The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-16
THE COURAGE OF CONVICTION.

What is said Of General Harrison while
the eyes Of the Nation are turned to the
chamber in which he lies dead is not said
so much in praise of his character and
achievements as to draw attention to him
as a man after whom the young men Of
the country may follow as a model. Nor
is the attention of those alone who are
ferment called 10 his high qualities as a
man,; all young men in the country who
are ambitious TO be good and respected cit
liens are included. In other words, we
speak not in praise of the illustrious dead.
but TO the living. whose attention is called
to him as a man who stood in the from.
rank. and whose name will ever hold a
iiiustrious Americans.
one of the marked characteristics Of
General Harrison was the courage of con-
viction. He was never a trimmer. He
always met the issue of the hour in an
open. manly manner, and was always true
tc his matured convictions. At the time
when the heresy of fiat money. known as
greenbackism, was seemingly sweeping the
people before it. General Harrison was
one of the limited number of men in In
diana who were outspoken against that
popular heresy. Timid time-servers would
have committed the Republican party in
Indiana to the fatal policy, regardless Of
its effect upon the public welfare, simply
because they believed that a party victory
could be won under the banner of fiat
money. To those men General Harrison
was opposed, standing always for specie
resumption and a currency redeemable in
coin. When he was the Republican can
didate for Governor he made the advocacy
of the nonpartisan management of the
States benevolent Institutions a prominent
feature in his public addresses. For a car
didate to boldly declare that men from
10th parties should be placed upon state
boards, and that subordinates in these
institutions should be appointed because OF
their fitness must have been regarded by
many good men at that time as political
suicide; at that time. because most men
have since learned that the meager patron
age incident to a party triumph does not
cut much of a figure when real issues are
Involved. In the speeches General Har-
rison made in 1876. when candidate for
Governor, can be found the best argument
for nonpartisan control of state institu-
tons. If he had been a trimmer he would
have been silent on the subject, but. hav-
ing positive convictions and believing that
humanity, as well as the public welfare,
demanded the change. he boldly advocated
nOnpartisan control. regardless of conse-
auences. He was defeated, but the seed
sown by his speeches resulted in the firm
management of state institutions, to the
moral as well as the financial benefit of the
people of Indiana.
Many other incidents might be mentioned
in which General Harrison was conspicu-
Gus for the courage of HIS convictions. but
these will suffice. He had such faith in
his convictions and such confidence in the
justice and good sense of his fellow-cit
liens that he believed that all that was
needed 10 win these TO his opinions was
clear. manly and conscientious advocacy
of them. Not in the least was General
Harrison a demagogue, a shifty, plaus-
lille but deceptive public man. He believed
in right principles and had the full courage
CT his convictions. Hence the confidence
Of the American people in him. 1t is 3
quality of character to be remembered am
initiated.