The news & observer., 1900-11-11

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always been true, but the fact was
never SO patent as it was this year, be-
cause the conspicuous foppers were
never so numerous before. A lightning
calculator in good running order has
been needed since the Porto Rican de-
bate began in the house to keep tab on
statesmen and statesmen by brevet
who Topped from Mckinley to Bryan
or from Bryan to Mckinley. In no
case did any one of them carry any
great multitude of voters with him,
which indicates that the American SOW
ereign does good deal of independent
thinking, wears no mans collar, pins
his faith entirely to no leader, does as
he pleases and chooses his own party
affiliations as fate or fancy carries,
which on the whole, while not fiatter-
Ing to the leaders, is healthy indica-
tion for the republic.
John Sherman.
After an unusually long and success
full career in his latter days John Sher-
man became pathetic figure. He may
not inaptly be denominated the Repub-
llcan Lear. The old king lost his crown
through ingratitude. Sherman was
kept out of the presidency, for which
he painted even as the hart panteth for
the water brook, by ingratitude. We
weep over the sorrows of Lear; it is
difficult to shed tears over the diSap-
pointments of Sherman. but neverthe-
less he was better equipped for the
presidency than any Republican since
Lincoln. The trouble with him was his
coldneSs. Republicans freely admitted
his fitness for the chief magistracy of
the republic, but they threw up their
hats for Blaine and bestowed their love
and their votes upon 'the man from
Maine" In burst Of affection, elo-
quence and enthusiasm Bob Ingersoll
dubbed Blaine "the Plumed Knight"
and wherever he led millions of Repub-
licans were glad TO follow. They adj
mired Sherman in a chilly sort of way.
They needed him In their business and
were willing for him to have any Office
short of the presidency. but that they
bestowed OH men much inferior to him
in brains and public service.
The greatest Republican that Ohio
ever produced. he was doomed to see
three other OhioanS seize the coveted
prize-Hayes. Garfield and Mckinley.
He always had the respect of Ohio Re-
puhlicans. but their hearts never Per-
haps in his long candidacy for the pres
idency there never was day when he
could have secured II delegation from
Ohio which was really for him. The
Buckeye delegation betrayed him in
favor of Garfield. Its lukewarm sup
port caused him to lose to Harrison.
He was set aside almost contemptuous-
ly for Mckinley, who was schOolboy
when he was a national character.
AS q secretary of the treasury he will
rank with Hamilton, Gallatin and
Chase. He belongs to the very small
group OF American statesmen who new
er became president. but who will new
er be forgotten His fame wfll.reEt up
on his successful execution of the re-
sumption act. His part-an evil part
in surreptitiously demonetizing silver
I'm 1873 will also keep him in human
memory. In the days to come he will
be lauded by some as Il great states
man and an enlightened patriot BY
others he will he denounced till the end
of time as the betrayer of his country
and the enemy of the American people.
but his will never he name to conjure
with. Postcrity will judge him as did
his contemporaries, as Il man OF large
capacity for public affairs and of low
ering ambitions-cold. crafty, calculat-
ing. resolute, avaricious of money and
of power and wanting in the qualities
which win the human heart. He was
not popular favorite in life; he will
not be popular favorite in history.
william l.. Wilson.
William l.. Wilson was the well be-
loved indeed the best beloyed-man in
the Fifty-third congress. If he had an
enemy on the whole face Of the earth.
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