re.
spect. They bubble with advice and
overflow with warnings. The presi.
| dent eject Is the beneficiary Of them
all. The eplstIes of instruction and
adnonition dow 10 to him without
| money and without price. They cost
him nothing but his time. II the let.
! tiers received by a president or prospec.
| tive president were printed In book
| form they would rival In size Carne.
gle library. II measured by the bush.
! el they would equal good sir d wheat
| crop.
| Some Of them are amusing. One re
Gently received by Governor Wilson
recalled that the writer broke through
tho crowd that Governor Wilson once
addressed aud concluded ingenuously
Il hope you will not think me pre-
sumptuous. but trust you have no.
forgotten the incident"
From q lad Of 6ve who had sent thu
governor n bunch Of violets came
short letter which cOnclnded:
Il hope to become president afto
you are dead
A farmer In South Dakota. protest
ing that he had voted the Democratic
ticket. explained to the governor tina
the Q per cent interest on his $2.6O'
mortgage was due next month and
not having the money to meet 1t. aske'
\ what he had better do about Il.
. In addition there are the autograph
hunters They are not quite rs pei
J sistenf - the once aeekers. but %