The evening times., 1898-12-17

Leader Ia Follow.
When Senator Hoar first began to sput-
ter and fret about the horrors of national
expansion growing more excited and less
coherent as he famed his own fury Pres
ident Mckinley was reported TO be mildly
distressed and Disposed 10 reason with
the hysterical View England statesman.
Timid as the President was supposed To
b.. and addicted 10 a policy of concilia-
tion, nobody expected him 10 be~really
alarmed BY any threats of an assault
from Senator Hoar. II was said he would
explain the nature and offect of The Paris
treaty ard show to ;haJ excited legislator
The futility and uuwisdom of an organized
ur an Individual opposition to It's ratifica-
tian That he would be abe 6" calm the
perturbed spirit seemed likely enough.
Senator Hoar might announce his disap-
proval Of the treaty. hut at The same time
support it, as in the ease OF Hawaiian
annexation. -.eceatiy. however, there
have been li;;i. incidents that suggested
To coEciliatory spirit on the part Of the
President Mr.. Carnegie called on him
for the avowed purpose of pointing out
the dangers of imperialism and inducing
him to abandon his policy When he left
the White House Mir. Carnegie had the
appearance OF d man who had suffered an
respected shock. There were distinct
traces of surprise mingled with those of
disappointment and anger. He talked of
the President in a manner that was far
from respectful. and in the columns Of a
yellow journal lir began sneering in much
tAe way OF a ma-terful man who finds
himself impoten, senator Hale has been
- White House man whenever il was
practicable IIe Is not merely a social.
but also 4 society mau. and has ways
been light amid festive scenes After
a sins,e call On the President ne mas IL
radiated less in The few Iittle Executive
caNeties than formerly.
The meaning Of these things is fully re-
vealed in the Atlanta speeches of Presi-
dent Mckinley. H has not put on the
fYN's. but the lions. disposition in the
treatment al Republicans who antagonize
his policy. He eglrds them as perfidous,
not a.ly In relation [" he Administration,
hut 10 the American people and the true
interests Of Iho nation. Those who have
accepted the President as he appeared
Just before Congress forced him into the
war and have assumed that he was still
the same man have experienced shock.
He has undergone metamo:phosis. He
does not pose as a man who has reluctant
~ promoted expansion Al the command of
the people, but stands ont clear and dis
tinct as President who is ardent strong
and determined in his sincere belief in the
wisdom OF that policy. He is not an eX-
pansionist simply because the circum-
stances seem TO make expansion una
vnidabie While it is true that to his
critics he puts the question, What then.
shall We do with the islands, ii is also
true that he glories in these circum-
stances and would not change them if he
could In short, President Mckinley is
an enthusiastic Believer in the divine
origin OF our magnificent opportunity to
advance the splendid destiny of the na-
tioD by the absolute ownership of the
Spanish colonies. and he looks upon the
obstructionists as a discordant band of
un-Anerican towards or self-made aliens.
This attitude is superb and it viii quick
ly dispose Of the threatened opposition
T. the treaty in the Senate, as well as any
assault on the Administration when il
comes to the question of legislation for
the island dependencies. 1t means that
the President will fight rather than plead
Nobody who reads mis- eloquent words at
Atlanta and his challenge to those who
would haul down the American flag where
IL has been raised by our SOL
dlers, can doubt that he means
10 uphold his policy by every
means in his power. and it will be
day of bitter memory 10 any Republican
who makes the treaty message the occas-
ion ~ an attack When the mass OF YER
biaEe which constituted he message was
read TO Congress Ii1Iie mere than a fort
night away, The Times EXPIRE sed the gen.
eral disappointment lhat 70 strong and
eloquent description If "ur mex conditions
OF the newer and greater America. that
would excite the admiration Of the world;
no clear and fearless utte-ances that
would encourage the hopes and warm the
hearts Of the friends OF expansion. had
come from the man who was the conspicu-
ous figure and factor in our recent glor-
ious history. Ii is gratifying TO read one
paragraph in his Auditorium speech that
Touched the right note and made of Pres
idert Mckinley a leader to be followed
with ardent devotion and full confidence
a foe the un-American minority have
cause TO fear.