41
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN. PORTLAND, JANUARY 13, 1913.
Thousands of Poorly-Balanced Individuals Will Intrude on the President's
Time, Even if He Has the
Door Open to "Business n
Callers."
son's Door UssAJwrnS
PIERCER than the proverbial "fierce
light that beatB upon a throne" Is
that which Blares upon the office
Into which Dr. Wilson will be Inducted
March 4.
No crowned ruler upon earth is so
much the victim of the inquisitive mob
as is the President of the United States,
who cannot issue a mandate turning
down the limelight that shines upon
him, as did the German Kaiser some
time ago, when he curtailed the court
bulletin.
Dr. Wilson will be the greatest show
feature, the biggest drawing card in
the land, for the next four years. Thou
sands of men, women and children, in a
snake-like line two squares Ions, will
wait outside his door to shake his hand
when he gives a public reception. Ev
erywhere he goes people will stare at
him as though he were the Siamese
twins or the sacred white elephant.
Only when shut In behind guarded
doors will he escape the gaping multi
tudes, whose staring eyes will haunt
his very dreams. Long before the end
of his stay in the White House he
will fully realize the utter futility of
his announced plans to maintain the
"open door" in the White House, and
make himself accessible to all citizens
who wish to consult him.
He has already received his initia
tion. Since he became a Presidential
possibility every detail of his life has
been press featured and magazined. His
ancestors have all been dug up and
carefully scrutinized, and had" any of
his grandfathers, even with a dozen
greats, been hanged for stealing sheep,
we should have heard all about it long
ere this. Already we have been told all
the details of his religion, his anthropo
metric measurements, his diet, his
clothes, even to the time of his daily
shave, and the particular key in which
he snores at night. But his troubles
have barely commenced, and enough
money to make you or me Independent
for life will be annually paid to a
corps of circumspect gentlemen espe
cially selected to act as buffers 'twixt
him and the elastic-necked throng to
keep them from tearing the very but
tons off his clothes, or even his clothes
off their very buttons. In the eager grab
for Presidential souvenirs. For the
President of the United States has been
"it" against the whole Nation In an
endless game of hide and sek since the
days when George Washington himself
uttered his lamentation that the tour
ists surging through the Presi
dential residence in New York stuck
their inquisitive noses even into Mad
ame Washington's bedroom.
Every Freak Will Seek Him.
Every freak and phenomenon who
crops up in the land will Imagine that
Dr. Wilson is restless with Impatience
to see him. An accompanying picture
shows an old Oregon pioneer who drove
all the way across the continent to call
upon the President. Another shows a
White House visitor who drove his dogs
all the way from Alaska. Mrs. Tom
Thumb has called on every President
since Lincoln. Another recent caller
of this class was a man who was walk
ing around the world on a wager and
REAL ADVENTURES OF A
Showing Scenes Attending
Peace Conference and At
tack on Juarez, in Which
Americans Were Killed,
Recalled.
THERE were 4000 Federals in Chi
huahua, and as the heights sur
rounding the city were crowned
with artillery it seemed a foolhardy
matter for Madero with his untrained
men and untried muzzle-loading cannon
to attempt to take it by storm.
Meanwhile the revolution waxed
stronger throughout the South, and the
Federals, worn out by ceaseless vigi
lance in the cities and weary of fruit
less raids through the hills, began to
wonder if it were worth while to be
faithful to their thankless and ill-repaid
duty.
Most of the better class of officers,
especially those educated in the nation
al military schools, were sympathizers
of Madero's democratic theories, and it
speaks well for them that only two
among several thousand officers In act
ive service throughout the republic de
serted to the enemy.
The rest stuck to their swords, plac
ing loyalty before political conviction,
and though they hoped that eventually
Madero would win. In pursuance of
their duty they did their utmost to
defeat him. t
Diaz tried desperately to raise an
auxiliary Irregular force to eke out his
rapidly thinning and Inadequate ranks.
Rifles were distributed to all who
asked for them, but most of the newly
armed men Joined Madero and the gov
ernment was forced to discontinue this
practice.
Madero meanwhile remained at Bus
tillos, menacing Chihuahua to the south
and Ciudad Juarez on the north, both
important strategic points.
Treachery Is Planned.
At last the revolutionary leader
marched northward, surrounding Juarei
and demanding the capitulation of its
Federal garrison, commanded by Gen
eral Navarro.
Navarro scarcely counted on E00 men,
20 per cent of whom were in tha hos
pital. He had but two machine guns
and two mortars, yet he managed to
convey the impression of great strength
and the rebels overestimated his forces
at least 200 per cent.
The Mexican government, realizing
that Juarez could not hold out, offered
to listen to peace proposals, and a
truce was arranged for this purpose.
It was agreed that no troops Should
be removed by either side until the ex
piration of the armistice.
Noting an unusual stir In the Fed
eral barracks in Chihuahua I learned
that the government was Intending to
send a strong column to attack Ma
dero's rear, and I felt it Impossible to
resist a sportsman's Inclination to warn
the rebels of this treachery.
Fearing . to be prevented leaving
town, I walked out of Chihuahua in
my street clothes and struck north
ward, passing the Federal outposts
without trouble, as my costume bore
out my statement that I was merely
taking a morning walk.
About 10 miles out I hired a horse
from a plainsman, who accompanied
me to the next ranch. There I fol
' ' f Lii Tl WwWMtW I'll - "3 Jr -8 - v I -vS-j--j
who wanted the Presidential autograph,
which he got.
Then there are the lunatics, who pre
sent a problem much more serious. Ev
ery insane man with any imaginary
grievance or a pet scheme for saving
the country will want to confide it to
the new President. Some time ago a
caller of this class presented his card
on which was printed "Acting. Presi
dent," and about the same time there
appeared at the White House a New
Yorker offering to sell his leg to the
President for $800. He followed a luna
tic who wished the Chief Magistrate
to remove a "hypnotic spell" which had
been put upon him. The procession of
cranks increased from year to year, In
spite of the fact that each is promptly
clapped into "St. Elizabeth's," the awe
some National bedlam, and is there de
tained until his state authorities send
for him.
Constant Suggestion of Danger.
Although the system of espionage
which will perpetually protect Dr. Wil
son from these cranks is as perfect as
human ingenuity can now make it, it
is doubtful whether, when outdoors, he
can ever banish the suspicion that some
deluded person, hidden in the cheering
crowd or along the roadway where he
drives, may be laying for him. Since
Lincoln's time all Presidents have
doubtless felt this dread, although none
tHEV CARRIED THE
i - :Wf lid' "lm '
.
- j-&ws .- - lji Hifc- nJh CyfAmwx f
would, of course, admit It. Mr. Cleve
land was long haunted by it, and had a
sort of superstitious dread of the old
Sixth street station, with its brass star
marking the spot where Garfield stood
when shot. For some time he alighted
from trains outside the station yard,
where his carriage awaited him.
Secret service espionage over Dr. Wil
son commenced as soon as he wa,s nom
inated, but its full force will not be
felt until he rides in the inaugural pa
rade with detectives lining his carriage
on both sides. But it will grow so op
pressive that he will soon come to feel
like a prisoner with a death watch set
over him, and then he will try to kick
over the traces and escape his guards.
Once he steps out of doors he will never
be out of reach of these inquiring eyes,
for even if he wishes to hike out for a
solitary stroll in the woods the secret
service men must keep watch on him
whether he likes it or not. Such an in
cessant suggestion of danger must in
deed be nerve-trying. Even within the
private confines of the White House
there will be guards watching every
corridor and hallway leading to the
room In which he happens to be. Should
he slip out into the sleeping -room cor
ridor in the middle of the night there
will be a guard even there to witness
the Presidential pajama parade.
He will have to nerve himself also to
the realization that his daughters, too.
BOIMJED TO EL PASO,
CaSe2- -from ' X, 0
I 1
will be continually In this limelight
glare for the next four years. This
danger caused Mr. Roosevelt's consid
erable anxiety. When he entered the
White House he impressed upon his
children that they were In no wise
superior to any other youngsters. How
this training took effect was shown
once in a reply by young Archie to a
fawning society woman, who had asked
him if he did not dislike going to pub
lic school with "all those common little
boys." He answered: "My papa says
there are only two kinds of boys good
and bad boys."
Mr. Taft, more than any of his recent
predecessors, has kept his children out
of the spotlight As long as they have
been of school or college age he has
kept them out of Washington. His
WAR CORRESPONDENT GERALD BRANDON
lowed the same programme and by
afternoon was out of the sphere of
Federal Influence.
, Spreading the news of a possible
Federal advance, I continued my ride,
and as I left the miles behind I could
see the smoke of dozens of trestles be
ing burned by the rebels to harass the
enemy's march. The country I was
traveling was entirely In the hands of
younger son has been at the White
House only in vacation times.
The Target ot "Reformers."
The new President will find himself
the target of many so-called reformers.
There will be constant protest aga'nst
the established custom of serving wine
at state banquets. Mr. Roosevelt was
censured by a temperance convention
for allowing wine to be served on board
the special train carrying- him on one
of his Western trips. Whether Mc
Kinley drank wine or not at state din
ners was a constant topic for discus
sion at temperance conventions. Once,
when there was a convention of bish
ops in Washington, one of them came
to the White House and cross-exam
the rebels and I had no difficulty In
securing fresh horses every 20 miles.
Welcomed By Madero.
Eventually I reached Juarez, 400
miles away, .having covered that dis
tance in four days and a half. Ma
dero welcomed me cordially and showed
me every courtesy.
I crossed the river to El Paso and
wired my paper. A few hours later 1
ined Mr. McKinley as to this. At an
other time when Mr. McKinlev was at
the Capitol signing bills, some mineral
water was carried in to him, and
spying temperance woman reported to
a preacher that the President was guz
zling wine, and the divine in turn con
tinued to announce this at meetings
until called down by an official in
charge of the President's room at the
Capitol. Mr. Cleveland was continually
harassed in this way, and once when a
minister accused him of intemperance
before a religious conference in Massa
chusetts, he issued a statement brand
ing the divine as "a disseminator of
wholesale lies and calumnies not less
stupid than they are cruel." A French
Journalist who visited Washington some
received Instructions to remain in El
Paso covering the peace conferences
and a. possible attack on Juarez, my
paper telling that another man had
started for there via Laredo, Tex,
thinking it impossible for me to gev
from Chihuahua to Juarez. On re
ceipt of my wire they stopped the oth
er man.
El Paso was full of war correspond
ents and pacificators. The Hotel Shel
don lobby was their headquarters, and
one could get more exciting Interest
ing though possibly less accurate
war dope there than by running around
as I had been doing.
Everybody in El Paso was rigged
out In khaki, and the lobby was al
ways full of puttee-legged individuals
riding rocking chairs and talking.
I took advantage of Navarro's prox
imity to pay him a call, but as I was
not sure how he would receive me, 1
went accompanied by Tim Turner, the
big assignment man of the El Paso
Herald. I knew that Turner would
not let me disappear without raising
Hades In his paper.
Armistice Is Off.
Navarro was effusive in his greet
ing, and with typical Mexican polite
ness bade me enter Into possession of
his headquarters as my home. Despite
my liking for the old General, I dis
counted his words considerably and did
not return until circumstances. obliged
me to.
Navarro's second in command was
Colonel Tamborel, reputed the best
Mexican authority on fortifications. I
was very much interested in his work,
but he refused to allow me to take
pictures of his trenches and redoubts.
I should mention that on receiving
my information concerning the Chihua
hua force moving northward Madero
wired to Mexico expostulating and the
Federals were stopped at El Sauz, about
30 miles out.
Nothing came of the peace confer
ences. The revolutionists based their
demands on the immediate resignation
of President Diaz and all his cabinet,
while the government representatives
offered to Institute aft' the reforms em
bodied in Madero's platform, but held
that a forced change In the federal ad
ministration would be the death blow to
Mexico's international prestige.
Diaz, they offered, would resign as
soon as peace was restored, when he
would hold an extraordinary election
that the Mexican people might freely
designate their ruler.
The armistice expired and was twice
renewed to no purpose.
Very strong pressure was brought to
bear on Madero, who issued a manifesto
declaring that he would not attack
Ciudad Juarez or any other frontier
city, in order to prevent the recurrence
of the lamentable incidents attending
the taking of Agtia Prieta, when several
Americans were killed in Douglas,
Ariz., by bullets fired on Mexican ter
ritory. This had occasioned a great
deal of talk of American intervention
in Mexico, and it was generally under
stood that the United States would con
sider similar happenings in Juarez and
El Paso as sufficient cause for armed
interference in Mexico.
The day that the third armistice ex
pired Madero announced that his army
would march southward, presumably to
attack Chihuahua, and from there ad
vance on Mexico City.
The advance guard had already
started when at about midnight a wire
from Mexico City announced that Diaz
had changed his mind and would resign
Immediately if the rebels were' not too
extortionate In their other demands.
The rebel march was stopped and Ma
dero's men celebrated their triumph
that night, several bands of music be-,
five years ago, wrote a story which set
forth how Mr. Roosevelt, while seated
with him in one of the White House
parlors, smoking a cigar, was reminded
by a liveried lackey that smoking was
not allowed in the apartment. This was
true, save Tor the fact that Mr. Roose
vdH doe not smoke, and that there
were no liveried White House lackeys.
Calumny and Insult.
Like all Ills predecessors Dr. Wilson
muxt expect a generous snare or insuii
and abuse. A New York Representative
who abused Mr. Roosevelt in the House,
repeated a cruel calumny, which had it
that he had angrily struck the horse of
a schoolgirl who had crowded him on
the road while he was riding. The
House expunged this speech from the
Record and the mother of the girl
wrote a denial of the story. But this
sort of thing has been going on since
President Washington was charged
with overdrawing his account. Jeffer
son was another of the early victims,
and one of those who abused him worst
was the Irish poet, Thomas Moore, who
published some almost unprintable
things about the father of democracy.
Our National resentment at these in
sults was emphasized a century later
by the omission of Moore's name from
the honor roll of poets inscribed on th8
walls of the Congressional Library.
Advertising Value of Wilson.
Manufacturers, boomers and promot
ers by the thousands will fall over
themselves to exploit President Wil
son as an advertlement for their
schemes. Real estate 'boomers will of
fer him beautiful country homes by tha
score if he will only come and live in
them in the Summer and lend his name
to the community. All of these men
will want to use him as Harrison was
used when given a Summer cottage
at Cape May. But Harrison, when ho
realized that he was being used as a
real estate advertisement, drew his
personal check for the value of the
property. Even as an ex-President Mr.
rMevoinnd found that he boomed sur
rounding property where he bought. As
(Concluded on Page 7.)
ing taken over from El Paso to sere
nade the revolutionary leader.
Next morning the story was not sub
stantiated and Madero again prepared
to depart.
All of a sudden firing was heard. The
rebel and Federal outposts had com
menced hostilities on their own hook,
and in less than half an hour the ex
treme guard of the Juarez garrison had
been driven in.
Madero immediately sent a body of
several hundred men to retire his par
tisans from the front, but the Federals,
seeing them approach, opened fire on
them, causing them to shoot back.
Battle Is Started.
The fighting' soon became general.
Madero seemed unable to control his
men, and by afternoon the Federals had
been driven into Juarez, the suburbs of
which were already in the hands of the
rebels.
Madero and Navarro held several con
ferences over the telephone, the one
assuring the other that he would soori
retire his men that Mexican territory
be not exposed to desecration by a for
eign foe. Madero did try his hardest
to call off his dogs o war, but his
efforts were unavailing.
. That afternoon the rebel chieftains
held a conference. They had almost
taken Juarez. Several Americans had
already been killed in, El Paso by bul
lets that went over the line, and if the
United States was Intending to inter
fere there was already sulf iuient provo
cation. "We might as well be hanged for a
sheep as for a lamb," they thought.
"And history will ridicule a General
whose troops win a -victory against his
will. The only way out is to recognize
and authorize the attack and let peo
ple think that our apparent unwilling
ness at the start was but a subter
fuge, permissible in war.'- And the en
tire rebel army was hurled against Jua
rez. Upon being driven back into Jua
rez Navarro had posted his men on
the roofs of the highest buildings, such
as the church, the bull ring, the bar
racks and the custom-house.
Rebels Live In Ease.
The intrenchments thrown across the
principal streets by Tamborel were also
manned and the machine guns and ar
tillery were brought into play. How
ever, the rebels did not advance in
bodies numerous enough to present suf
ficient objective to the artillery fire
but straggled into town In groups of
10 and 20, entering the outlying houses,
tunneling through walls and advancing
thus under almost absolute cover until
reaching some three-story house, when
they would get on the roof and take
position behind the cornice, maintain
ing thereafter rifle duels with the Fed.
erals similarly located.
The rebels, who numbered almost
4000, would fight a few hours and then
rest a few more, returning to their
camp, or even to El Paso, taking a bath,
a good meal, and in some cases which
came under my notice even going to
the theater. -
They could safely do this, as the
federals were hardly In sufficient num
ber to cover the indispensable posi
tions and could not possibly make a
sortie.
Navarro- was also handicapped in
that the rebels were entering Juarez
from the river bank, and he did not
dare to fire on them until they were
fairly close, lest the bullets strike In
El Paso, on the other side of the Rio
Grande, whose northern shore was
crowded with thousands of Americans
.(Concluded ou Page Li