The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-03-13
CLOSE 10 THE PEOPLE.
President aICISlnlsy's Unaffected Simple
liN VIM inn IIAnria nflho MaaIea

President AICIklnley's Unaffected simple
ity wilma tho Hearts OfthO MaSSsG
Now York Mail and Express: President
Mckinley begins his executive career
with an UNAFFECTED simplicity Of personal
dcmcanor which shows shat he cordially
rcclprocatcs the unqucstlonlnE conf.
dencc which the country pledged to him
last fall. His conduct since his inaugur.
alton has been that OF man who trusts
the people to the same extent that he cx-
poets to be trusted by them. He has
gone about his business In an unprcIon-
ttous. mattcr-of- fact way which affords
convincing testimony to the sturdiness of
his character and the purity OF his pur-
pose.
For one thing, the President is neither
too arlStocratic nor too tiHiid to DO seen
walking alone In the streets Ut Washing
ton like any other honest man. He does-
MT hesitate to exercise his right 70 do 80
either, and for the first time in four years
the people are enabled to witness the
spectacle OF the nation's chief executive
going where he pleRses in the avenues OF
the capital without Tho accompaniment
OF armed guards 10 protect him from
imaginary dangers. This Innovation upon
the custom which has prevailed for
the last four years Is both startling and
refreshing. Tho people like 1t, too, for II
Is an implied expression Of confidence In
their respect for law and authority which
they never received from the chief OF the
late administration.
But President McKlnlcy's assertion OF
personal independence doesn't end here.
He has ordered the removal Of MIR. Cicve-
lands ridiculous military sentinel boxes
from the grounds surrounding the white
house He has no use for them. His adj
mlnistration Is not resting on a military
basis; no state of war exists and there
Isn't the slightest need for a picket line
around executive headquarters. The dis
appearance OF the offensive sentry boxes
will be the vanishing nf what amounted
to a gross Insult 10 the intelligence and
loyalty oG the people OF Washington.
Those structures were tokens of u sense
less tlmidIty. They siRniied the nerv-
business OF a statesman whose greatest
misfortune was that he couldn't trust the
people whose servant he was. and their
removal will Danish an unpleasant re-
minder Of an administration under which
the sentiment OF distrust and resentment
between the pOpulacp and the govern
ment reached its largest and most dan
gerous growth.
Besides these steps in the direction OF
closer and more harmonious relations
with the people, the President has abOl-
lshed the old senseIeS5 rules OF exclusion
al the white house. He Is at home when
visitors call Persons who wish to see
President Mckinley are not Obliged {"
run the gauntlet of ofilClouJ tlunkyism or
submit IL a court martial Inquiry In an
ante-roOm before being admitted. Every
thing IS amazingly Informal. straight
forward and un-Clevcland-llkc. And
yet. with all this cordially. freedom or
access and entire absence Of PretentIouS
excluyvcness, the dignity, force and
frmness which distinguishes the new or
der Of things at the white house are i'm
presslve and reasSurtng In the highest
degree. They have already given the
new administration 4 distinct American
tone and status.
President Mckinley believes in keeping
close 10 the people. He Is one OF them.
We have had no President whose election
more directly reflected the triumph OF
tbrir. power. Upon the malntenRnce OF
relations 1T mutual trust and co-opera-
tIpn between him and them depends the
whole success OF the administration 50
auspiclously begun And It Is fortunate
indeed that the President. at the very
outset, has adopted practical methods by
which those relations may be preserved
and strengthened.