New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-06-12
THE PRESIDENTS MODEST EORDS

The President has made many felicitous ad-
dresses since his nomination for the first term,
but perhaps never Il more graceful one than
his informal remarks to the Washington CORE
spondents upon receiving the news OF his re-
nomination. In modestly disclaiming credit
for ANYTHING except sincere attempt to dis
charge his public duties conscientiously and
to serve the country upon Republican lines, he
unconsciously revealed his chief claim upon
popular respect and support. The Presidential
Office is more heavily weighted with response
bility than any other on earth. As every Tx
ecutive in the White House has been human
and fallible, every one has made inevitably
mistakes of some kind. The President does
not assume to have conducted an Adminstr'i-
ton absolutely without haw but he is con-
scious of the rectitude of his motives and OF his
unfailng effort to invest the discharge of his
public functions with cOnscientiousness and
moral purpose. That is the precise test which
the American people have applied to his official
conduct Wide as the range of his public acts
has been and diverse as are the responsibilities
which he has been called upon to face, the sim
cerity and uprightness Of his intention TO pro-
mote the welfare of the Nation have always
been clearly disclosed. Partisans OF the OPP
posite political party may have subjected him
to oavil and criticism, but good citizens know
that he has done nothing to degrade his high
Office and much to dignity and exalt it.
The President was amply justified in making
the following hgh-minded declaration respect
ing the comprehensive patriotism of his Adj
ministraton "I cannot expect my Democrat
ic friends to think l have been on right lines
always; and yet it has been very gratifying
to me to know that many things have secured
the approval of my political opponents. ! have
been filled with the thought that this country
was coming to an epoch when the flag and the
things that it symbolizes will be upon still
higher plane than now, and when our infiu-
cnce among the Powers of the earth will be
enlarged wisely and yet energetically." That
is noble sentence with the ring of three gen.
eIations of patriotic Harrisons in it. 1t ex-
plains the hearty interest which the President
has taken In all questions relating to the
restoration of the American commercial marine,
the development of the carrying and export
trades and the completion of the new Navy.
1t reveals his scnsitiveness respecting all mat
ters affecting the dignity of the Nation and
the honor of the flag from the Samoan COM
plication to the Valparaiso outrage. II ex-
presses his faith in the manifest destiny of the
English speaking race on this continent and
embodies his practice in defending every ques-
ton of American right, in making American
diplomacy a tremendous power on this con-
tinent and in enlarging the circuit of CONNER
cial intercourse by an admirable series of Reel
procty treaties. No partisan critic can deny
that American prestige is a greater power in
the world to-day than it was when the Har-
rison Administration opened. One patriotic
term is the earnest of another when the flag
and the things which it symbolizcs will be on
still higher plane
Nothing in this short speech is more char
acteristic than the Presidents confession that
he has been suspected of being very little of
politician from the fact that he has never drawn
inside his party personal lines. 1t is entirely
true that he has not exacted personal loyalty
from any one, but has sought to conduct the
Administration upon the highest standards of