Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-03

Tomorrow. when the hour ofnoon arrives. Ben
iamin Harrison will cease to be President OF
the United States and little while later, once
more q private citizen, will depart from the
national capital Although his outgoing IL to
be ooincident With the incoming Of an admin
tstrstion that in some particulars must differ
from the one in which he il and has always been
the controlling spirit, still the bitterness Of de-
feat has been about forgotten and in its place
dveils the repose which all healthy organiza-
tons enjoy after the completion of a thoroughly
performed task These four years jus. past
win be memorable in American history because
they have been years of peace and plenty-sueh
peace q always rules the day, where reason
rules the mind. and plenty the like Of which
no civilized nation ever before experienced
With eres. and hardly measurable strides this
nation has moved within the now expiring
presidential term, and 1t is far from unrea-
sonabls to suppose that part OF our
prosperity is due to the conservative and bust
pesslike methods which were insisted upon by
that son Of Indiana whom the United States
will drays delight to honor. With dignity
that was natural he has commanded universal
respect: his logic rarely at fsult-his oratory
never: his state papers have been uniformly
high in tone and unmistakabe as to their con-
clusions; his patriotism beyond question. As
to the soundness of his views on matters of inn
portance there is, Of course, disagreement. but
not even the lowest and most violent Of his
enemies have ever dared intimate an infraction
of that sturdy honesty which has ever been a
prominent charact eristic in the Harrison family.
More than any other President of recent times
Gen. Harrison has controlled the conduct Of
those governmental departments which are
ordinarily committed to the unquestioned care
Of subordinstes-a departure involving ire
mendous effort and calling into play that
mastery over detail which is given
10 but few. and that keen insight
belonging especially to the well-trained and ex-
perienced lawyer. During his term of Office
President Harrison has been an American in
all that the word implies, and when occasions
arose to demand the exercise of sound judg-
ment the country has never had reason to COM
plain. That the four years now almost done
have been clouded by sorrows is known to all
people. Never in any like period has death
visited the White House SO frequently, nor has
'the golden key that opens the palace of eter-
nifty" ever turned to admit more truly estima-
BILE woman than she whose pleasures were In
the happiness of her family and who for many
years had been the Presidents beloved help
meet and companion
Washington ssys goodbye to President Har-
rison with much of gratitude in the tones Of
farewell, for no President since Grant has taken
such q deep interest in local affairs. Recognize
ing the fact that this is the nations capital and
that what may be termed local matters really
concern the entire Union, President Harrison
co-operated heartily in all movements that
promised municipal improvement; without his
aid the beautiful and necessary Rock Creek
Park would be nothing more than a name.
To lay down the scepter with which more
than sixsy-fiye millions of people are ruled and
TO leave the scene Of presidential triumphs may
not be done without feeling to some extent the
pain Of parting, but that pang loses much Of its
sharpness when there il consciousness Of duty
well done.