Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-04-19
THE NEED or THE PRESIDENCY

AuL AiLLD vi I'LL ltDDlUDliGl
New YORK Evening Post
Admiral DeTey's announcement that
he is "more than wiling to be elected
President, with the manner of its
reception by the people, has done much
to reveal the true political sentiment
of the country. The first feeling was
that the frank, almost child-like sailor
had, by the manner of his reference
to the Presidency, cheapened a great
Office. But did be, after all, do any
thing more than express in words the
theory OF the Presidency on which Mr..
Mckinley has consistently acted? Its
easy enough to be President said
the naif Admiral, after narrowly OBJ
serving for some months the way in
which the present Executive discharges
his duties; "all you hare to do, l see,
is to take orders from Congress, and /
have been obeying orders all my life. y
III Dewey cheapens the Presidency by
his conception of it. he is only follow
ing the model now in the White House.
tt is but one more compliment to Mr.
Mckinley. Mr.. Bryan puts the same
promises to be nothing but the peoples
President.
Our free-spoken Admiral has thus
held up to the American people a sort
Of composite photograph Of unit candi-
dates for the Presidency. In revealing
his own Inadequate estimate of the
sugust Office, he has uncovered the
nakedness of the two chief competitors
for it. mo sign Of the decline of
Prussia" wrote Seeley, when discus
sing the causes of her fall in 1906,
was more distinctly visible than the
degeneracy Of her public men," Our
own peril in that regard is wildly be-
fore US in the miserable dilemma to
which We seem to be shut up in the
approaching Presidential election; and
Admiral Dewey's sudden bursting into
the field, as a new Richmond, shows
us afresh into what low estate the
Presidency has fallen. The very dis
appointment and detection with which
his candidacy has been received sug-
gest how joyfully the country would
rise to real leader, at this iuncture;
how delighted it would be to honor a
man who would honor the Presidency.
We need to keep our minds clear in
this matter. Dewey as a likely means
of beating eithet Bryan or Mckinley,
or both, has been eagerly caught IN
by some excellent. but, as we think.
shortsighted people. To beat Bryan or
Mckinley, or both, cannot be the chief
end OF an independent political more
ment. We must know whom we are
getting in their stead. and what policies
We are getting in the room of theirs.
We cannot afford to defeat colorless
aod servile men by means of one even
more negative and suhservient than
hey. Jowett once said, 1T is easy to
get things done ii you do not mind who
does them. But We must mind who
does them. For the end we have in
view the instrument is all-importapt-
the Mt instrument, We may say, is the
end. And it is because the main object
lust now is the restoration of the Presi-
dency TO its ancient and intended
vigor and dignity; because what we
want in the White House is leader of
men, not tool of tools; because we
desire not merely to beat Bryan and
mckinley, but TO surpass their type
altogether. that we cannot but regard
as gratifying the coolness and regret
: which Admiral Dewey's aspirations
have met from the country. A man il
wanted mere than eter-no crouchjnp
figure, stopping low to go under the
bars which the politicians raise in front
OF men OF large moral stature-put we
sorrcwfully perceive that the Admiral
IS not the man for the hour. His fail
urc to come up to the requirements but
heIghtens the Popular eageIness to find
tho one who will.
what must &c the qualities possessed
py man ~ and able to come forward
70 put LACK the American Presidency
on lis old pedestal? Evidently. no
mere hero will do. We are glad to
beiieve that Americans now take their
nero worship more easily: that wa
shall not easily make again the mistake
OF supposing that successful military
commander will be successful Presi-
dent. The military habit as sucS Is a
distinct handicap in the White House
Z No, 1t is civic training which the times
now call for more loudly than ever in
man lifted to rescue US from our piti
ful choice of evils. He must be. dis
tinctly, an old American-not one OF
our heady new Americans, forgetful OF
the principles in which our institu-
tions are rooted, and carried about by
every WIND of imperiaiistic doctrine.
he must be for sound money and a
pure civil service. He must be 4 man
VI lusEeui AOur-square build, able to
resist the 'ardor civium praya juben-
tam. If ex-Speaker Reed were a
PRESIDENTIAL possibility, he would illus.
Hate tnese necessary qualities. Even
now, il he had it in his mind to mi
himself at the head of the dissatisfied.
the disguised, the independent voters
OF the country, we do not doubt that
ne would soon display formidable
strength. AT any rate, he would be 4
candidate for whom men could vote
with resEect both for themselves and
for the Office of President; and would
at least meet that longing which we are
convinced is widespread Throughout
the land, and which Admiral Dewey's
entering the lists has but served tc
accentuase-a longing for full-sizvd
Y man in the Presidency, to restore IL "a
the honorable position of an elder day,
w.