Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-05-10

the same route covered by President
Mckinley during parts Of his present
trip. a decade has wrought great
changes in the South. both in its con-
dt,ons and it's sentiment, and its peo-
PIE a;e giving President Mckinley a
much more sincere and enthusiastic
welcome than they gave his predeces-
sor. President Harrison. like Presi-
dent Mckinley, was a master OF the
art OF impromptu speaking, always
happy in thought and dignified in ut
terance. 1t is not strange. therefore.
that n comparison should be made be-
tween their speeches to the people of
the South. The Kansas City Journal
has been looking over the speeches
made on that earlier tour and presents
sCme extracts which strikingly show
that Benjamin Harrison was far more
than a practical orator: he spoke as a
profound and prophetic statesman.
Now, after a decade. we get the true
significance of the serious thought that
was the basis of his public utterances
Oh that famous trip.
Running through the speeches of
Harrison from beginning to end, are
found two thoughts kept prominent all
tie time. One was a protest against
tie rise of that class feeling which
gave birth and strength to the POpulist
party and which later attached Bryan
ism to the Democratic party. He de-
plored the pessimism that seemed to
have attacked a large fraction of the
American people. even though our
country was then in the midst of un-
paralleled prosperity. Turn your
faces to the morning." he said to the
people of Jonesboro. Tenn. THE sun
ing 10 our country a great growth. an
extraordinary development. and all
the people are to be full participants
in it. We have here prOdigious re-
cources 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 to share in the
worlds commerce. Do not, my
friends. premit yourselves to believe
that the good of any class can be per-
manently and largely attained except
upon lines which promote the good of
all the people
The second thought. insisted upon
even in the interior towns where the
people were presumed to have little in
terest in seafaring matters. was that
the United States should proceed, al
most without counting the cost, to
build up both a fighting navy and
merchant marine. Il SO much want
said President Harrison at Galveston.
that the time shall come when our
citizens. living in temporary exile in
foreign ports, shall now and then see
steaming into these distant ports a fine
modern man-ofwar, flying the United
States flag, with the best modern guns
on her deck and brave American
crew in her forecastle. I want. also.
that in these ports, SO long unfamiliar
with the American flag, there shall be
sailing vessels flying the flag that we
love, and carrying from our shores the
products that these men of toll have
brought to them, to exchange for the
products of other climes." Again, at
Seattle. he said: Il believe it is the
duty of the national government to take
such steps as will restore the Ameri-
can merchant marine. The Nicaragua
canal should be completed. Our har-
bors should have adequate defenses.
We should have upon the sea a navy
of first class ships. Why should we
not have our share in the great COM
merce of the world? l cannot but be-
lieve that we are come to q time when
this great nation should look to the
future and step forward bravcly and
courageously in the line of new enter
prises.''
Carried through the speeches of
President Mckinley is also a sober and
solemn protest, as well as an inspiring
prophecy of the future of the Ameri-
can republic. 1t is a protest against
the spirit of doubtful patriotism that
would weaken the faith Of the Ameri-
can people in the justice and probity
of their government. Except jocularly,
the President has not alluded to the
almost infamous campaign of last fall,
in which it was charged that a con-
spiracy had been formed to destroy
the government Of our fathers and to
replace it with a monarchy. But with
ringing words of patriotism he has
heaped confusion upon the enemies