Iditarod pioneer., 1914-11-07

catch picture of myself in some printed description.
 'In between things I have to do as pub lie officer 1 never think of myself as the President of the United States, because l never had any sense of being identified with that office 1 feel like person appointed for a certain length of time to administer that office, and l feel just as much outside of it at this moment as l did before l was elected to it.
 'No man could imagine himself the gov ernment of the United States, but he could understand that some part of his fellow citizens had told him to go and run cer- tain part of it the best he knew how. That would not make him the government itself or the thing itself It would just make him responsible for running 1t the best he knew how The machine IS so much greater than himself, the office Is so much greater than he can ever be, that the most he can do is to look grave enough and self possessed enough to have filled 1t.
 For example take matters of this sort: | q will not say whether it is wise or unwise, simple or grave, but certain prece- dents have been established that in certain companies the President must leave the room first, and people must give way to him They must not sit down if he IS standing up. It is a very uncomfortable thing to have to think of all the other people every time I get up and sit down, and all that sort of thing So when l get guests in my own house and the public lis shut out I adjourn being President and take leave to be a gentleman. If they draw back and insist upon my doing some thing first 1 firmly decline
 There are blessed intervals when l fOr get by one means or another that l am the President of the United States, One means 1 by which l forget Is to get a ratthng good detective story get after some imaginary offender and chase him all over preferably any other continent but this, because the various parts of this continent are beCom- ing painfully suggestive to me. The post offices and many other things which stir "reminiscences have 'slcklled them O CT with pale cast of thought There are post offices to which l would not think of mail ling letter, which l cant think of without I trembling with the knowledge of the heart | burnings of the struggle there was In con neCtion with getting somebody installed as 1 postmaster.
 Now. if I were free, 1 would come not infrequenty up to these rooms. You know, never was in Washington but a very few times and but very few hours until came last year, and l never expect to see | the inside of the public buildings in Wash ington until my term is over. The minute I turn up anywhere l am persnally con ducted to beat the band. The curator and the assistant curator and every other bloom ing official turns up and they show ne so much attention that 1 don't see the build ing. I would have to say Stand aside and let me see what you are showing me Some day after l an through with this office I am going to come back to Wash ington and see il. In the meantime l an in the same category as the National mu- seum the monument, the Smithsonian ln- stitution or the congressional library, and everything that comes down here has to be shown the President.
 If I could disguise myself and not get caught I would go out, be free American citizen once more and have jolly time. might then meet some of you gentlemen and actually tell you what l really thought"