New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-31
PRESIDENT MKINLEY.

How much like a beated echo coming over
from 1862 all this hot talk sounds; about NC
Kinleys cowardly conservatism; about the
rising tide OF patrotlSm about the popular ue
mand for immediate action: about Congress
forcing the Presidents hand, and all That sort
of thing It's more than generation since
then. and few Of the excitable persons VINO are
full of red blood and patriotic fervor and thrills
of one sort and another, remember It 1hey
were not here at the time. Those VINO were
here and old enough 10 take cognizance OF cur
rent events can remember that the cry TOT an
Immediate proclamation Of emancipation, which
was raised almost with the first outbreak OF
hostties by certain earnest and sincere
patriots, had grown to popular clamor along
in the spring and summer OF 1862 The SAD
eyed, patient man at the head Of affairs was
too slow for the men Of impulse and men OF
action. The eloquent orators OF the antl-slavery
movement, who conceived themselves TO he
great leaders and imagined that the War for
the Union was their crusade against slavery,
to which the preservation Of the Union was
only an incident, waxed hot over the delay OF
the President in taking what they considered
decisive action. Fools drift: pilots steer" said
Wendell Phillips IN one of his carefully studied
passionate outbursts and the audience applaud
ed him 10 the echo Mr.. Lincons most devoted
friends were carried almost off their feet by
what seemed to be popular uprising. But he
was unmoved. patient, calm, waiting simply for
the rlpening of the occasion In the fulness Of
time stand STILL Dick. and see the salvation
Of the Lord" was his answer to the Emporium
ties OF his old friend Governor Yates Of IL
linoiS.
President Mckinley. standing up modestly,
but firmly and courageously, with selfpoise,
without self-assertion, in the midst Of similar
clamor and perhaps grosser misrepresentation
and personal abuse, may not 10 his contempt
rares and to-day seem so heroic n figure as
that Of Lincoln, Justified by the event, estab-
ished IN history and idealized by the whole
human race But the conditions are notably
similar and the resemblance is marked. Lincoln
was not a fool, and was not drifting, though
the greatest orator Of his time denounced
him, and evoked thereby the applause Of an
audience Of earnest and sincere patriots He
was pilot and he steered. His hand was on
the tiller all the time President Mckinley,
whose amiability is such offence TO some
people and whose patience is decrled as pro-
crastination Is not drifting, either. His hand,
too. is on the helm: he has not lost his reckon
Ing and he is not befogged. His course is def
nitely marked out, and he is manifesting neither
weakness nor WEAKNESS in pursuing 1t. And
he too, may well answer the clamOrous impa-
tient who are shouting for immediate and de-
cisive action "Stand still and see the saliva
ton Of the Lord" If it be so ordered by Provl-
dence that war must come and that this peo-
pie must be used as the fail wherewith to beat
down oppression and tyranny and broaden the
area Of freedom and civilization we may be
sure that, far as Executive action Is con-
cerned, it will he entered upon without unseen
ly haste, but with thoughtful deliberation; not
out of passionate impulse, but from solemn
sense of duty
The American people have great cause for
thankfulness that in such a crisis as the pres
ent, when the danger IS that hasty impulse may
direct action, and the supreme need Is Of pa
thence and cool deliberation. we have in the
Executive chair man OF such patient spirit
clear foresight and undoubted courage as Will
lam Mckinley. On the morning after the cleo
ton in November, 1896 The Tribune said the
people had reason devouty to thank God for
the triumph OF Honesty and law To-day they
may well thank God that the result Of that
election was TO install at the head of affairs
not only an honest and law-loving Chief Magls-
trate but man Of patient spirit and saving
common-sense.