The evening times., 1898-12-06
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6. 1888.
a Timid Leader.

We are afraid all RepuDilcan news
paper admonition TO the present Con-
sress viii be wasted. The same
considerations that have made of the
Presidents message a document with
out character viii affect the Republican
leaders From the prominent men and
journals Of the country not bound by
partisanship 10 applaud everything
that comes from a Republican Presi-
dent, there are only expressions Of sur
prise and disappointment at the lack Of
spirit and courage in a message that is
supposed to outline the policy Of the
Administration which ii is the custom
Of q faithful Congress to promote. That
the majority in the House looks upon
the President as the party leader was
apparent when il required the services
OF the Democratic minority in the pre-
ceding session to force his reluctant
feet TO take the final step against Spain.
Save under such pressure, nine-tenths
of the Republicans viii go only SO far
as the President suggests in his commu-
Rications TO Congress. Therefore ii was
expected even by those who are ac-
quainted with the timidity of his lead
ership, that yesterdays message would
indicate his policy in relation to many
subjects that have been under public
iscussion-notably the government Of
our new possessions, currency and tar
If legislation. both domestic and insu-
lar, and the Nicaragua Canal.
II Congress is guided by the Presi-
dents suggestions, only or chiefly, there
VIII be nothing to make this session
memorable, although it follows the
most memorable period in our national
life since the close Of the Civil War
There is no reason TO look for anything
beyond the routine of appropriation
bills, with idle discussions of matters of
no general interest The Speaker Of the
House is known to oppose the policy of
expansion that is the most important
feature of the Mckinley Administra-
ton and viii not lend his aid to efforts
10 strengthen the popular sentiment.
Those who stand by the President have
received no encouragement from him TO
maintain the high tide Of enthusiasm
4ll0 .llE0El ! mum ~ llAt II AAlS VI 41Abl
has aroused among the people. His
careful exclusion from his message Of
everything that would lead his ardent
supporters in the House to promote his
ideas, is a wet blanket TO their hopes
and distinct encouragement to the
Senators who are opposed to the ratifi-
cation Of the treaty with Spain.
Foreseeing this rebellion, it was the
part Of a strong leader to declare his
policy with vigor and frmness and in
such terms as would have disposed
uf all opposition in the Senate.
Instead, he reveals in every line his
shrinking timidity-his own seeming
lack of enthusiasm and confidence.
Thus he invites attack and depresses
uhose who, under positive declaration
Vf war against the unpatriotic provin-
cialists, would go into the conflict from
the first with rush that would make
victory easy and glorious. The
President has virtually announc-
cd that he is afraid, and trusts
10 personal work among the leg
islators for support rather than TO the
conspicuous merits Of his cause. After
reading this message no one viii be
surprised that he allowed Shafter to
command an invading army and that
he did not incontinently remove or sus-
pend his incompetent Secretary of War
He does not show a single quality of a
leader. He has left open rare oppor-
iunity for a Democratic minority I'm
der the guidance of a spirited eXpan-
Bionist the Democrats could enforce in
stant discussion Of an insular policy
and wrest from the timid Republicans
the credit Of the grandest achievement
for America since the successful reYo-
luton that secured its independence.
The President has rejected his great op-
portunity. \ message that cgi fined t
self almost exclusively to the fruits Of
the war and insisted on the Importance
and magnitude and eternal benefits Of
the coming of age Of the grandest re-
public in all time. would have set the
country on fire with the enthusiasm Of
a destiny splendidly advanced. It
would have been the subject of Repub-
lican eloqueuc' N Congress and would
have cowed and repressed every ad-
verse critic lH Senate or in the
Speakers chair TIE President is not a
leader and his message is "a virtual
Confession that he is embarrass-d q l,v