The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-03-11
His Own Opinion of His Ad-
miniStration.
PROUD OF THE DINGLEY LAW.
Troublesome Foreign Questions Have In
terfered With His Plans to Promote
Prosperity-Devotes Much Time to the
State Department-His Busy Life.

first ~ months in the presidency remind
ed me to ask one of his most intimate
friends what, in the opinion of the ad-
ministration, is the presidents greatest
achievement during the year. The reply
came quick enough.
"The president believes that the best
thing he has done for the country during
the first year of his term" answered this
gentleman, twas in calling congress to-
gether in special session for the purpose of
passing tariff bill. The president be-
lieves this act FASTENED the return of bet
ter times in our country by just one year.
We who stand with the administration ad
NIT that the opposition party denies pros
perity has returned and deny that what
improvement there has been is due to the
tariff law. AS that is political question,
I will not discuss it. Every man will
have his opinion according to his lights,
but the fact remains that the president be-
lieves his prompt action in calling con-
kress together and in helping clear the
track for new tariff law was the greatest
service he has been able to render the
country so far in his administration.
The Presidents Ambition.
This interesting statement reminds me
that among the men who are close to the
president there is an understanding that
1t was Mr. McKinley's highest ambition
on assuming the presidency to give the
country an administration which should
be marked by commercial development
and, if possible, a recurrence of "the gold
en- era' of 1880. He wanted the good
times to come so clearly and Enthusiastically
that the people would not question their
arrival. But the events of the year show
how futile are the plans of ono even so
high and mighty as a president OF the
United States. Mr.. Mckinley may get
for the people the prosperity which he
craved, but he now finds all his energies
absorbed, not in seeking trade outlets, not
in opening up new markets, not in con-
struction of the Nicaragua canal, not in
annexation of Hawaii, but in efforts to
handle the Cuban question without war.
1t is undeniable that at one time the re-
lations of this government with Japan
were on the point of becoming seriously
strained. Hawaii was the bone of cCnten-
ton. The Japs are excessively ambitious
Nothing would have pleased them better
perhaps than to have stirred up a row with
the United States had it not been for the
Asiatic problem which just then began to
loom in the distance. In fact, have good
ground for the assertion that Russia and
other European powers in sympathy with
her covertly encouraged Japan to assume
an aggressive attitude toward the United
States over Hawaii But the willy Japs
smelled a mouse or two. They OWNED
that trouble was coming much nearer
home and in a quarter vastly more i'm
portant to them than Hawaii. They did
nothing more than nibble at the bait.
Then, realizing that trap had been set
for them, they suddenly abandoned their
pretentions in Hawaii, greatly to the relief
of the United States and concentrated
their attention upon China.
The State Department..
Although President Mckinley has had
SO many troublesome foreign questions to
deal WITH he has virtually been his own
secretary of state. Secretary Sherman's
health is not robust, and not much i'm
portant business is permitted to pass
through his hands for fear of breaking
him down. Judge Day, for new man in
the diplomatic field, has done surprisingly
we'll. He has been the real head of the
state department. Without being a snowy
or ostentatious mamie is modesty itself
it is now generally admitted that he has
demonstrated his ability. Of course he
has not pleased every one. That would be
too much to expect. But he has been wise
and strong, and the president is now said
to be seriously considering promotion of
Judge Day to the secretaryship should Mr..
Sherman's health lead him to resign.
President Mckinley has had so much to
do in the management of foreign affairs
that he has given little attention to the
other departments of the government.
Fortunately the remaining departments
are in good hands, and it is not necessary
for the executive to bother himself much
about them. The present cabinet, while
certainly not the most brilliant one we
have seen in Washington, is safe and
sound. 1t is a good business cabinet. All
its members are hard working men. Pres
ident Mckinley early adopted the rule that
he would not concern himself about the
small affairs of the departments. When
he selected men to manage them, he ex
pected them to do so without assistance
from him.
James S. Clarkson, formerly of Iowa,
who was one of the best executive officers
ever seen in the departments here, used to
put this matter in terse and happy way:
Zone man can learn and master one
eighth of the government of the United
States, he said, "but no man can master
eight-eighths of it, and if he attempts to
do SO he will make miserable failure of
it,
President Mckinley appears to have fol-
lowed this rule in giving his attention al
most exclusively to the state department,
aside from appointments, and the results
justify the wisdom of his policy.
A Year of Hard Work.
The president has not found life in the
White House a bed of roses. 1t is safe to
say that William Mckinley has worked
harder during the last 12 months than he
ever worked before. Few men in the coun-
try put in greater number of hours per
day, and no other has assumed SO great
responsibility. Mr.. Mckinley is almost
always at his desk by 10 O'Clock in the
morning. He works steadily till in the
afternoon, when he usually takes drive
Of an hour. He then takes up his burden
again till z, when he makes ready for din
ner. Al 9 O'Clock, after brief visit with
Mrs. Mckinley - and this after dinner
home hour be never permits anything or
any one to interfere with-he returns to
his desk and is usually found there at mid
night This is busy, driving life.
President Nc Kinley says he is always tired
when midnight comes-and what wonder
but his powers of recuperation are SO
admirable that next morning he is bright