Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-03-22
PAINTING THE PRESIDENTS PORTRAIT.
springfield tsfass.) Republican.

SpT1ngnell Mhss.I htpubilcull.
Swift's Erecept to attain the repute
of sensible man was this: be of the
OPINION of the persons with whom at
the time you are oonrersing. Mr..
Mckinley. it is to he fear ed, now comes
dangerously near, in the popular mind,
&c the grim old humorist's ideal. His
record on the question of Porto Rican
tariff is one of the wonders of American
politics. What does the President
think today?" lis he for Is per cent,
or for plain duty?'' sor does he con:
clude that one course is best and the
other advisable Such are the ques.
tiuns of the hour.
The seriousness of the criticism now
widely prevalent was revealed Tuesday
in an Indiana Republican Congress.
sional convention, whore a decided
opposition to the administration de-
veloped because of the humiliating
foundering Of it's chief on the Porto
Rican question. A mild" resolution
of Endorsement finally prevailed as the
sense of the convention. We're these
Indiana Republicans justified in their
displeasure? In December Mr.. Mckinley
still for free trade. Early in February
not changed his original views. In
the third week he deferr ed to the
wisdom of Congress, but personally
was still for free trade. In the fourth
week he told Representative Watson
that he had changed his mind, was
now against free trade, and urged
Watson to vote for the bill. In the
| first week of March he was back to his
original views and personally favored
| free trade, although he was still con-
strained to yield to the judgment Of
| Congress. And whatever happened,
| Congress. and not the executive, was
responsible for any change IN policy.
| The distressing floundering of the
executive was naturally accompanied
by ridiculous shiftings and turnings Of
the congressional leaders. At first, the
sole object of the Porto Rican tariff
was to provide revenue for Porto Rico,
| in order to avoid direct appropriation
from the treasury. Then came the
message advising the direct appropria.
ton, and the leaders executed double
flip-flap with an agility never surpassed
in legislative halls. Just now Judicial
test Of the limits of tine United States
under the Constitution ID solemnly an.
nounced as the sole objective of the
party in power in these queer gyrations.
When Oliver Cromwell had his por,
trait painted he said to Lely, the artist
Paint my face rs it is; warts and all. y
Every public man in time gets painted
as he is. The people come to know
him. His character is Illuminated, hi
mind is explored and charted, every
vsrsebra of his spine is tested. Thert
he is, finally, wars and all. " Presi
dent Mckinley is beiog painted thes,
days Just as he is. The warts" ar,
beginning to show on tha can,a Nor
people have been disillusioned concern
irg important phases of his characte
during the past few weeks than eve
before. 1t is impossible to conceive o
a strong man, such as Mr.. Reed, actin,
as Mr.. Mckinley has acted. With Mr.
McKinley's acknowledged influence
ever Congress, Mr.. Reed would hay
had free-trade bill passed for Port
Rico in accol dance with his origina
recommendation, without the slightes
trouble, and the nation would have beef
saved this notifying spectacle of
. leaderless party, a webbing executiv
and moral revolt Eot half the part
press against high act Of injustice t
the confiding inhabitants of this sorel
distressed isle Of tho Antilles.
If one can judge by the utterances @
the administration press, these are tn
thoughts that great mass Of the voter
of tine dominant party have inthei
minds today. Plainly speaking they ar
shocked and chagrined. The Presiden
has many fine qualities, but in tn
popular mind nothing can make amend
: for feebleness of will.