The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-09
A HIGH OFFICE.
New York Post.

New York Post.
General Harrison Illustrated. In his
speeches at the missionary conference on
Saturday the delightful liberty, combined
with dignity, which an ex-President may
enjoy in this country. Indeed. he furnished
a new reason for an honorable ambition TO
hold the presidency-such privileges does
that Office confer upon the man who has
left 1T. To command the respect and TO
have the ear of the people. and then TO be
absolutely free and untrammeled in what
you say to them-one might be willing even
to be President as a stepping stone TO this
higher office of ex-President. 1t Is some
thing like the distinction which ]. M. Bar
RE says that Journalism has given many
men after they have left 1T. With Mr..
| Cleveland exercising his gift of fearless
| speech and General Harrison instructing
and delighting his audience we need not
worry over the old question. What shall
we do with our ex-Presidentsy" TIL real
question is, What should we do without
them?"
1t was. of, course. Mr.. Harrison's sly
poking Of fun at dignitaries which set the
ripples of laughter running among mis-
hearers. He referred innocently TO the
| simple duties" of the President, which Mr..
| Mckinley had for the moment laid down
in order to be present. The audience
liz kAGh ltal a. AnI "a
worked its way to the diaphragm IL was
an exceedingly artful phrase, containing
meaning within meaning, and implication
lying below implication. Everybodys first
| thought was OF Admiral Dewey's simple
hearted characterization of the office or
President as an easy one to MI. But
simple duties sounds perilous,y X
plain duty" and the audience showed
how correct Senator Proctor was In saying
that millions of Americans had those words
of President Mckinley by heart. The lat
ter had TO sit on the platform and see the
| people make the laughing application That
word duty" can evidently never be used
in his presence again except I'm a Jocose
| sense. He has debased the moral currency
to that extent. We may be sure that he
himself has made mental note of his plain
duty never again to use the words plain
duty in speech or message; and TO look as
unconscious as possible whenever ANYBODY
voice Of Cod before him. But General
| Harrison looked as IL he never dreamed
that anybody would suppose he meant to
| refer to any other than Admiral Dewey
The ex-President INDUCED himself In
more u~ndisguised levity when he came to
speak of Governor Roosevelt. II was COM
paratively easy for the Governor 10 slip
DOWN from Albany. Indeed, IL was well
known that he frequently came to New
York 'for the purpose of having CONSUL
tations." Again the missionaries smiled
at this introduction of the fighter OF the
Platt breakfast-table. Then, when they
saw the colonel himself sitting there look
ing very fierce and angry. the spectacle
was enough TO shake the midri1 OF de-
mirth ran through Carnegie Hall Even
Mr.. Roosevelt concluded that laughter was
| the better part of valor. and finally Joined
in the merriment. 1t was a very successful
diversion Of one military man at the ex-
pense of another. and the colonel must
have taken away a higher idea of the gen.
erals tactics-if not OF his tact. For our
part, we can only say of Benjamin Harri-
/ SON that II he kPpnS on in his course OF
audacious raillery, he will be In peril OF
being COMPOUNDED with that mythical be-
Ing: referred TO by an american OF Grant
Duff's acquaintance. benjamin Trovato,
who said so many good things"
In the serious part OF General Harrison's
address-which 80 completely snufed out
President McKinley's-he also showed what
a thing IL is to be an ex-President. He made
a really statesmanlfke suggestion respect
ing the repression Of the rum traffic among
savages. There should be. he said, an in
powers to hedge IL about In every way, or
to suppress IL outright, as had been Ion In
the case of the slave trade No man can
question the obligation resting on Chris
tendon TO do something of the kind In the
interest OF those feeble races. which
"wither before the hot breath of the white
mans vices but a President could not
possibly say such a thing We do not think
Mr.. Harrison himself could have said IL
when in office or a candidate. Imagine the
horror of Mr.. McKinley's managers II he
SfOuld venture such an utterancet The
brewers vote would rise before their az
frighted vision. and they would at once
look around for a candidate who could
keep a civil tongue in his head. as respects
the liquor trade. Such plain speech Is
possible only I'm the case OF a man who has
won his liberty at the great price OF having
been President, and having ceased 10 be a
candidate for reelection. So enviable Is
such freedom, Joined with honor. that Mr..
McKinley's warmest friends ought n hope
that he. too. may as speedily as possible
become an ex-President.