The times., 1901-04-27
49, -
Circulation Statement.
President Mckinley and Harvard.

If Harvard University, one OF cur
most ancient and honorable educauohal
foundations, had not voluntarily ana
formally invited the Hon William Nc
Kinley. President Of the United States,
to honor it by accepting the honorary
degree of Doctor Of Laws, the same
having been conferred upon him pre-
viously by Yale, we might be able TO
ignore academic objections which are
being offered to the proposed bestoWal,
if they had been filed against merely
suggested honor. AS it is, we are
shocked by the bad taste and bad man
ners exhibited by a few Harvard alum
nj and their self-appointed organs, the
New York Evening Post and the
Nation" its weekly annex.
A few days ago we had occasion tore
fer to the same subject, and to express
our regret that Americans could be
found who deliberately would cast slurs
upon a distinguished gentleman occu-
pvine the position of Chief Magistrate
of the Republic, and by virtue Of the
peoples viii its First Citizen. In view
of published statements since that time,
we are now compelled to recognize the
fact that after the university has COM
mitted itself. there are persons who
have been graduated from it who would
bring discredit upon the alma mater
and the whole country by protesting
against the extension of a natural
courtesy to practically the ruler of
great empire. whose military. legal, and
political accomplishments, and his gen
eral command Of great affairs and
knowledge and erudition, far from be-
ing inadequate to the honor intended,
would compare brilliantly with the
qualifications Of the men who annually
receive the same distinction without OBJ
lection being offered.
We resent this spirit of un-American
caddishness It is vulgar and unman-
nerly; and especially we resent the tone
Of a labored article on the subject
printed in the Nation" in its issue of
April %. The publication which allows
such an editorial attack upon the per
sonality of the President of the United
States certainly is sailing under false
colors when it calls itself the Nation. 3"
There is nothing national about it. AS
a cold matter of fact, there never was.
No person or paper in the country has
been more independently critical of Mr..
Mckinley public policy and course than
The Times; but it has not been and has
no right TO be oblivious Of the truth that
both have been twice endorsed by un
precedented pluralities of the American
people at the polls. We are entitled TO
and do believe that it was mistake
TO continue in power an Administration
which during four years had seemed TO
be under the influence of the trusts,
and whose history had been marked by
Hannaism. AIgerism and the like. The
voting masses Of the country did not
agree with US, and returned President
Mckinley TO the office of President last
November. This is land wherein ma
jorities or pluralities rule. The system
may be open to objection, but the fact
remains, and, as long as they do it
does not lie in the mouths Of few un-
important college graduates and a
bilious daily and weekly newspaper to
say that they are all wrong Aside
from this proposition. no one who
knows the scholar and gentleman who
occupies the White House can have any
doubt that he fully deserves the doc
torate which Yale, TO its credit con-
ferred upon him several years ago, or
that the same honor. if conferred by
Harvard, would add anything apprecia-
bly, TO his dignities.
The animus Of the movement 10 pre-
vent the bestowal upon the President
Of the degree which has been officially
offered him is unhappily shown In the
following lines Of the Nation" article
above referred TO- That journal, dis
cussing the first departure from the
Harvard practice Of giving the doctor
ate Of laws to the Massachusetts Gov
ernor Of the day, in the case Of Gov
ernor Benjamin F. Butler, says:
1T IS idle to say that the office Of President
Of the United States is vastly superior IN dignity
20 that Of Governor Of Massachusetts,. The gov
ernoTship had, nevertheless come to be regularly
treated emitting the holder ipso facto 10 HaT-
wards doctorate OF laws. single breach in tha
practice, growing out q consideration Of the
character Of the man, brought the whole fabric
TO the ground. The degree instantly becam,
worth something. while the Office was invested
With an added dignity, az reserved, in Har-
wards opinion. for men oi principle and probty
What IS now contemplated, IN the name Of rev
erence for the Presidency, is really attach
upon is pre-eminence. Honors paid 10 . icen
tious clergyman, % quack doctor, 10 rogues
lawyer, undermine popular respect for these pro-
fessions. just surely the way 20 bring th'
Presidency into contempt is 10 make Of il
blanket 10 hide tBe nskcdHess OF the incum-
bent This will be felt by the uckiess offcil
charged with the duty OF preparing the Latir
eloey 20 accompany the best0Wal Of Mckinley
degree"
To compare the position Of President
Mckinley in the premises with that Of {
"liccntious clergyman" or "quacl
doctor" or "rogues lawyer" is OF
course. not lese majestic. because, for
tunateIy. we have nothing Of that sor
in this country. At the same time 1t il
an impudent and low bred assault upoI
that American sentiment which holds
the Office OF American President in
veneration. and its incumbent in tn
respect TO which the high station L
which he has been elevated by the pop
ular suffrage entities him. The Ma
tion" continues:
In a Republic like ours distinctions bctweei
ofhceholder and citizen tend properly and IN
eyitably 20 be minimized almost % eiaccment
The universal passion for Office Is proof Of this
because the lyugarest ambition j. capable OF benz
gratiAed somewhere along the lire. Al poin
in q hierarchy created and maintained by universe
keGraFe en- Office viewed abstractly, sudden
become an object of worship. Power patronage
snd enolumeuts wil make more enviable tha
enother, hut none can afrogate 70 itself OessleT
hat and fl.e frecman's uncoverlng A Unite
States Scnatora y for instance, has every titl
70 respect. <se. that the Presidency ha'
In concrete terms ~. whom Senator Hear la