The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-04


same in Congress as in a stock exchange
a church convention. or a newspaper of
flee. the President who deals with Con
gress tactfully and courteousIy will, II
the long run, get more Of what he want.
than the President who does not do so
He may not get so much credit for wha
ne does gain. from those people who like
TO see President fight Congress. espe.
cially in that flattering way which con.
sists in appealing to them to make Con
| gress do what the President wants done
The tendency toward government by a
| monarch in this country appears most
clearly in the sayings and doings of the
people who want "a strong man in the
White House. VINO shall show his
strength by fighting the Senators and
Representatives. who have been chosen
quite as directly by the popular voice
as he has. They like an arrogant egotism
in the President. and would be quite will
ing to have him dominate Congress all
the time, and the Supreme Court part of
the time. They think the President is
very much more likely to be right. and
certainly more nearly represents the popu>
lar will. or at least what the popular will
ought to be- than the other two branches
of the Government and that he ought to
hight as hard to get what he wants in
legislation as to protect the executive
prerogatives from encroachment What
they want, apparently. is a President who
shall be the whole Government, as in
Mexico.
President Mckinley had the point of
view of Congress before he took the point
OF view OF the President. He knows that
Congress. collectively, is as wise, as pa
rin 10
pie as he is, and that. individually. there
may be men in both houses who would
be able to take his place at short notice.
without detriment to the country He
remembers, too how he looked at the
President when he was a member of the
House, and how what the President said
and did affected him 1t is therefore
comparatively easy for him to practice
the Golden Rule in dealings with Congress
as in dealings with others BY treating
Senators and Representatives, collectively
and individually. in this spirit President
Mckinley has forfeited the praise of some
men outside of Congress, but he has won
the confidence and cooperation of Con-
gress as has no other President Ii is adj
mitted that no other President has had
so many personal friends and admirers
in Congress; and there could be no great
er tribute to Mr. Mckinley for no one
knows him better than these men. When
on the 9th of March 1898. without a writ
ten request. without word from him in
public and formal fashion. on his mere in
timations to the leaders of all parties in !
private conversation in his office. both |
houses by unanimous vote gave him fifty |
million dollars, for the national defence |
and for each and every purpose connected /
Herewith, to be expended at the direction |
of the President" Congress showed what I
it thought of President Mckinley. No /
such appropriation on such request WAS
ever made in such way before. and it
never would have been made in that way
for any other kind of a President
1t is not enough that "A President should
be patriotic and high-minded in his in
tentions and wise in his purposes. he
must also be efficient in carrying them
out. In point of efficiency President Nc !
kinley has no superior in his predeces-
sors, and this is largely because he has
treated Congress as he wanted Congress
% treat him. 1t is also. however because
Congress believed in him. The personal
equation was as important in this case as
n any other. His career has kept him
Inder public observation from the day
when as a boy. he left his simple but
home in the Western Reserve
o go to the civil war. AS he rose from
private to major. and as. after the war
lie rose from country lawyer to Repre-
in Congress. he was constantly
and men recorded that he was
lonest. candid, courageous clean in
peech and behavior. model son. and an
deal husband. This record, with his in
diligence and industry and his felicitous
manner, has given him his place among |
'ublic men 1t is impossible to describe
ither President Mckinley or his reputa-
ion without dwelling upon the fact that
lie has lived life as nearly blameless as 5
hat of any public man of our history 1t /
nay be- as we are told sometimes, that a I
God man may make bad President. and s
hat bad man may make a good Presi-
ent. but In this particular instance a
God man makes good President chiefly e
ecause he is a good man.
His character secured him the conf v
ence of his associates, his temperance :
nd moderation kept mind and body in
all vigor and his religious faith sus- c
lined him in dark and trying days Be | II
des all this, his good life has given him G
luch Of his hold upon the country at a
rye. Yet it must not be forgotten that L
ling in a President, and that Mr. Nc l
inley has shown not only goodness, but d
1t is simple truth to say that ~"
, has met all the extraordinary require =
ents of an extraordinary period, and :
ct them easily and we'll. and this is to "
~ that he is Il great President 1t has | W
zen Ilard for many public men who
ankly admitted his goodness to :,
anlIly admit his greatness because he :,
IS been growing ever since they first q,
lew him, and they have been too close ! =
the process to observe the results | d
Mt some have been wiser Mr.. McKfn- | -
y had been marked for the Presidency
keener eyes. at a greater distance. |
an those Of his associates. long before
was honored with ballot in a ma II
nal conN ention. Twenty years ago Mr.
aine predicted with emphasis that Mr.
rkinley would become President at a ~,
ne when Mr. Mckinley had still to wait =,
n years before he became leader of the a.
)use. And there We're others than Mr. -
aine who saw then, or little later 49,
At this young statesman, so strong so ~
iustrious. attractive. and so honor -,
Iy ambitious would reach the White -
,use If he lived. AS each opportunity a.
me to him Mr.. Mckinley was ready for 49,
and he had patience to wait for the O.,
tb
lie might have been nominated for the RI
ut Chicago, in the Republican IN
tional Convention of 1883, had he been ca
ling to desert John Sherman. who he
nd not be nominated. rr' ON lr.-
"'"--- r..r... H. ... .r.r
...u bon JHat -.- .