Evening journal., 1901-07-13
SATURDAY. JULY is. 1901.
THE PRESIDENT AND PROGRESS

THE PRESIDENT AND PROGRESS
The New York Times commenting
on the conduct Of the administration
expresses the opinion that the presi-
dent has changed his attitude on GER
tain public questions. and suggests that
his ideas Of the tariff have become less
ultra. The criticism is friendly. and is
in a vein to do justice to the charac-
ter Of Mr.. Mckinley. We are slowly
beginning to recognize the fact that
the statesman is not the man who
knows It all, and who has a panacea
for every evil. Under the complica-
tions Of modern life. and OF the gov
ornment as applied to them, there is
no room for the quack doctor who can
prescribe an absolute remedy fer every
condition.
The man In public life who lays down
a line OF principles which he regards
as infexible and absolute, by which
his every act is governed, will soon find
that his party, as well as his country
has passed ON leaving him I'm the rear
u has been said that President McKin-
ley has kept his ear close to the
ground in order to catch the rum
blings Of public sentiment. This.
rather than being a sign OF weakness.
is an indication Of strength. 1t is not
possible that the combined wisdom cfI
the masses is OF less value than that
OF an individual. Abraham Lincoln
was the first great exponent OF the wis
dom Of interpreting and regarding pub
lie opinion, and his example is not
without valuable suggestion.
The science Of government is never
fixed, II is not exact, It moves on
while men welded to past idols drop
out Of the way, and recruits take
their places. Many questions which
arise in the conduct Of great affairs
are subject to temporary conditions
From the ideal standpoint free trade
is desirable and proper, but existing
conditions must be regarded in levying
taxes. and, undoubtedly, the American
people have enjoyed splendid prosper
ity under the application of protective
tariff. If the presidents views have un-
dergone modification, it is because
there has been such a readjustment OF
business relations as to no longer re-
quire the excessive protective duties
formerly imposed.
II has been urged, undoubtedly with
truth, that Mr. McKinley's views re-
garding money changed between his
early days in Congress and the time
when he was first nominated for the
presidency Consistency is the last
refuge OF FOOLS, says someone. but
whether that is true or not, his change
of view was the result of an honest
andindustrious effort TO solve the Ques-
dion Of finance. For a century ow
leaders in public thought held allie
glance to the double standard; It wai
largely sentimental and was based OF
nothing but a feeling that the metals
used by the fathers should still con
sutute our currency. without chang
Of ratio.
When sentiment was discarded AM
reason substituted, wise men saw tina
there was no principle involved. but
was pure question of value and eX
pediency, as colorless as compariso
of value between bushel of whea
and a bushel Of corn. But the pres
dent has not always waited for publ
opinion to focus itself; at times he ha
boldly taken the initiative when it al
peared 10 him that the event ws
ripe. and the need crying In the who
conduct OF the war with Spain, and
all subsequent events of the outgrowt
OF that war, he has taken the init,
tive, and his policy has been written
broad, bold strokes. a historian won
find difficulty in placing him in ~
class; he has been neither radical n
conservative. but both. He has be-
very wise. or remarkably fortuna
since through the lapse Of time ca
official act is Justified Perhaps
realizes that his party is the party
progress. Of Imagination. The woi
moves. conditions change. and I
needs OF yesterday are not those Of
day. Perhaps he had rather bask
the sunlight Of the present. looki
into the promising future. than to
in the graveyard of the past