| Show FORTUNE NEEDED TO I INSTALL ALL LONDON MAYOR New New Ruler Once Office Boy I Custom Demands Ceremonial CeremonialS I S BY SV A A. A J. J GLASSPOOL Veteran Keeper of the Guildhall Who Has Helped to Install Fifty Lord Mayor Mayors of London LONDON LONDO Nov 20 lt It It isn't likely more ceremonious more gorgeous more decor decoi- decorated I with formality fuss and feathers more appealing to the sense of humor in ir I some to the sense of in othere others oth oth- ers ere and at the same time to the sense oth-I oth of dignity ot of most Englishmen than the business of providing with a chief mac mac- Istrate a technical city only a 1 square In area and containing about 16 1600 00 actual actual ac Sc residents It costs the so-called so city of London about each year and the chief magistrate about the same amount but It is considered well worth the expense of or the addition it makes to the gayety of or nations because of or the color it lends to gray London and because of or the picturesque traditions and long standing institutions it keeps leeps alive aUve London's Lord Mayor Alderman James I Roll who was formally elected to that historic colorful and to the American somewhat funny office on September 29 29 das dar day was formally admitted there to on November S 8 ANNUAL EVENT On the following da day always indicated In the calendar as Lord Mayors Mayor's day he I began his year jear of actual administration taking the oath of office at the Ro Royal al courts 01 ox Justice and giving the great show of state progress through the streets which has been an annual event since long before the discovery of Amer I ie ica S SAs As lord mayor Alderman Roll will earn most of his salary of ot by eating a a. prodigious number of ot official dinners and luncheons wearing strange strange- robes and going through odd ceremonies with much solemnity But nut he has also a large number number number num num- ber of offices he fill personally personally per per- and important duties to discharge discharge discharge dis dis- dis- dis charge which are not so 50 apparent to the casual observer from abroad as are the themore themore themore more decorative functions of his position The manner of the new lord mayors mayor's election on day was as delightful delightful delightful de de- de- de as that of his installation H Hu He couldn couldn't u t exactly sa say that the honor r came caine as a surprise to him hf for he ee knew rp p pretty I much all about it years before I II I SCHOOL FOR MAYORS lord The mayor chief f of difficulty London J fl about lies ui in becoming getting Ct the a alord alord i ratepayers to elect you to lO a life membership membership mem mem- in the board of aldermen There mem-I mem are only twenty-six twenty of them and vacancies vacancies 1 cies des are arc scarce Once you ou are an alderman alderman alderman alder alder- man you ou dont don't have to bother further i with the ratepayer but look for advancement advancement advancement ad ad- to the The citizen is not at aL all the same sort of being as a I plain citizen without a capital C C. He lIe Is la lano I no less e than a liveryman freeman that thatis rs hr is a members e rs of one of the city guilds I that is one of or the things which citizens i dont don't have to be elsewhere in New r York for example The ma mayor or Is chosen from among those I aldermen who have not passed the chair i i. i e e. e been lord maj mayor or but have ha i served as sheriff There are arc more than thana I Ia a dozen such aldermen at present and I each in turn in all human probability I will get the coveted office In the ordel ordee cf seniority But the funny part of it to toan toan toan an American is that each is voted for forand forand I and elected with as much seriousness as asif asif as if one could guess what the result of I the poll km might beA be he I A week before r the election a summons is sent to all the masters and wardens I of all the city guilds of which there are seventy-seven seventy commanding them to assemble assemble as as- seeable the liven liverymen men at the Guildhall on day The hall ball itself Is 18 redolent of sweet smelling herbs thyme herbs thyme camomile lavender ender and rosema rosemary sprigs of which are spread on the platform These are a relic of the belief belief belief be be- lief In the old days das that their presence prevented Jail fever There is no more Jail fever now but that does not do away with the herbs PRECAUTION TAKEN When all is ready for the election the city reported steps forward and accordIng according accord- accord Ing Irig to time old-time custom Informs the liverymen liverymen liverymen livery livery- men that the lord mayor major or and the aldermen aldermen aldermen alder alder- men who have havo passed the chair will now retire in order not to influence the liverymen liverymen liverymen livery livery- men in their choice of a new chief magistrate mag mag- istrate just Istrate-just Just as if everybody was not quite well aware who was to be elected After this precaution has been taken the liverymen duly vote for the two candidates candidates candidates can can- who have ha been candidates longest longest long long- est cat and the aldermen solemnly vote solemnly vote for these two nominees Each alderman whispers into the car ear of the town clerk the name of the candidate for whom he v votes the recorder o a and common ium ga geco 3 sergeant carefully checking I g the record of each vote The result of these grave deliberations is then taken by the sheriffs the common sergeant and the common crier carrying the mace to the lord mayor and the aldermen in the room adI adjoining adjoining ad ad- joining the message being too important to be entrusted to any anyone one dignitary I After due consideration of the respective respective respective tive merits of of the two approved candidates candidates candidates candi candi- dates the senior of oC the two Is chosen the defeated man being sure in the knowledge that he will be chosen next yearA year A DICK WHITTINGTON London's London a lord mayor elect Alderman James Roll Roil is a modern Dick Whittington ton minus the cat You remember of course the story of that most famous of ot all London London's a lord mayors With the faithful faithful faith faith- ful UI family cat tagging his footsteps he tramped from Gloucester to London at the age of 13 13 succeeded In apprenticing him him- se to a rich mercer and wound up by becoming rich himself being knighted and being elected lord mayor of London three times In succession All this away back In the fourteenth century WAS OFFICE BOY Like Sir Richard Alderman James Roll came to London as a poor boy from the country to seek his fortune Then Than 14 one I year older than the immortal Dick he started work as of Ice boy He didn't remain an office boy long Beginning as asa asa asa a collector for the Pearl Life Insurance company within twelve years he was waa made a director and ultimately became chairman of the organization holding this office for twenty twenty five five years W When en he Joined the staff of the Pearl Its income was On his retirement ment It had to He is a well preserved man in the sixties six six- ties curiously resembling In personal ap appearance ap- ap the late King Edward CoachIng Coaching ConchIng Coach Coach- Ing is one of oC his great hobbies hobbles reading the novels of Charles diaries Dickens another He unites these interests in th capacity of founder and o of th Ui Pickwick Coaching club which has is a the old oak beamed George and Vulture tavern in Birchin lane Immortalized In Inthe Inthe inthe Pickwick Needless to the papers say he Is a very rich man as anybody needs to be who accepts the office of chief magistrate of the square mile city of London Lon Lon- don |
