The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-28

manner the energies OF the strongest lead
er, then of coursA, the world does not ana
cannot know of the existence of such a
leader; and. in consequence, there are long
periods in the history OF every nation dur
ing which no man appears who leaves an
indelible mark in history. If, the other
hand the crisis is one so many-sided as to
call for the development and exercise or
many distinct attributes, j may be that
more than one man will appear in order
that the requirements shall be fully met.
In the revolution and in the period OF con-
structive craftsmanship Immediately fol-
lowing il, for our good fortune il befell US
that the highest military and the highest
civic attributes were embodied in Washing
ton, and so in him We have one or the un-
dying men of history-a great soldier. II
possible, an even greater statesman. and,
above all, public servant whose lofty and
disinterested patriotism rendered his power
and ability-alike on fought fields and In
| service to the Republic. In the civil war
| the two functions were divided, and Lin
| coin and Grant will stand foreyermore with
! their names inscribed on the horor roll or
/ those who have deserved well of mankind
| by saving to humanity a precious heritage.
/ In similar fashion Thomas Jefferson and
Andrew Jackson each stands as the fore
most representative of the great move
ment OF his generation, and their names
symbolic to us their times and the hopes
| and aspirations OF their times.
! SOLVED MIGHTY PROBLEMS Alright.
'It was given to President Mckinley to
|
at time when our country was brought
face to face with problems more momen-
tous than any whose solution we have ever
attempted, save only in the revolution and
in the civil war, and it was under his lead
ership that the Nation solved these mighty
problems Alright. Therefore he shall stand
in the eyes of history not merely as the
first man of his generation. but as among
| coming second only to the men of the two
great crises in which the Union was
| founded and preserved
mo man could carry through success
! fully such a task as President Mckinley
undertook, unless trained by long years of
| effort for its performance. knowledge of
| his fellow-citizens, ability to understand
them, keen sympathy with even their in
| nermoSt feelings, and yet power to lead
| them, together with far-sighted sagacity
! and resolute belief both in the people and
in their future-all these were needed in
| the man who headed the march of our peo-
pie during the eventful years from 1896 to
| 1901. These were the qualities possessed by
| Mckinley and developed by him throughout
his whole history previous to assuming the
| presidency. AS lad he had the inestimable
| privilege OF serving, first in the ranks, and
then as commissioned officer, in the great
war for national union, righteousness and
grandeur; he was of those whom a
kindly Providence permitted to take part
in struggle which ennobled every man
more than boy, had seen the grim stead
fastness which. after four years of giant
struggle. restored the Union and freed the
slave was not thereafter TO be daunted by
danger or frightened out of his belief in
the great destiny of our people.
Some years after the war closed Nc
Kinley came to Congress, and rose, during
succession of terms, to leadership in his
party In the lower House. He also became
Governor of his native State. Ohio. During
this varied service he received practical
training M Ina n inn
when he became chief executive of the Ma
ton. To the high faith of his early years
was added the capacity to realize his ideals,
to work with his fellOw-men at the same
time that he led them.
STEADY RISE TO GREATNESS.
President McKinley's rise to greatness
had in it nothing of the sudden, nothing OF
the unexpected or seemingly accidental
Throughout his long term of service in
Congress there was steady increase alike
in his power of leadership and in the rec
ognition of that power both by his associ.
ates in public life and by the public itself
Session after session his influence in the
House grew greater; his party antagonists
grew to look upon him with constantly in
creasing respect; his party friends with
constantly increasing faith and admiration
Eight years before he was nominated fol
President he was already considered q
presidential possibility. -Four years before
he was nominated only his own high sense
of honor prevented his being made a for
mdable competitor of the chief upon whom
the choice of the convention then actually
fell. In 1896 he was chosen because the great
mass Of his party knew him and believed
in him and regarded him as symbolizinl
their ideals, as representing their aspira
tions.
: I'm estimating the forces which brought
: about his nomination and election do no
undervalue that devoted personal friend
ship which he had the faculty to inspire in
so marked a degree among the ableSt anC
l most influential leaders; this Leadership
was of immense consequence in bringins
: about the result; but, after all, the prim,
: factor was the trust in and devotion TO hin
felt by the great mass of men who haC
come to accept him as their recognized
l spokesman. In his nomination the nationa
; convention of a great party carried int,
. effect in good faith the deliberate judgmen
I of that party as to who its candidate
I should be.
but even as a candidate President Nc
2 Kinley was far more than the candidate o
a party, and, as President, he was, in tn
! broadest and fullest sense the President o
> all the people of all sections of the country
His first nomination came to him be
e cause of the qualities he had shown il
healthy and open political leadership. tn
$ leadership which. by word and deed, i'm
presses itself as a virile force for goo'
5 upon the people at large and which ha
Q nothing in common with mere intrigue o
manipulation. But in 1896 the issue wa
: fairly Joined, chiefly upon a question which
\ that the old lines of political cleavage were
i in large part, abandoned. All other issue
: sank in Importance when compared wit
: the vital need of keeping our financial sys
e tenn on the high and honorable plane i'm
D peratively demanded by our position as
{ great civilized power. AS the champion o
r such a principle President Mckinley re
Q ceived the support not only of his own par
], | ty but of hundreds of thousands of thos
e to whom he had been politically opposed
He triumphed, and he made good wit
j scrupulous fidelity the promises upon whic
i the campaign was won.
PROMISES WE'RE KEPT.
e 1--WE were at the time in period Of grea
r industrial depression. and ii was promise
: for and on behalf of Mckinley that If
5 were elected our financial system shoul
8 not only be preserved unframed, but i'm
proved, and our economic system shape
q in accordance with those theories whic
= have always marked our periods of great
s est prosperity. The promises were KEEP
$ and following their keeping came the pros
# perity which now enjoy. All that wa
/ foretold concerning the well-being whic
:. would follow the election of Mckinley Ia
d been justified by the event.
o But as so often happens in our history
: the President was forced to face question
e other than those at issue at the time of hi
Z election. Within year the situation
&c Cuba had become literally intolerabl
d President Mckinley had fought too we'll
l. his youth, he knew too well at first han
e what war really was. lightly to enter into
d struggle. He sought by every honorab
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