Evening star., 1919-08-03
PRESIDENTS PLANNED g
TOUR UNPARALLELED
Momentous Message Differentiates 1t From
Journeys of Chief Executives
of the Past. 90
BY LEONARD ORMERoD.

N ODES of travel have under
| yMt gone numerous and revolu-
! tionary changes since the
days when a stage coach
line to Baltimore was the principal
connection Washington had with the
outside world, and various Presidents
| have taken advantage of these i'm
provements until within the last
eight months the world has seen the
unprecedented spectacle of chief ex-
ecutive twice crossing the Atlantic
| to foreign shores.
, The proposed tour of President
Wilson, which will take him to the
Pacific coast this month in the inter-
est of the peace treaty and the league
/ in the story of the Presidents. Meyer
| has the occupant of the White House
gone directly to the people with so
| momentous message, in which the
future of the country was so largely
| bound. And never has the difference
between a President and a more or less
unfriendly Congress been so clearly out
lined.
Future Presidents May Go Abroad.
| A century ago trip of only two or
three hundred miles was not to be
thought of lightly, and there is small
doubt that President Wilson suffered
less inconvenience going from Wash
ington to Paris than President George
Washington did in going from Mount
Vernon to the National Capital when
Philadelphia was the boasted seat of
national government. Since the latter
Harrison's time every President except
Cleveland has gone as far west as the
Pacific coast during his administration,
and now that the precedent has been set
the future Presidents may visit other
rations with as little ceremony as they
now attend functions at state capitals.
Monroe First to Travel.
President Monroe was the first
| President to make an extensive jour
ney, which he did in 1917. Leaving
Washington in June Of that year,
which was during his first term, the
President made an extensive journey
through the states and visited all of
the principal fortifications.
According to the historians of that
time he was everywhere received
with enthusiasm. He was conveyed
up the Delaware river from Whining
ton to the navy yard at Philadelphia
in barge of the frigate Franklin
The barge was lined and trimmed
by sixteen oarsmen, dressed in scarlet
vests. with white sleeves and trousers.
His route led him to New York, New
Haven. Hartford, Springfield and Bosk
ton.
From Boston he visited New, Hamp-
shire and Vermont and stopped at
lPlattsburg, N. Y. From there he went
to Ogdensburg. Sacketts Harbor and De-
troit. returning to Washington the lat
ter part of September.
The journey in those days was entire
ly by boat or coach, and was long and
fatiguing. Today the same itinerary
could be covered in two weeks by steam
car and automobile. though the President
might miss the scarlet-vested gondo-
liers.
Sickness Interrupted Jackson's Trip
No other extensive trips are men
toned by biographers until the time of
President Andrew Jackson, who in
June, 1888. attempted to duplicate the
trip Of President Monroe. but with less
happy results. Accompanied by num-
Der of intimate friends and several
members of his cabinet "Old Hickory
started out for a visit to the middle At
lantic and northeastern states. He was
given "tumultuous and enthusiastic
ladulation'' if we may believe the
Ichronicler. of that time, but when he
had gotten as far as Boston the excite
ment and fatigue brought on a severe
Illness. After rest of several days
under the care of physicians the rugged
old campaigner attempted to continue
bis tour, but after getting as far as
New Hampshire he gave it up and re-
turned directly to Washington.
The only permanent asset from the
trip was an honorary degree of doctor of
laws bestowed on him by Harvard Col
lege, and it is a pity that no illustrator
Of that period has favored posterity with
a picture Of the hero of New Orleans in
a mortarboard cap and gown
Probably the most memorable trip, in