The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-03-04

A~F amid the brilliant pageantry
of the second Inauguration of
President Mckinley, that ere the year
should close his administration would
have ended in martyrdom and another
be in power. Seldom have the uncer-
taintics of life received so striking an
eXemplitication. Compared with this
. higher ordaining of things, call it fate
blind chance or omniscient Providence
as you will, the plannings of men seem
puny, indeed
Yet it must fill with pride every
American of thoughtful turn of mind
that an interruption 50 sudden in the
orderly current of our government has
produced no harmful consequence upon
the public interest The interruption
was but temporary, and, so far as the
processes of government were concern
ed, imperceptibe to the great mass of
citizens. Nor has there been any
change in the policies Of administration
which the people by their vote year
ago last autumn had emphatically APP
proved. The prosperity which had char
acterized in such wonderful measure
The administration of Mr.. Mckinley
continues unabated; the prestige of our
government among the other powers
has not diminished; and toward the
settlement OF problems arising during
that administration such progress has
been made as not only to vindicate the
wisdom with which those new respon-
Siblitics We're accepted in the first in
stance but also to inspire hopefulness
that the worst difficulties connected
with them have been already overcome
Something of the ease with which
this unforeseen emergency has been met
and mastered is. of course, inherent in
our free institutions whose justified
boast is that for every crisis they have
the right man in waiting. Yet it would
be unfair not to take this appropriate
occasion to call grateful attention to
the mastery manner in which Theodore
Roosevelt has conducted himself since
his summons to the highest of offices
lie was not looking forward TO such Il
summons nor preparing for it. 1t came
upon him like Il thunderbolt. It's duties
We're unfamiliar; its responsibilities.
under the circumstances, more than
ordinarily oppressive; and IL standard
Of comparison had been set which
might well give pause to Il man COM
ing to the office by the regular pathway
of election from fields of wide eX-
perence in the large affairs of state.
That this youngest OF presidents. re-
putedly inlpetuous and by many deem
ed unsafe, should under these trying
conditions dispel apprehension, win
public confidence, gain and hold the
loyal support of his elders in congress
and, while feixless and swift in the
performance of his duties, yet he so
plainly conscientious and unswervingly
honest that foe as Well as friend is
compelleaS 10 show respect, cannot
wholly be ACCOUNTED for by the hy-
pothesis OF accident 1t bespeaks too
much strong and substantial merit in
the man.
President Roosevelt has grown daily
in tleSconiiedehce of the people. He
beginsStle second quarter of the pres
ent 'puadrennium firm in command OF
himself, of his party and of the whole
situation Never has vlce-president
called as he was TO the chief post so
quickly impressed his character and
power on the conduct of national af-
fairs----..