Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-10-11


dence in, his character That the favor.
able impression which a man Of his
unusually large and forceful physique
makes upon the public mind enters to
some extent into this disposition to
recognize HIM is not to be doubted, fOI
Stuart has an external appearance
which ambitious men may envy. But
this is a comparative trifle when com.
pared with that sort of impression
which is made year in and year out. In
little things as well as in big things
by sobriety,. and steadlness and dig
nifty yet simplicity OF conduct, and I'm.
munity from scandal. and square deal.
ing. and charity of thought, and truth.
| fulness of speech. Thus there Is not
division OF the humblest citizens of th6
| 26th ward in which the name of Edwir
s. Stuart is not trusted today as
household word, and often it has beer
known to be commended by working.
men as a model to their boys; on the
! other hand, there is not a member OF
! the Union League who feels that it,
| honor before the nation will ever be
tarnshed by any act of his while he i.
! in its presidency. Nor Is there any sem
/ blance of moral ostentation in his char.
acter. none of that affectation or self.
! consciousness or preachiness which
/ sometimes imparts a smugness or dis
agreeable stiffness to the intrinsic
quality of a good man. The instinct oi
rational fellowship in him is strong;
no other public man in Philadelphia
probably has more friends or acquaint.
ances to salute him when he conner
down Chestnut street, and in his inter
course there is that abundance OF heart.
mess which comes from seemingly
perfect health, a kindly disposition
and the frankness of a clean nature
| There is no discrimination in his con
! duct, whether he meets a millionaire
or a coal HEAVIER, and there Is no trace
| of a sign in his manner or his manner.
! that the recognition which has come
to him in securing some of the most
! coveted prizes of ambition has spoiled
him in the sense of making him for
getful of his struggling days or Of turn,
ing his head. In fact, it would be hard
to find among the noted characters OF
Philadelphia a man less suggestive OF
anything like vanity or self-approba.
ton.
Temperate in Word and Deed.
The chief weaknesses attributed to
Stuart are want OF positiveness slow.
ness in reaching conclusions, and ex.
cess of amiabiity They are the same
weaknesses that McKinley's critics
passed upon him up to the time he
went into the presidency, and the Stu
art temperament is undoubtedly
kindred one to the Mckinley tempera
ment' in both it's personal and politi
cal aspect In all his career in Phila
delphia | do not recall that he ever
felt himself publicly moved to abuse
a man or to speak harshly of one
however much he might condemn
vice or a wrong, and in his private
conversation there is the same absti
nence from merely personal reproba
ton He is a believer in the wisdom
of the motto that haste makes waste
but if he is slow to reach his con
cusions he sticks to them when he
gets there. From his point of view
man in Office is not SO much the leader
of the people as he is the instrument
OF the people. and it is less his bust
ness to form public opinion than &c
obey public opinion. The real test OF
the usefulness of public man con.
sists in the substantial and lasting
betterment which he produces for his
community, and yet there are in Phil
adelphia some men who with notable
regulations for being positive could
not stand that test and whose yigoI
of affirmation is sometimes hardly
more than a windy worthless yer.
bosity.
An Eventfu Term.
"Thus Stuart, when he became
mayor OF Philadelphia, made few
promises, and. such as they were,
they were simply and carefully ex.
pressed. But the city and its material
improvements advanced during the
four years OF his term; the average
of the personnel of his administration
in point of character and efficiency
was creditable and no responsible op-
ponent. however bitter, ventured to
advance even a suspicion dishonorable
TO its head At all times he was ac.
cessibla to all citizens, and none whose
complaint might be worth making ever
suggested that he did not have an op-
portunity for fair play and courteous
hearing. Tne mayor, II is true. was
always Reluctant to make a promise,
but when one was made II was kept
Politically the Combine of Martin and
Porter fourfshed during his term, but
there was comparative peace In the
politics of Philadelphia. Stuart made
the effort but failed in 1t, of taking
the police out OF politics.
Indeed, at the start il looked as II
his administration might be a wreck.
His first director of public safety was
proved to have been a thief, but the
mayor promptly got rid of him. The
city treasury had been robbed right
and left by Bardsley, but the mayor
lost no time in getting his experts
into the office and putting Bardsley
under arrest The Queen Lane reser-
voir was charged with being infected
by the rankest jobbery, but the chief
acCuser broke down in court Of JUS
1ice and an equity suit was dismissed
from consideration by the judges.
When the first boulevard or parkway
bill passed councils, largely at the In.
stance of the Pennsylvania railroad,
Stuart vetoed it, but he took the
ground substantially that 1t was doubt.
full whether the city could afford ft,
and that the majority Of the people.
as was then true, were probably Op-
posed to it. This subjected him to
criticism as man who was not bold