Cañon City record., 1904-09-22
Indiana Senator WelI-Fitted for
the Vice Presidency.
He HAS DIGNITY AND FORCE
And His Tralalns aad Experience win
Enable Him 10 Preside Over ths
Senate with Credit TO the Ma.
tios-McKiniey's Friead.

one mere VINO Is any WHY cOuuttfeu Win
the government has a great amount OF
persona, interest in the nomination Of
Senator Fairbanks OF Indiana for second
place on the Republican ticket The In
diana Senator has n personality all his
own, and his ignre merely from a physi-
cal point OF view is striking he has
been a marked man In Washington ever
since he came here. Straight as an ar
row. thin. unusually tall. with bright
red cheeks. with a becoming amount of
senatorial dignity, and yet with genu-
inc democracy which il seldom equaled
by public men, the Republican candi-
date for the vice presidency is more than
usually popular as public men go.
Aside from this. however. the peopl.
who are ON the inside OF public affairs
In Washington know. AS people of the
rest of the country may not know. that
Senator Fairbanks IS one OF the compsr-
atiyely few men in public lie who have
actually made their impress upon the
Affairs of the government In every
church. every club, every village debat.
ing society. In every Congress and every
Parliament. there are always seiec,
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 have to be done. who have the
executive gift which makes them wise In
council. and whose sdvice and assistance
are sought when great things are to be
done.
Ceasteous aad Modest.
Constantly courteous. invariably kind
ly. always reserved. consistently modest.
never seeking 10 put himself in the front
rank, Senator Fairbanks Is not usually
credited by the world at large with the
extraordinary influence he really pos
sesses here in Washington His as.o-
ciatcs In the Senate. the members OF the
cabinet. and those whose duty IL is to
execute the law have learned. however,
the quiet force OF the Senator from In
Mckinley in 1897 senator Fairbanks has
been one OF the tuner circle. lie has
grown stronger day by day until 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 nan for the posi-
ton. and was by his training and by his
political association OF presidential size.
50 that he might be ready at any time
10 exercise the dufics Of chief executive
II Il should become necessary.
Few people arc aware OF the unusual
degree IN which William Mckinley gave
his confidence TO Senator Fairbanks. The
two men were old friends. they repre-
scented 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
hanks were in constant touch and the
frcSident-elect began 10 lean upon the
Senator-clect- This trust In the wisdom
Of the Statesman from Indiana was never
icssenesi. but as month after month went
by the Indiana Senator was more and
more drawn into the deepest eontidences
OF the President
There were trying times in Washing
ton during the latter part of 1927 and IN
the early part OF 1slS. The United States
and Spain were drifting inevitably to-
ward war. The sentiment in this coun.
try was Overwhelmingly In favor Of In
reference in behalf OF the suffering peo-
pie OF Cuba. 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 constantly
growing sentiment that the United States
must pat an end to the shocking condi.
tions in Cuba.
McktsIsy Knew Public Sentiment,
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 diplo-
macy. short of actual warfare, TO bring
In ttru nd o.. lxrtn
Cuba. 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.
During the frs, six months OF the Mc-
kinlcy administration the tension here
IN Washington was extraordinary. Pub
lie sentiment OF itself might have forces,
war because OF the outragrs contin-
uaily committed by the SpanIards upon
the poor people OF Cuba. Then came
the explosion OF the Maine, which
touched the spark In the magazine, and
within few weeks the people OF the
United states were raging with the lust
OF blood.
Still William Mcl<inlcy stood stead
fast. He knew war was nearly In
evitablc. but he was in a position To
know also that this country. rich though
II was in men and resources. was not
ready for war He was In position
to know that there were no rides, no
cannon. no clothes. no tents. no pro-
visions OF war for even the most mod
crate army. He had not exhausted d.
plcmacy. and even then he knew that
time was necessary to prepare the coun-
try for war. The great public which
was ignorant OF the real situation and
which did not realize thnt = y,,ist.lan an
public policy had allowed our army to
run down TO point where we were not
fitted TO Rght even little nation like
Spain. still thundcred for war and he.
gan 10 suspect the good faith and the
hrnvery Of Il innn Hkr William NnISin