The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-18
HEALTHY SIGN.
Southern Liking for Pres
ident Mckinley.
People Will Vote Against Him
in 1900 Just the Same.
Secretary Wilson's Great Enthu-
siasm About Agriculture.

he does the people watch him with eager
eyes. 1.-THE long and the short of it is,
said one prominent man of Tennessee,
"Mr Mckinley Is n gentleman. Down
here we look TO that first of all. A public
official need not be great man or a man
of great genius, but If he is gentleman
we take him 10 our hearts" 1t appears
from all accounts that President Mckinley
did win the hearts Of the southern people
To remarkable extent. At the very next
election they will vote against him ard
his party, as they have always voted. Their
admiration for Mckinley as a man does
not change their political views, but that
the southern people do admire him very
much as gentleman there is no mistake.
In the opinion of most observers this Is
good thing Party rivalry there will al
ways be- but it is healthy sign for the
country when respect for the office of pres
ident and for the man who fills it spreads
throughout the country and among men
of all parties.
Six Days In the South.
Those who travelled with the president
during that six days swing about the cir
Gle, from the national capital to Nashville,
Chattanooga and Asheyille back again to
Washington were almost hourly impressed
by the placidity of temper and perfection
of manners and bearing possessed by Mr..
Mckinley. IL is not an easy thing for tho
president Of the United States 10 draw the
line In just the right place all the time be-
tween stiffness on tho one side and trivial
ity on the other. There is a happy mean
which exactly comports with the dignity
of the office, making IL neither too much
of the one nor of the other. If president
Is hail fellow well met when off upon an
excursion, If he throws down all restraint
and becomes simply one OF the party, shar-
ing things in common with them, spend
ing his time in their companionship as any
other man might do. the dignity Of his
Office suffers That is democracy, but it
Is too much so. On the other hand, If he
secludes himself altogether, if he appears
among Others only upon ceremonial occa
sions, when all the requirements of eti-
quette and formality must be observed,
that is too much like royalty to suit re-
publican America.
The art of drawing the line just half
way between, so that the counterpoise Is
perfectly maintained, President Mckinley
appears 20 be thorough master of. For
instance, when he left his private car and
visited the newspaper correspondents in
two or three occasions, he was genial,
companionable, chatty even witty and
humorous, but bis dignity did not suffer
for single instant Seating himself be-
side one correspondent, with score more
gathered about, hc called most of them by
name, passed a joke or two concerning
them, asked questions and made answers
with the utmost freedom. AS soon as his
cigar finished he rose and went back
to his private car, carrying with him the
admiration of every one of the newspaper
men for tho simple manner in which he
had borne himself. To face a crowd of
cynical and bold correspondents, loving
their pranks and jokes, and to ward off all
their alusions and half veilcd inquiries, is
no easy task without stiffness or letting
down of the lines of dignity. Mckinley
is simply ideal in such situations.
southern Agriculture.
One Of the members of the presidents
cabinet who accompanied his chief on this
excursion pleased all the other travellers by
his intense curiosity concerning everything
agricultural which he saw about him.
This was Secretary Wilson. 1t was Mr..
Wilson'S first trip south of Mason and
Dixon's linc and the farming methods OF
won't, he WAS out at every opportunity
asking questions and taking notes. When
the train stopped near field, Secretary
Wilson left the car, jumped fence in true
farmer fashion, engaged the hushandman
In conversation and had To be whistled for
by the engineer before he could bo induced
to break away. At every opportunity he
would run out and examine the soil, pinch
the growing crops or take look at fer
tilizing material and farm implements
One result of Secretary Wilson'S southern
journey is that he is looking for man to
write a book about southern agriculture.
Al soon as he finds tho very man he wants
the work will be put in hand. The secre-
tary admircs tho southern farmers very
much, but thinks they have many things
TO learn. He believes the department can
furnish them invaluable information and
help them 10 make still more Of their soil
and seasons.
This habit OF getting down among tho
farmers is not new one with the secre-
tary Of agriculture. Here in Washington
he may often lie seen down Mt the Center
market before breakfast walking about
among the farmers and market gardeners
who have come hither to sell their produce.
He takes up vegetable or basket of
fruit or perhaps n bunch of sassafras, pre-
tends not to know anything about how it
Is raised and asks all manner Of questions.
lie wants to know how the ground is pre-
pared and titled, tho kind of seed used and
nll about it, In this way he gains many
valuable suggestions.
Scientific Farming.
Secretary Wilson's hobby is the applica-
tion Of science TO practical farming. IL
have 23 scientific departments under me"
ho says, land II they can't show me how
they are going 10 do good for the farmer
will wipe them out Of existence. -
Secretary Wilson says he is well satisfied
with the results of his efforts 90 create a
demand for American butter In tho Eng
iish market. The FIRST lot sent over was
sold at ga cents pound, or only about
cents under the best Danish butter. Our
butter was n little too salt for the English
taste. The next shipment will De n little
fresher, and SC will be packed In the style
Of package most In favor over there-the
Australian foot square box.