The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-11-02
AND World GOES ON
President Roosevelt Now Sits
in Mckinley Chair.
is CENTER OF ATTRACTION
Quick Change at Capital Is
Rather Pathetic.

Many persons who casually pass
through the White House grounds when
for the first time the flag on the old man
sion was raised again to full staff, must
have felt touch of sadness as deep as
over anything that has happened in the
six momentous weeks since President
Mckinley was shot at Buffalo. writes a
Washington correspondent The sky was
dark and murl1y. All cay the laborers
had been raking into piles the leaves,
which, under the smart breezes Of Oc-
tober, had been falling rapidly. Even
the fish pond, where all summer long
most interesting specimens Of aquatic
plants had been growing, looked the
picture Of wreckage. The cold nights had
killed off almost everything, indicating
that the time had arrived for the gar
dener 0 gather IN his fish and plants and
to shut off the water for the winter. In
the autumn atmosphere, there appeared
over the old mansion the flag at full
height, telling all behoIders that the
period of official mourning. even with it's
limit once postponed, was over-President
Mckinley had gone.
At the time Of his death the manifesto
ton Of universal sorrow and the elabor-
ate preparation for his funeral absorbed
public attention; they were in keeping
with the rank and eninence of the illus
trious dead, and seemed to show the large
place which he continued to hold in the
nations affairs and in the public thought
But the restoration Of the flag to its reg
ular place suggested how short is the
active grief of the living, no matter how
sincere, and how soon does the busting
world adapt itself to new conditions and
new men.
No one could have been more consider
ate than Mr.. Roosevelt Of the memory Of
his predecessor. or more delicate in the
manner of taking his place. Yet It was
inevitable that the thought of the public
should rapidly turn to the acts OF the
living president and away from the past.
Only a few months ago the Mckinley
name and associations were upon every
body's lips. Major McKinley's civil war
comrades came to Washington. and when
they had any incident to relate Of his
early life it was eagerly listened to and
widely printed. Today it is the Rough
Rider comrade whose footsteps toward
the White House are watched. The
original Mckinley man" in politics has
given place to the original Roosevelt
man" The anecdotes Of Mrs. McKinley's
invalidism and of her husbands tender
solicitude for her were often repeated.
and groups Of tourists were gathered
about the portico of the White House
to see the pair together when they went
out to drive. Today il is Mr.. Roosevelt's
children who have to dodge tho cameras
in all their journeyings; it IS the name
given to the Roosevelt horses that sug-
gests clever turns to the local paragraph
ers; it is the incidents Of Mr.. Roosevelts
career and his adventures that every
body stops to hear. Two months ago Mr..
McKiEley's views on all matters were ca
gerly sought by students of public affairs;
today the question is: What does Mr..
Roosevelt thinK?" All this inevitable,
though powerful. transition of public
thought and interest was indicated by
the pushing up of the flag to the head of
the staff That the life of president Of
the United States may so suddenly go out
is really the saddest phase of the tragic
events of the last six weeks Not in put
ting the flag at half-staff, but in ceasing
to keep it there. is the rea Occasion of
grief.
Adolph Bluner. Grand Mound, Ia.
writes: Z have used FOLEY's HONEY
AND TAR N my family and think it is
the best cough cure on the market.
would not be without it in my home. as
there is nothing so good for coughs and
colds" G. Gehring, 100 E. Douglas; Geo.
Van Werden, 32S n. Main; Wichita Drug
On To = noupIas