The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1914-03-26
sense of being identified with that


fore was elected to 1t. feel just as
much outside of it as | still feel out
side of the government Of the United
States.
mo man could imagine himself the
government of the United States; but
he could understand that some part
Of his fellow citizens had told him to
go and run a certain part Of it the best
he knew how.
THAT would not make him The gov
ernment itself or the thing itself. 1t
would just make him responsible for
running 1t the best he knew how.
Office So Great; Man SO Small.
THE machine Is so much greater
than himself, the office is so much
greater than himself; the office Is so
much greater than he can ever be, and
the most he can do Is TO look grave
enough and selfpossessei enough to
seem to 6ll It.
Il can hardly refrain every now and
again from tipping the public the
wink, as much as to say, 1t is only
me that is inside this thing. | know
that | will have to get out presently.
| | know that then ] will look just my
| own proper size, and that for the time
| being the proportions are somewhat
refracted and mlsrepresented to the
eye by the large thing am inside OF.
from which | am tipping you this
wink
For example, take matters of this
sort. will not say whether 1t is wise
or unwise; simple or grave, bat GER
tain presidents have been esta Dlished
| that in certain companies the presi-
| dent must leave the room first and
people must give way to him They
must not sit down If he is standing up.
Finds Customs Embarrassing.
1T is very uncomfortable thing 10
! have to think Of all the other people
every time ! get up and sit down, and
all that sort Of thing. SO when | get
| guests in my own house and the pub
| lie Is shut out, adjourn beirg pres
| ident and take leave to be gentle
man If they draw back and insist
upon my doing something first | firm.
ly decline.
There are blessed intervals when
forget by one means or another that
am president Of the United States.
One means by which forget is to get
rafting good detective story, get
after some imaginary offender, and
chase him all over--preferably any
continent but this-because the vari.
Gus parts OF this continent are becom-
ing painfully suggestive to me.
THE postoffces and many other
things which stir "reminiscences have
'sicklied them DER with pale cast
OF thought There are postotices to
which | wouldn't think Of mailing a
letter, which | can't think OF without
trembling with the knowledge of the
heartburnings of the struggle there
was in connection with getting some
body Installed us postmaster.
Knows Little Of Capital Sights.
Now If | were free, would come
not infrequently up to these rooms
You know | never was In Washington
but very few hours until | came last
year and | never expect to see the
inside Of the public buildings in Wash.
ington until my term is over.
THE minute | turn up anywhere
am personally conducted TO beat the
band. The curator, and the assistant
| ,trra al 9TH t,,,, %
fetal turns up, and they show me SO
much attention that ! don't see the
building. | would have to say, Stand
sside and let me see what you are
showing me-
Some day. after l am through with
this office. am going to come back
to Washington and see 1t. In tn"
meantime, ! am in the same catego. y
as the National museum, the mohu
ment, the Smithsonian institution, OF
the Congressional library, and every.
thing that comes down here has to
be shown the president.
III | only knew an exhibition ap
pearance to assume-apparently other
appearances that do not show what liz
going on inside would like to have
1t pointed out, so that could practise
1t before the looking glass and see Il
could not look like the monument
Being regarded as national ex
hibit, It would be much simpler than
being shaken hands with by the whole
United States.
Plain Citizen, His Ambition.
1T would be great pleasure II, un
served and unattended, | could be
knocked around as have been accus
toned to be knocked around all my
life; II | could resort to any delightful
quarter, to any place In Washington
that chose. have sometimes
thought OF going to some costumer-
some theatrical costumer-and buying
an assortment of boards, rouge. color
Ing, and all the known means OF dis
guising myself, II It were not against
the law You see, have scruple
as president against breaking the law
and Disgusting ones self Is against
tho law.
But IL | could disguise myself ant
not get caught | would 30 out, be 8
free American citizen once more, ant
have n Jolly time. might then NEE
some of you gentlemen and actual,
tell you what | really thought"