The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1917-02-17

are let loose ana tle 1pS breaks from
cover. These hunt clubs cannot be
included IN the freak class. The horses
are thOrOughbredS and every man and
woman is fine rider. Moreover, they
are all undergoing little preliminary
military drill which VIII enable them
70 keep the line perfect and to de-
part not from the order of formation
unless perchauce some lucRIe~S hound
in the street crowd should start is
hue and cry, and habit, stronger than
the check rein. make the horses mo-
men'auly forget themselves.
Wilson Again Does Unexpected.
President Wilson's appearance in
the senate wing of the capitol rs a per-
Sonal proluucut of the legislation
which he desires the majority party in
congress 10 pass. was not the uStouud-
Ing surprise - senators and members
that the country generally seems TO
think that it was.
Ever since he has come into Office
the president has been doing the I'M
expected along a dozen different lines
Of cndeavor. The result Of this has
been that when something new comes
surprise, If not minimized, IS, so 10
speak, ameliOrated.
The determination Of the president
To address congress at the opening of
each session instead OF sending writ
ten message, rs had been the custom
for years upon years, was II SORT of
Il bOmbShell of surprise in itself. There
was an immense amount of discussion
over the presidents action Ut that
time. He was criticized severely by
Il good many senators and members
irrespective of party, although, Of
course, the SevereSt criticism came
from the Republicans. while such of
the Democrats as objected to the pro-
ceeding said sharp things in the cloak
room and reserved milder words of re-
proof for the open.
Now that the addressing of congress
In person has become fixed presl-
Dental habit, most people seemingly
have forgotten the approach to tur-
moil with which the first announce
ment of intention was received. On
one or two occasions prior to the time
that Mr.. Wilson announced he would
90 10 the capitol almost daily TO CON
suit with the senator's about legisla-
tlOn in which he is interested, he had
gone 10 the capitol to advise with the
leaders of his party.
Others Have Broken Precedents.
The direct address to congress at
the opening of a session and the ap-
pearance Of the president at the cap
itol at a few other times to talk over
legislation acted as something of a
shock absOrber when the recent dec
laratiOn of intention TO make frequent
visits To the capitol was announced.
During every administration some
thing is sure to happen which sur
priSes the lawmakers and perhaps the
public with them, and gives the crit
les ample opportunity To talk their
sharp words Roosevelt smashed a few
precedentS and Mr.. Taft did So like
wise. Mr.. Wilson has followed suit.
but has done it "a little more So
Precedent breaking by a president
and the consequent and instant criti-
ciSm are not confined to supposed in
reference with the legislative indie
pendence Of congress. This breaking
away from the conventions of the
years sometimes concerns itself with
social matters. but whether the de-
partureS are legislative political or So
cial. the tongues all go wagging for a
week. Then Washington gets accuS-
toned to the new order, stops taking
and fOrgets all about the cause for the
| talk.
Arthur Dined Often With Friend.
In the old days presidents were
chary about breaking any kind of
precedentS and if they did break them,
they tried TO keep the breaking quiet.
| There has been an unwritten rule in
Washington since the days of Madison
| that n president should not make per-
sonal or social calls on friends, and
| should not attend any social functions
unless they were virtually Of national
size, or were intended to forward some
great charitable cause.
President Chester A. Arthur was a
! socially inclined man. He wanted to
! leave the White House to dine with
friends whenever he felt the inclina-
| ton so to do. He checked his desires
along this line because he did not want
to give Offense TO the precedent wOr-
shippers, but he INDUCED his desires
nevertheless about once week. After
he had left office it was found that I'M
| known either to the gOSsipS or the non
Cossips of Washington he had dined
regularly once a week with an old
| friend who had "cOrking good
cook"
Mr.. Roosevelt, when he was presi-
dent kept pretty close to the lines of
| established social precedence, but he
was independent enough of gossip 10
dine once in while with some close
personal friend, like Henry Cabot
Lodge. Mr.. Taft was more Of a Wis
itor to private houses perhaps than
any of his predecessors. He had some
old-time Ohio friends here. and into
their houses he used to drop for aft
ernOOn tea, occasionally To Sunday
supper, and certainly once or twice a
month to partake of family din
ner.