New-York tribune., 1901-03-14
BENJAMIN HARRISON.

In the death of eXPrcsident Harrison the
| United States has lost its most distinguished
| public man in private life. No contemporary
| statesman held the position before the Amcri-
can people which was his after his retirement
| from the head of the government. The stand
ing of his predecessor and successor is fairly
comparable 10 that which he had but with a
difference Mr.. Cleveland has largely turned
aside from public pursuits, while General Har-
rsOn was 10 the last essentially a man of
national affairs. no moro detached from the cur
rent of public interests than in the DAYS Of active
political work before the problem of conducting
himself as an eX-PreSident confronted him. He
gave admirable answer 10 the old question.
What shall do with our eX-IreSidentSf
None surpassed him and perhaps only two since
Washington equaled him in this regard For fif-
teen years. in the retirement of Monticello. JEFF
ferson. occupied with ncessant correspondence
with his successors and other statesmen, was the
sage of American politics John Quincy Adams
on the floor of the House of Representatives
rounded ont his service of his country and
vastly augmented his Presidential fame Gen
cral Harrison became neither an oracIe nor a
legislator but he became an active private
citizen of the most useful type. holding a place
of international distinction in his profession
and interesting himself frankly. Yet with the
dignity and reserve becoming his former high
office, in all the public concerns of the American
people. His fellow citizens listened to him with
a universal respect such accorded 10
other man i'll the country hy the people. regard
less of agreement or disagreement with his
views. This profound popular regard was won
moreover Immediately following a time of polit-
ical warfare, in which he WAS the target OF
bitter criticism and Notwithstanding the fact
that he not a man who created cnthusiaSms
and gathered large personal following. His
eminence distinctly triumph of intellect
and character.
General Harrison was one of long list Of
great Americans who had the typical American
| training. Like Lincoln and Grant and Garfield
| he sprang from a sturdy Anglo-Saxon stock
! engaged in the conquest of the Wilderness In
| his boyhood the people of the Ohio Valley were
| just emerging from the pioneer epoch They
had colleges. and he went 10 one: but though
his grandfather had been President of the
United States. he was brought up To work on
farm and early trained 10 habits of Industry
and Self-rcliance. Taking mp the law for
livelihood, he gained an almost immediate sue
cess: and. Notwithstanding other activitieS he
WAS never diverted from the profession II was
not a stepping stone hut n vocation and nj
ev"ry opportunity he returned 20 the bar where
b" practlsed with increasing reputation for
learning and power 10 the very end Of his life
His service in the Civil War. which he entered
a lieutenant and from which he emerged aS
a hrigadier general. was distinguished He was
brave and efficient leader in battle and a
remarkable organizer and diScpnarian in camp
qualities rarely observed among volunteers.
1t is too soon Yet 10 pass Judgment on his
craftsmanship. All conccdc his ability and
integrity. But his policies are still too much a
matter of debate for any general agreement to
he possible. He was President in a trying time
Of popular uncertainty and discomfort. and no
policy could have fair trial, owing to sudden
reactions of sentiment He has been criticised
for concessions 10 silver, hut he was thorough
sound money man. and in all probability saved
the country from silver by making compromise
AT time when the silver sentiment was 50
strong in both parties that II might have forced
free coinage the alternative The compro-
mise showed the futility Of trying to bolster M
the price of silver, and educated the conscrva-
tive men in both parties To the necessity of the
gold standard, which few before had realized
His administration in all its branches was admi-
rably clean; he surrounded himself hv able
men; his record for appointments notably IA
the bench. earned the cOmmendation of foes as
well as friends. Protection aS embodied in law
under his lead, though suffering "A TEMPORARY
defeat, has since been amply justified by the
wohderful trlulnphS OF American industry and
commerce on the revival of that system His
conduct of foreign affairs was firm and slIc
ceSsful, resulting in some notable trinmphs for
American diplomacy. He paved the way to
expansion 10 Hawaii, though the consummation
of his plans was not achieved until the admin
istration OF President Mckinley While there
may still be differences over the political views
which prevailed in his election and were tenn
porarily discarded four years later. there are
no differences concerning General Harrisons
disintcrested patriotism. his broad statesman
ship and his high Christian character. His place
of honor among the makers of American history
is assured.
u IL