Idaho Springs siftings., 1904-09-24
Asd His Tssiaies asd Experiesce WIN
Essble nim 70 Preside 0vW ~
Seaate With Credit 70 the Ne
tios-McKiaiey's Frieal.

own. ana ms nxure merely IfV1h . ISny&-
| cal point OF view is 50 striking he has
been . marked man in WashinEtno ever
since he came here. Straight as an ar
| row. thin. unusually tah. with bright
red checks. with becoming amount of
senatorial dignity. aud yet with Eenu-
inc democracy which IL seldom sQualed
by public men, the Repubiican candi-
date for the vice presidency Is more than
| usually popular as public men Co.
Aside from this, however. che people
who are on the inside Of pubkc a6airs
in Washington know, - people Of the
| rest Of the country may not know. that
Senator Fairbanks is one OF - csmpar-
aively few men in pubic life who have
actually made their impress upon the
anairs Of the government. In every
| church. svery club. every village debat-
| ing society, In every Oongrsss and every
Parhamens, there are always Q select
few who do the great bulk Of the work.
who are men Of action, Who are selected
by their associates To perform the things
which hare 10 Be done, who have the
executive gift which makss them wise in
council. and whose advice and assistance
are sought when great shinss are 10 be
/ done.
Coartesos aoa MoAess.
Constantly courteous, Invariably kind
| iy. always reserved. consistently modest.
never seeking to put himself in the front
| rank. Ssissfor Fairinnks is not usnally
credited by the world ss large with the
extraordinary influence he really pos
| sesses here in wssiiugtnn. His asao-
ciates in the Senate. the members Of the
cabinet. and those whose duty IL b to
execute the Iaw have learned. however.
49, - - l.
diana. and ever since he came here with
Mckinley IN 1897 Senator Fairbanks has
been one OF the inner circle. He has
grown stronger day by day untA his
nomination for the vice presidency was
absolutely forced upon him because. in
the opinion of his associates in the Sen
ate and the party leaders generally. he
was the best equipped man for the posi-
ton. and was by his training and by his
political aksocis4ion Of presidential size.
80 that he might be ready ut any time
tn exercise the duties of chief executive
| IL II should become necessary. --
Few people are aware of the unusual
degree to which William Mckinley gave
his confidence to Senator Fairbanks. The
two men were old friends. they repre-
| sented much the same element In the
party. and in the early months OF 1897
following the bitter political battle Of
the previous autumn Mckinley and Fair
banks were in constant touch and the
President-elect began to lean upon the
| Senator-elect. This trust in the wisdom
Of the statesman from Indiana was never
lessened. but as month after month went
by the Indiana Senator was more and
more drawn into the deepest condolences
Of the President.
There were trying times in Washing
ton during the latter part OF 1897 and in
the early part Of lssss. The United States
and Spain were@driffing inevitably to-
ward war. The sentiment in this coun-
try was overwhelmingly in favor Of in
terference in behalf Of the suffering peo-
pie OF Cubs. The pressure for action
grew daily stronger. In the public press.
in Congress. in the churches on the
streets. everywhere from the Atlantic
to the Pacific there was q constantly
growing sentiment that the United States
must put an end to the shocking condi-
tons in Cuba.
Aektpley Essw Psbilc esssiasss.
When he was elected William McKin-
ley well knew what this public sentiment
was and where II was likely to lead. No
man ever lived who was more skilled In
feeling the pulse Of the public than the
President who laid down his life at
Buffalo. When he came to the White
House. nevertheless, he was determined
to exhaust every device known to dipIo-
macy. short actual warfare, to bring
Spain to terms and to bring peace to
Cubs. Trained in the arts Of war him.
self. William Mckinley well knew that
war was not to be entered upon lightly.
He was for peace from the beginning.
Durins the 6rst six months Of the Nc
kinley administration the tension here
In Washington was extraordinary. Pub
lie sentiment Of itself might have forced
q war because Of the outragea contin-
ually committed by the Spaniards upon
the poor people Of Cuba. Then came
the explosion Of the Maine, which
eouched the spark in the magaxips, and
within = few weeks the people OF the
United States were raging with the lust
Of blood.
Ssin William Mckinley stood stead
fast. He knew war was nearly in-
evitsble. but he was In q position to
know aiso that this country. rich though
It was In men and resources, wis not
ready for war. He was IN position
TO know chat there were no rides, no
cannon, no ciothes, 90 tents. no pro-
visions Of war for even the most mod
crate army. He had not, exhausted di.
piomaty, and even then - knew that
time was necessary 70 prepare The conn
try for war. The great public which
was ignorant Of the real situAtiop and
which did not realize that : mistaken
public policy hsd allowed eur army to
run down to point where We wers not
ftted to light even . little nation Ike
spain, still thundsfed for war and be-
gan to suspect the good faith and the
bravery Of . man like Willian NcKin-
ley.
lGekIassy Consulted Delrbeaka,
All this h history, which the world
knows and which need not b recapituIat-
81 u dsfaii. Whist the world doas not
ssassaliy know is list In GAs small dir