Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1900-06-30

For the next few months the names
of two men will be often coupled in
enthusiastic phrases by Republicans
all over the country. They win wave
on banners, They will be spoken by
political orators before audiences
ting loose the rapid fire batteries of
applause.
These names are Mckinley and
Roosevelt. Both names were familiar
to the people before the Republican ma
tlonal convention. The public acts and
the careers Of both men, fron their
boyhood Oh. have been subject to ex-
hausliyo ~ city We know when
Gn3 whor iI.y were born, what were
the conditions surrounding them in
youth ani every step Of their progre IS
up the ladder Of national fame.
Dut we may know all this aud still
be uaacquainted with the real men be.
hind the names. Character is abstract.
lou cannot define it by dates and rec
ords. We have words to describe sa-
lient features of it, but at the best
they picture only vague generalities.
1t Is only the great masters of fiction
who are able to make us know a man
we have never seen and who probably
never existed There Is still another
manner Of getting acquainted with
men with whom we have not the OPP
portunity of intimacy. This is by in
ference. 1t Is an indirect mode, and its
accuracy depends upon our own judg
ment.
The traits of character which are
most apparent In William Mckinley,
the Republican standard bearer, are
manliness, dignity and gentleness. You
will admit that they are good traits.
They command your respect But these
traits by no means make up the sum
of his character. They are simply the
ones which are most prominent. They
are the ones which show on the sur
face. For the rest you must go much
deeper than the limits of mere printers
ink will allow.
The candidate for reelection to the
highest Office in the gift of the people
is today man who might well he TAX
en- as a typical American. lie is rather
stout. but none too much so for his
height and age. His is not the com
handing figure of Lincoln's, nor is it
lacking in inches, as was Grants. Men
who knew Stephen A. Douglas say
that Mr.. Mckinley resembles him very
much
Mr.. Mckinley looks practically no
older now than he did when he was
nominated for the first time. Four
years Of presidential responsibility
may have tAinned somewhat the hair
on his forehead and touched it with
white on the temples, but the lines
about the mouth and eyes seem no
deeper In spite OF an eventful admin
istration it is probable that the gain
pf self confidence and mental poise has
more than made up for the strain of
hard work ard the anxiety about ex-
ternal things.
Men who finally reach successful
period in their lives seem to age very
slowly It appears to be this way with
Mr. Mckinley Some Of his friends
even insist that he has grown younger
during his four years in the White
House. At any rate, he does not look
all of his 81 years.
Yet the Mckinley who is now presi-
dent and presidential candidate is by
no means the same Mckinley who
made the campaign in 1896. No man
can occupy for four years a position at
the head of great nation without be-
ing in some way affected by it. Mi
Mckinley seems to have gained dig
nifty of carriage, mental poise aud gen
tleness Of manner. All three he had
in some degree before, but now, as las
been said, they are distinctive traits.
They always bespeak the ripened char
acter.
Perhaps his gentleness is due to his
kindly domestic relations. As is wei
known, he has for many years been the
devoted and tenderly SOLICITORS hus-
band Of a partially invaded wife. His
devotion to his aged mother as wit
messed during the last years Of her life,
was no less tender.
An instance of this Is the fact that
every "a hours during those closing
years the president son communicated
In some way with his mother. While
ae lived in Canton his daily call on her
was a part of the routine of his life.
After he became president he did not
allow the days to become so crowded
with affairs that there was no time
left for his message TO mother So
every day there was sent to the dear
old lady in Canton a White House en-
Yelope containing some word from
"My William at Washington" as she
always spoke of him.
He is, too, as good a husband as he
was a son. Busy as he is he seems
never 10 forget the sweet faced wife
who suffers much, yet hides it all with
a never falling cheerfulness. 1t is not
unusual for him to interrupt the most
important conferences TO run up stairs
in the White House for a few moments
with her. He has been known to d(