The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1902-03-01
SATURDAY........MARCH 100
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CONTINUED FROM FIRST PACED
sonaht,ness. he improved our understand
mg with AN tho great powers of the world
and rightly gained the blessing which be-
longs TO the peaccmahtrs.
AN ERA OF PROSPERITY.
But the achievements OF the nation In
war and diplomacy are thrown in the
shade by the vast economical develop
ments which took place during Mr.. Me
Kinleys administration. Up TO the time
Of his first election thc country was sur
fering from "a long period OF depression,
the reasons OF which / Will not try tO
seek. but from the moment the ballots
we're counted that betokeucd his advent
10 power great and momcntous move
ment I'm advance declared itself along all
tie lines OF industry and commerce. In
the very month of his Inauguration steel
rails began 10 Dee sold az SIS q ton. one Of
the most significant facts OF modern times
Ii meant that American Industries had
adjusted themselves 60 the Ions depres-
sion that through the power OF the race
TO orcanize and combine stimulated by
haps by the prospect of legislation favor
able TO industry America had begun to
undersell the rest of the world The
movement went on without ceasing. The
president and his party kept The pledges
OF their platform and their canvass. The
Dncley bill was speedily framed and set
in operation. An Industries responded to
the new stimulus. and American trade set
out on It's new crusade not TO conquer the
world. but TO trade with il on terms ad-
vantageOus to an concerned ! Will not
weary you with statistics. but one or two
words seem necessary TO show how the
acts of Mckinley as president Kept pace
with his professions AS candidate. Ills
four years of administration We're costly
We carried on Wa which. though briei
was expensive. Although We borrowed
two hundred millions and paid our own
expenses. without asking for indemnity.
the effective reduction OF the debt now
exceeds the total OF the war bonds We
pay six millions less 90 interest than we
dd before the war and uO bond of the
United States yields the holder per cent
on us market value So much for the
government credit And We have five
hundred and iorty-s!X millions of gross
gold i'm the treasury
DEVELOPMENT OF TRADE.
But. coming TO the development Of our
trade in the four Mckinley years, we
seem 90 be entering the realm of fable. In
the last fiscal year our excess of exports
over imports was H6i.5g2 >26 In the last
four years 1t Was s. 25l ii2g3. These fig
ures are SO stup erdous that they mean
little 20 q careless reader But consider!
The excess OF exports over imports for the
whole preceding period from 1870 TO 1897
from Washington 90 Mekinley-was only
$3.50 SOS 80
The most eXtravagaut promises made
by the s3uEuinc Mckinley advocates Ave
years ago are LETT ont OF sight by these
sober facts. The debtor nation has be-
come the chief creditor nation. The hnan-
cial center OF the world. which required
thousands OF years TO journey from the
Euphrates 10 the Thames and the Seine.
seems passing to- The Hudson between
daybreak and dark
| will not waste Your time by explaining
that / DO not invoke for any man the
credit Of this vast result The captain
cannot claim that 10 is he who drives the
mighty steamship over the tulnbiing bill
lows Of the trackless deep. but praise is
Justly Que him if bee has made the best ot
her tremendous powers, il he has read
Alright the CUR nts of the sea and the
lessons Of the stars. and We should oe UNI
grateful If in this hour Of prodigious pros
periiy We should fail 10 remember that
William Mckinley with sublime faith
foresaw H. with indomiiable courage la-
bored for it. pat his whole heart and mind
into the work or bringing il about th1t
II was his voice which. in dark hours.
rang out. herailing the coming light. as
over the twilight waters Of the Nile the
mystic cry of Memnon announced ~
dawn 10 Egypt, waking from sleep.
HIS SOUTHERN VISITS. -
Among the most agreeahl fYncidents OF
the presidents ter!I Of office were the
two journeys-&e made TO the south. The
moral ,reInion Of the sections. 50 long
as Z" ardently desired by him. had been
initiated by the Spanish war. when the
veterans Of both sides and their sons had
marched shoulder to shoulder together
under the same banner The president In
these journeys sought, with more than
usual eloquence and pathos, to create a
sentiment which should end forever the
ancient feud lie was too good a politician
to expect any results i'm thu way Of votes
in his favor and he accomplished none.
But for ali that the good seed did not fan
on barren ground. ln the warm ana
chivalrous hearts of that generous people
words will linger long and his name will
be cherished IN many a household where
even yet the lost cause is worshiped.
Mr Mckinley was reelected by an over
wheming majority. There had been little
doubt Of the result among we'll informed
people but when il was known a pro-
found feeling Of relief and renewal Of
trust were evident among the leaders OF
capital and of industry not only in this
country. but everywhere. They felt that
the immediate future was secure and that
trade and commerce might safely push
forward IN every field Of effort and enter
prise. lie inspired universal confidence.
which IS the likelihood Of the commercial
system Of the world 1t began frequently
to be said that such state OF things
ought 10 continue. one after another, men
Of prominence said that the president was
his own best successor. He paid little at
tentiOn to these suggestions until they
were repeated by some Of his nearest
friends. Then he saw that one Of the
most cherished traditions Of our public
life was In danger. The generation which
has seen the prophecy of the papal throne
mon videbis amos Petri-twice contra
dicted by the longevity of holy men was
in peril Of forgetting the unwritten law of
our republication shalt not exceed the
1t was time to speak. and in his charac-
teristic manner he spoke briefly, but
enough Where the lightning strikes
there is no need Of iteration. From that
hour no one dreamed Of doubling his pur-
pose of retiring at the end Of his second
term. and il will be long before another
such lesson is required.
THE HARVEST TIME.
He felt that the harvest time was come
to garner in the fruits of so much plant
ing and culture and he was determined
that nothing he might do or say should
be liable 10 the reproach Of personal in
terest Let US say frankly he was a party
man He believed the policies advocated
by him and his friends counted for much
in the country's progress and prosperity
lie hoped In his second term TO accom-
plish substantial results in the develop
ment and affirmation of those policies
spent a day with him shortly before he
started on his fateful journey to Buffalo
Never had ! seen him higher In hope and
patriotic confidence. He was as sure oil
| the future Of his country as the psalmis'
who cried. GLORIOUS things are spoken OF
| thee. thou city of God" He was gratfiet
| to the heart that We had arranged 9
treaty which gave us a free hand In the