The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-31
MAGNIFYING A CASUAL REMARK.

A recent statement by Perry S Heath
seems likely TO have more importance at
tached to it than it deserves. The state
ment, as published in a Louisville paper.
and telegTaphed to other papers. was that
shortly before his death President McKin-
ley, in a free conversation at the White
House. said to Mr. Heath that he the
President, expected to see his friend Sen
ator Hanna his successor in the White
House. The Journals Washington corre-
spondent says it is claimed there that there
must be some mistake about it, as Presi-
dent Mckinley was not in Washington at
the time the remark is said to have been
made. a few days before he left the cap
ital to go to Buffalo. where he was assassi-
mated.
1t is surprising that any person in Wash
ington should think it worth while to try
and discredit Mr.. Heath's statement by
proving an alibi for President Mckinley at
the time the remark is said to have been
made. The time and place of making the
remark not i'm portant. nor is the re-
mark itself. 1t is quite likely that Presi-
dent Mckinley made the remark attributed
to him, if not at the time Mr.. Heath names,
then at some other time. He had known
Mr.. Heath intimately, both as newspaper
man and as a politician. and was in the
habit of talking freely with him. President
Mckinley was as fond of Senator Hanna as
the latter of him. Each thought
nothing was too good for the other and
it would be very natural for Mr.. McKin-
ley to have made the remark attributed to
him.
1t was well known during Mr.. McKinley's
life that Senator Fairbanks enjoyed his
confidence and friendship in a high degree
and was very near to him. 1t was the
opinion Of many Republicans, not only in
this but in other States, that if President
Mckinley had been permitted to choose
his successor he would have named Sen
ator Fairbanks. At the time spoken of
the Indiana senator was more thought of
and mentioned in connection with the
presidency than Senator Hanna was The
latter had not yet Outgrown the animosities
of bitter campaign as completely as he
has since. while Senator Fairbanks was
universally recognized as a coming man
and clearly in the list of presidential pos
sibilities. OF course, the death of Presi-
dent Mckinley changed the whole situa-
ton.
The mistake is in attaching Importance
to any statement that President Mckinley
may have made regarding his choice of
one person or another as his successor
Nothing could be further removed from the
American idea of political propriety than
that a President should try to con-
troll or influence the choice of his successor.
There never was more conscientious man
in public life than President Mckinley, and
he was too we'll versed in political ethics
and understood the temper of the Repub-
lican party too well to try to control the
choice of his successor. 1t is not TO be be-
lieved for moment that with three years
of a second administration before him he
had ever given the matter a serious
thought. If he made the remark attributed
to him he could not have attached any i'm
pOrtance to it, and others should not do so.
Politics is practical business and should
deal with conditions as they exist. The
conditions of to-day very different
from those of three years ago, and they
may be still different next year. The Re
| publican party should not consult spiritual
mediums regarding a candidate for Presi-
| dent, nor attach Importance to a chance
remark of a deceased President, however
revered. 1t should act in the living pres
/ pnt