The San Francisco call., 1896-08-23
TIE TRUE LEADER,

The influence of the personal character
of leaders is one of the most important
factors in the making of history. The
course of events in every crisis is largely
determined by the confidence or lack of
confidence which men have in those
in authority over them. 1t is there
fore most vital to the welfare of the Re-
public that the supreme executive should
be man of well-tried character, one whose
deeds are known to all, whose personal
influence is of a nature to steady and con-
firm the resolution of the people in the
performance of great actions. With a
strong man at the head of affairs the
people never despair, but with a weak one
they lose half their energy in a crisis by
losing all their confidence in the ability of
the leader 10 deal with it with wisdom and
courage.
1t cannot be questioned that the evils of
the past years of crisis and panic would
have been much less than they were had
Cleveland been able to retain the con-
fdence of the people or even that of the
leaders of his own party in Congress.
When they began to distrust him con-
fusion ensued at once, and every evil of
the time was augmented by the bungling
legislation of wrangling factions in the
Government. With the disasters result
ing from such leadership still in evidence
in every trade and in every home the
American people will need no argument
this year to convince them of the folly of
making an experiment with an untried
man in the Presidency. The leader who
cannot hold the support or retain the con-
fdence of the best men of his own party
is certainly not the kind of man 10 whom
an intelligent people will intrust the
delicate and difficult task of shifting the
basis of our monetary system from the
gold standard to bimetallism, fraught as
that task is with danger to every trade
and to every industry.
In every crisis of its history the Repub-
ican party has been singulariy fortunate in
finding exactly the right leader to hold
the confidence of the people in the work
before it. That good fortune is well illus
trated IN the leadership of Mckinley at
this juncture. His personal influence
growing out of his character and his
record as soldier and as statesman has had
the effect of arousing the ardor of Repub-
icans and of drawing TO the party a
LOSb vi ueu, wage
earners, war veterans and conservative
citizens of all classes from the ranks of
those who have been hitherto in opposition
TO the party. This presages something
more than victory in November. 1t gives
assurance that when inaugurated as Presi
dent Mr.. Mckinley will have the support
of the people at large, of a strong majority
in Congress, and that every crisis which
arises in finance or trade will be met with
the prompt mastery of united, harmoni-
Gus and resolute Government.
1t is no orator untried in statecraft or in
war that the Republican party has named
for the high Office of President of the
United States. Mckinley is not an acci-
dent in politics whom the people are urged
to accept as an experiment in government.
A youthful volunteer in the war for the
Union, his record of public service con-
meets US with the great days of Lincoln
and of Grant. Trained in legislation
during the reconstruction period. when
our finances, our trade and our tariffs were
reorganized, he was the associate of Blaine
and Garfield and ConKling in that vast
work, and rose to a splendid eminence
among the younger leaders of the country.
He now stands forth the rightful leader at
this great juncture. The people trust in
him. They know that he will right the
evils of legislation and restore the pros
naritv the Dem ooratS hava DESTROYED