The Washington times., 1901-09-20
Circulation Statement.
The New Administration.

Appropriate and graceful as President
RooseveIts inaugural declaration, that
he would adhere to the public policy
OF his predecessor, may have app iared
it was almest unnecessary. In tbs week
which was marked forever in American
history as that in which the foul crime
of Mr.. Mckinleys assassination was
committed, both he and the then
Vice President, Mr.. Roosevelt, made
speeches a comparison of which shows
the two 20 have been in substantial
agreement upon the national and inter
national questions of the day. On the
subject of reciprocity Mr.. Roosevelts s
speech at Minneapolis, September 2, is
in remarkable agreement with the Buff
falo address of the late President Nc
Kinley on September 5-the day before
he received his death wound. In TIE
former Mr. Roosevelt said:
Here again we have got to remember that our
first duty is to our own people, and yet that
VIC can best get justice by doing justice. We
must continue the policy that has been 80 bril-
hEntly successful in the past, and so shape our
economic system to give every advantage 10
the skill, energy, and intelligence OF our lar
mers, merchants manufacturers, and wage-wor1-
ers; and yet must also remember, in dealing
with other nations, that benefits must be given
when benefits are sought
Mr.. Mckinley said:
'sThe period of exclusveness is past. The ex-
pansion of our trade and commerce is the press
ing problem. Commercial wars are Improbable.
policy OF good will and friendly trade relations
Will prevent reprisals. Reciprocity treaties are
in harmony with the spirit of the times; meas
ures of retaliation are not"
Opposed, as he has long been believed
to be, TO the relentless maintenance of
prohibitive tariff system, it should
not be difficult for President Roosevelt
to use the influence of his Administra-
ton to secure at least such a modifica-
ton of it as would be involved in the
arrangement of reciprocity treaties
with the leading commercial States.
The late President was earnest in his
efforts to impress the desirability of
such conventions upon Congress at its
latest session. He had seen that the re-
tention of onerous duties on commodi-
ties which could not be claimed to need
them was a gratuitous invitation to
trouble. But his views were so strongly
opposed by beneficiaries of the Dingley
system that they failed to produce the
hoped-for effect.
1t may be different next winter
What their murdered Chief Magistrate
declared he wanted on the day before
his assault, and what he then knew the
country wanted, ought to and probably
will appeal very strongly to Senators
and Representatives now.
On some other points upon which, in
his Buffalo speech, Mr.. Mckinley spoke
with force, Mr.. Roosevelt had been less
pronounced, but his position on all has
not been a matter of doubt to his
friends for a long time. I'VE must" ex-
claimed he who is no more, build the
isthmian canal, which will unite the
two oceans and give a straight line of
water communication with the western
coasts of Central and South America
and Mexico. The construction of a Pa
cific cable cannot longer be postponed -
With these aspirations and purposes the
man who has succeeded to the Presi-
dency is in full sympathy.