The Republican journal., 1908-07-02


Mckinley is the title Of an important
contribution to the political history of
our day by James Creelman. 1t has the
leading place in Pearson's Magazine for
June. Of Mr.. Cortelyou, who has held
confidential relations with three presi-
dents-Cleveland, Mckinley and Roose-
yelt-and who is now the Secretary of
the Treasury, it is only necessary to say
that no one is better qualified than he
to speak of Mckinley, the man, and of
his public policies, than his trusted ad-
wiser and intimate associate: "The idea
that President Mckinley was blind or
Indifferent to the conditions and abuses
growing out of the sweeping prosperity
which attended the development of
large and larger forms of business dur
ing his Administrator is a mistake
into which many persons have fallen"
said Mr.. Cortelyou. "He was wide
awake to everything affecting the wei
fare of the country" He rejoiced that
the Spanish war had cleared
up whatever there might have been of
wide gulf between the North and
South and in his memorable speech in
Atlanta eloquently expressed his pleas
ure that the country was once more
reunited. said Mr.. Cortelyou: 81 have
often heard him say with deep emotion,
4 can no longer be called the President
of party; 1 am now the President of
the whole people," with the war
and it's questions behind him he turned
his attention TO the domestic affairs OF
the country and it was then that he
said: This trust question must be taken
up and settled That thought was in
his mind when he died-that and the
question of commercial reciprocity with
other nations" Let us digresS here for
moment for glimpse Of Mckinley
the man as portrayed by his secretary:
To understand the real Mckinley it
is necessary to know, for instance, that
III the White House, beset by thou
sand different questions, he used TO set
aside an hour every evening IN winch
he would read the Bible to Mrs. Nc
Kinley. The great crowd, looking at
him simply as successful politician,
never perhaps, suspected the inner HE
of the man. His nature was readily
expressed in his favorlte poem, which
he constantly read aloud:
"But far on the deep there are pillows
That never shall break on the beach;
And / have heard songs in the Silence
That never shall float into speech;
And have had dreams in the V alley
Too lofty for language to reach.
Here is an authoritative statement
that should set at rest the idea that
President Mckinley was vacillating and
was led by others. Said Mr.. Cortelyou:
THE theory that Mr., Mckinley subor-
dinated his judgment to the will OF
Senator Hanna, or of anybody else, is
delusion. He was always the master.
He had the gentle persistency of Lin
coin. l was with him night and day
and | know that he was always the
master, No will controlled him but his
own"
OF the great moral ques-
lions which confronted hlm-noW cpl
tomized as the trust questlon-lt is
said: "To deal with them effectively,
without SCATTERING the interviewer and
delicate fabric of the forces that were
cooperating for the welfare of the coun-
try that was the question. The Presl-
dent talked of it, he worried over it, he
slept on it, That and the plan of com
mercial reciprocity were uppermost III
his thoughts when at Buffalo the assas-
SINS bullet deprived the country OF his
services. And here we may quote again
from Secretary Cortelyou: after eigh-
teen years of public service, and IN as
sociations that have brought me IN
close contact with the boldest and tirm-
est men in our national life, | cannot
recall a man with greater herolsm and