The Red Cloud chief., 1904-09-23

ana sometimes even hourly called int,
council 10y William Mckinley to advise
him As 10 the best thing to be lone
Z" preserve the honor and the dignity
or the nation, Charles Warren Fair.
banks was always foremost in the list.
lie was summoned to the White House
night after night. and during a time
when the gravcst matters were under
consideration the most important OF all
the conferences We're held i'm the Fair.
banks home on Massachusetts avenue.
There were gathered the senator's and
the cabinet officers who represented the
inner council of the nation, the men
who possessed the absolute confidence
of President Mckinley. 1t was in the
upstairs library of the Fairbanks home
that some OF the most important de.
"iSions of these trying times were first
formulated.
There were scarcely half a dozen OF
the big men OF the nation present at
those historic conferences, and il Is n
sufficient indication of the capacity for
public service which Senator Fairbanks
has manifested to refer to the fact that
although he had been in public life less
than II year his value as a constant nd.
wiser of the President in the face OF
an iniamei public sentiment and on the
eve of almost inevitable war grew great.
or day by day. Other men who partici-
plted in those conferences remember and
bear cheerful testimony to the extraordi-
nary capacity of the Indiana senator
for looking ut all sides OF n question of
pnblic policy and for giving his opinion
dispassiOnately, without the slightest sus.
picion OF personal bias and with some
thing like a sacred Difference to the best
interests OF the nation.
The history Of those m0mentous con-
ferenccs will never be written, as a mat
Ter OF course. Mckinley has gone, Ho-
bart has gone. Hanna has gone aud
only a few are left OF the men who ac-
tually shaped the destinies Of the nation
IN the early months OF 1898, who per-
sisted in a wise conservatism when de.
lay was necessary. and who provided the
means for carrying the war TO a sue.
cessful and a glorious conclusion. That
he was even included in the brilliant list
of the confidential advisers OF William
Mckinley in the face OF war IL a SUM-
cient honor for any man.
An Honor for the I~ndiauian.
1t is an additional honor for the In
diana senator. who has been chosen az
the Republican nominee for the vice
presidency. that his associates in public |
life, in their private conversation. in |
variably refer to his broad-gauge ability |
to grasp public questions. to his personal |
integrity, and TO his deep study of con.
stitntional and International law.
IL is n fortunate thing for the republic |
that II man Of this stamp should have
been chosen for the nomination. The re-
suit is that in the event Of the triumph |
of the Republican ticket, which now
seems absolutely secured. the President |
ina ngnrated next March will have had
the benett OF more than three years OF |
actual experience in the duties of his
office, while the vicc-prcsiient who will
take the oath OF office NJ the same time
will have behind him not only the beDe.
or more than seven years in the
United states senate, but also OF his
membership in the inner circle OF public
men who actually do things. and who in
Of trial determine the policy OF the
nation.