The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-05-08
TOURS OF TWO PRESIDENTS.
Review of that Made by Harrison Ten
Years Ago.

Kansas City Journal.
Exactly ten years ago President Benja-
min Harrison toured portion OF the United
States over almost the same route taken by
President Mckinley. Much has been said
of the felicitous speeches made by President
Harrison, and comparisons are made with
the utterances of President Mckinley
Harrison was simply unequaled in the art
of impromptu speaking, but nevertheless
Mckinley is not made to suffer by these
comparisons, for his addresses are filled
with happy thought and delivered with i'm
pressive dignity. But what many of the
writer's have failed 10 see is the import and
significance OF these two journeys and the
serious thought underlying the speeches of
the two Presidents. What Harrison said
lost much of its effectiveness for the reason
that his journey was looked upon in many
quarters as a political junket intended to
advance his own interests in the pending
presidential election. whereas Mckinley
Will presumably never again be a candidate
asking the suffrage OF the people But
now we are enabled 10 see and appreciate
the profound and prophetic craftsmanship
which inspired the speeches of Harrison
where once we saw and felt only the arts
of the practiced orator.
Running through the speeches of Harri-
son from beginning to end We find two
thoughts kept prominent all the time One
was protest against the rise of that class
feeling which gave birth and strength TO
the Populst party and which later attac hed
Organism 10 the Democratic party. He de-
piored the pessimsm that seemed 10 have
attacked large fraction of the American
people even though our country then
in the midst Of unparalleled prosperity.
Turn your faces TO the morning" he said
sun is lighting the hiltops; there is coming
10 our country great growth. an ex-
traordinary development, and all the peo-
pie are to be full participants in it, We
have here prodigious resources that are yet
TO be touched By the finger of development
and We have the power, If we will. to put
our flag upon the sea and 10 share I'm the
worlds commerce. Do not, my friends,
permit yourselves to believe that the good
of any class can be permanently and large
ly attained except upon lines which pro-
mote the good of all the people"
The second thought. insisted upon even
In the interior towns where the people were
presumed to have little interest in seafaring
matters, was that the United States should
proceed, almost without counting the cost,
to build up both fighting navy and mer !;
President Harrison, at Galveston, that the
time shall come when our citizens living IN
temporary exile in foreign ports, shall ow
and then see steaming into these distant
ports fine modern man-of-war. flying the
United States flag. with the best modern
guns her deck and a brave American
crew i'm her forecastle. l want, also. that
in these ports. so long unfamiliar with the
American flag, there shall be found again
our steamships and our sailing vessels fly
ing the flag that We love. and carrying
from our shores the products that these
men of toll have brought to them, to ex-
change for the products of other .climes. 4"
Again. at Seattle. he said: 81 believe il is
the duty OF the national government to
( re such steps as will restore the Amer
icen merchant marine. The Nicaragua ca
nal should be completed. Our harbors
should have adequate defenses. We SHOULD
have upon the sea a navy of firSt-clasS
ships. Why should not have share
in the great commerce of the world? l can
not but believe that we are come 10 a time
when this great Nation should look to the
future and step forward bravely and coura-
geously in the line of new enterprise"
Carried through the speeches of Presi-
dent Mckinley is also a sober and solemn
protest well inspiring prophecy
of the future of the American Republic. II
is a protest against the spirit Of doubtful
patriotism that would weaken the faith OF
the American people in the justice and
probity of their government. Except joe
uarly, the President has not alluded 10 the
almost infamous campaign of last fall. in
which II was charged that a conspiracy
had been formed to destroy the govern
ment of our fathers and to replace ii with
monarchy But with ringing words of
patriotism he has heaped confusion upon
the enemies who thought to pervert the
pubic lnllu against HIS dlioll.
The trend of his addresses has been TO in
still a love of the Union. OF the flag. OF
our democratic institutions. He breaches
hope. faith. courage and confidence. He
stigmatizes distrust. gloom and cowardice.
He asks the people to believe that forever
and ever the grandeur and glory of the
republic shall increase with no weaken
ing CO the spirit of liberty and Justice And
the absolute sincerity with which these ut
terarlces are made Is said to be profoundly
impressive upon the audiences who hear
them.
We have lately been reading the speeches
made by PRESIDENT Harrison, and have
searched carefully for prophecy that did
not come true. or which is not on the high
road 70 contamination In a speech at
Birmingham, Ala, he warned the people
of the depression they might expect 10 feel
if they permitted revolution in the tariff
system which had served our country so
admirably since the days of Jefferson
And in almost the same breath he pre-
such as would give the United States the
trade and financial supremacy Of the world
thus foretelling alike the prostration OF
Cleveland days and the magnificent re-
vival under Mckinley. And now let US hope
that the optimistic prophecies made by
President Mckinley on the same ground
under almost the same circumstances shall
have a like fruiuon.