The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-01
Circulation Statement
A Presidential Warming.

Perhaps it is on the whole startling
of clear day to hear the Waterman
on the high tower shout that while all
the face of Nature laughs with lushy
glee, 1t would be as well fer the neigh
bors to go home and get their camps
and mackintoshes. Such an admoni-
ton on a rainy day would be super
fuous On a clear one it is calculated
to excite wonder If not alarm. In his
short rear-end speech at Roanoke on
Monday President Mckinley piped a
note of caution which certainly will not
fail to interest the American people. He
said:
'what we want TO do is to be prudent in our
prosperity-save while can and be strong if
the storms should come, and they do now and
then. Whatever comes let us be fortified by the
practice of economy while are well en-
pioyed.''
Now, what can be the meaning of
these seemingly prophetic words? Our
best business interests are up to their
eyes in activity. Our most eminent
spectators do not seem able to con-
ceive that the price Of railway shares
can soar high enough. Our own and
only Morgan, representing coterie of
capitalists who together own or con-
troll more money than any other in
dividual, corporation, or combination in
the known world is reaching out for
the steamship lines of the Old World,
after taking in the entire anthracite
coal production, and the whole iron and
steel industry of his own country. In
none of these developments do we de-
tect signs of a revulsion. What is it
that Mr.. Mckinley fears?
This question offers such a large field
for conjecture that we shall make no
attempt to cover it. Probably, in the
carelessness of a passing extempo-
raneous utterance, he may not have
Intended that his words should convey
the meaning they appear to in cold
type. Perhaps he was only thinking of
the news, just wired him from Wash
ington, that the Supreme Court had
held Porto Ricans to be citizens of the
United States. That, and not the pri-
vately known approach of 4 financial
panic, may have been at the bottom of
his apparent pessimism.
We are aware, for example, that the
attitude of the Supreme Court on the
question of colonial citizenship pro-
duced a painful impression upon the
Department of Justice, and the Ad-
ministration circle generally. 1t seemed
to presage a decision in the constitu
tlonai cases upholding the Constitution.
Such an eventually might well be re-
garded as "a storm" from the White
House point of view. 1t would be SO
In the sense that the trusts would raise
one were it to be decided that the
creature of the Constitution, the Flag,
Is without Specification except as ii Is
anywhere based upon the vigor and
force of its creator. Such storms, in
deed, might come. and in their wake
bring the blessing of free domestic
the American people, and possibly loss
to some of the trusts. But to such
calamity the masses Of the country
would be resigned. OF course, the peo-
pie have one interest. and the Admins
tration, representing the trust and
monopoly influence which guides Its
policy and course, another. The public
cannot be expected to look at things
through the rich spectacles Of Mr.. Nor
gan, Mr.. Rockefeller, or Mr.. j. ]. Hill.
Hence matters which may be alarming
TO those magnates may be negligible by
the commonalty.
II fear that great productive areas
ere to be opened to development under
free trade and other constitutional con-
ditions is not the foundation for the
Presidents warning, what is? Perhaps
Mr. Mckinley will be good enough to
enlighten the country in another speech.