The river press., 1904-10-19

and sometimes even hourly called into
council by William Mckinley to advise
him as to the best thing to be done
to preserve the honor and the dignity
of the nation. Charles Warren Fair
banks was always foremost in the list.
lie was summoned to the White House
night after night, and during time
, when the graycSt matters We're under
consideration the most important Of all
the conferences were held in the Fair
,, banks home on Massachusetts avenue.
/ There We're gathered the senators and
the cabinet officers who represented the
,, inner council Of the nation, the men
: whQ possessed the absolute confidence
bf President Mckinley. 1t was in the
upstairs library of the Fairbanks home
that some Of the most important ,..e.
cisions Of these trying times were first
formulated.
There were scarcely half dozen Of
the big men of the nation present at
those historic conferences, and it is Il
sufficient indication Of the capacity for
public service Which Senator Fairbanks
has manifested to refer TO the fdct that
although he had been in public life less
than year his value as a constant aid.
wiser of the President in the face OF
an inflamed public sentiment and On the
eve of almost inevitable war grew great
er day by day. Other men who partici-
pated in those conferences remember and
bear cheerful testimony to the extraordi-
nary capacity of the Indiana senator
for looking at all sides of a question OF
public policy and for giving his opinion
lspassionately, without the slightest sus-
picion OF personal bias and with some
thing like sacred Differences to the best
interests OF the nation.
Ihe history Of those mOmentous cpn.
ferences will never be written. as Il mat
tor of course Mckinley has gone, IIoA
bart has gone,' Hanna has gone. and
only few are left of the men who ac-
tnally shaped the destinies Of the nation
Ill the early months OF 1898. who per-
sisted i'll wise conservatism when de-
lay was necessary, and who provided the
means for carrying the war to sue
cessfnl and a glorious conclusion. Thar
he was even included in the brilliant list
OF the confidential advisers of William
Mckinley in the face of war is a sufti-
"ient honor for any man.
An Honor for the. Indianiau.
1T is an additional honor for the In
diana senator. who has been chosen as |
the Republican nominee for the vice
that his associates in public |
life. in their private conversation, in
refer to his broad-gauge ability |
to grasp public questions, to his personal !
integrity. and to his deep study of con-
stitutional and international law.
1t is fortunate thing for the republic
that man OF this stamp should have
been chosen for the nomination. The re-
suit is chat in the event Of the triumph
Of the Republican ticket, which now
seems absolutely secured. the President
next March will have had
Lhe benefit Of more than three years of
actual experience in the duties of his
office. while the yicc-president who will
lake the oath of Office at the same time
will have behind him not only the bene-
1T of more than seven years in the
United States senate. but also Of his
membership in the inner circle of public.
nen who actually do things. and who in
INES OF trial determine the policy of the
latinn.