| Show I A POPULAR PRESIDENT I is evident that President McKinley McKin-ley intends to make himself personally popular with the people He has always al-ways been noted as a genial man whom it was pleasant to met Already he has dispensed with a body guard and has abolished the exclusive day at the White House These two things appeal ap-peal to the popular imagination and meet with popular approval But he has done a still more popular thing Last Sunday afternoon he went out for a short walk with a friend The streets were filled with pedestrians many of whom recognized him None of Hhe presidents since General Grants second term have made it a practice to go qut for a walk unattended General Gen-eral Grant was always free and easy in his intercourse with the people and it did much to endear him to them The tragic fate of Garfield had a strong tendency to make his successors succes-sors rather shy about going out much unattended Perhaps this was natural natu-ral but the people still prefer the mar who will take all risks and go about as other citizens do I makes them feel that the president is one of them And it is proper that he should go among them without fear or restraint I any crank is bent upon doing the president an injury it would be as easy for him to do I at the White House on a public reception day as in a railroad depot I is a pleasant thought to an American Amer-ican citizen that the chief executive of the nation can go among the people peo-ple mingle with them be of them I j The uresident who does these things I I cannot fail to gain great popularity and to endear himself to the people They are far prouder of such a man han of one who holds himself aloof from them The United States are a republic and not a monarchy the I president is chosen from the people by I the people and he should always be I of them When it becomes necessary for him to surround himself with Ijody guards there is a feeling that it isnt just a it should be in a republic I President McKinley will but continue to take walks as other American citizens zens do he cannot fail to make him self personally popular with the whole people |
