The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-06

A Manly Trait OF the President-Elect.
We suppose that numberless people were
delighted with n despatch from Canton
which we printed on Thursday. 1t showed
that Major MCKINLEY takes pleasantly one
of those experiences which must be endured
by a man in his position, but which a less
complainant President-elect would surely
regard as a trial for the soul.
We learned from the despatch that when
Senator LODGE, who. it Is said, does not
desire any particular favor from the next
Administration, made a friendly call upon
Major MCKINLEY at Canton, a few days
ago, he took notice Of the way in which the
Major made it manifest that he possesses a
very trait Of character. He is
never disturbed by the visits Of men who
desire, to interest him in their behalf. He
gives welcome to all such men, each one of
whom goes Off feeling the assurance that
his case will be considered. Not only are
great politicians who may desire high place
under the Government received with cordi-
ality, but the plainest citizen who seeks any
small thing. is treated as such a one ought
to be treated by a statesman who has the
power to grant his request. No visitor Is n
bore to the sage of Canton. No storming
party gives him any trouble. No one can,
at any time, throw him into perplexity.
While the Senator was at Mr.. MckIN-
LEY's nome in Canton. he was surprised by
what he saw there. A young chap from
another part Of Ohio dropped into ask for
a place as messenger at the White House
" To the average public man." as Sem
-. anon o,orj rap,orlaJ iva
quests Of this kind would be as annoy
ing as ~nettles; but MCKINLEY did not
seem to mind it at all; he greeted the young
chap very cordially, and treated him with
the utmost politeness." Other men entered
the house while the Senator was there, and
sometimes they came in pairs. Two old
soldiers advanced into the reception room
for the purpose of talking to the
next President about their pensions,
which had not been paid. "MckINLEY,"
we are told by the Senate from
Massachusetts,, listened to their stories
with as much courtesy and consideration as
he could have shown a man he was think
ing about for the Cabinet"
The procession continued, without ever
disturbing the calm-minded politician to-
ward whom it was directed. This sort of
thing goes on steadily. MCKINLEY sees
almost everybody who calls, and is uni
formly courteous to all"
The Senator does not max mention of
any of the men of distinction who may have
called at the Canton house during his stay
in it. He dwells merely upon the pleasant
way in which unimportant callers were re-
ceived. Be it said, all of it, to the honor of
the President-elect.
1t had better not be inferred. from the
trait of character thus illustrated in the
sketches Of the Senator. that the possessor
of it is a yielding. malleable. irresolute in
dividual. 1t would be a mistake to draw
any such inference from the manifestations
Of democratic courtesy at Canton. Major
MCKINLEY is known to the American
people as a man of explicit thought,
determined purpose, and austere tenn
per. He would not mislead anybody, or
trifle with any visitor. If he promised to
give that young Ohio chap a place in the
White House, or made a promise to the two
old Ohio soldiers that he would think of
their pensions, we have not a doubt that he
will keep his word. 1t is pleasing to know
that we are to have next year a President
who is not gruff in manner or discourteous
toward any man.
At this time it seems worth while to m
phasize the remark that Major MCKINLEY
does not obtrude the trait spoken of by SEN
ator LODGE because he has anything 10 gain
from the exhibition of it. He is not now n
candidate for the Presidency; he Is not
seeking for votes. He will hold his place,
il he shall live, until March of the
first year of the next century. There
are plenty of politicians who, when running
for an office, are wonderfully amiable,
because they want to catch the voters. II
successful in the election, how top lofty they
sometimes show themselves after it; if de-
feated, how sulky they are! Major Nc
KIHLEY gained a wonderful victory last
month, and yet he is no more stuck-up than
he was at any previous time in his life. There
are other Ohio men Of whom that could not
be said if they were in his place.
The question arises whether Major Nc
KINLEY will be both propitious and resolute
during the whole of his term of Office at
Washington. The Office is one in which n
mans temper is often tried, and in which
the force of his will may often count for
very little. Can the MAJOR bear up for four
years. always conciliatory and always in
flexible in the right, never ungracious and
never intractable. faithful to his trust and
true to his own conscience, never speaking
ambiguously or unwisely, and always
padding his canoe as an American Presi-
dent ought to paddle it, We shall see.
II he can, and If he does, the White House
will be filled with sunshine all through his
term, and his Administration will be wor-
thy of the greatest of his predecessors.
Parkhurst and Senator Raines.