The President’s Address

     The Philadelphia Press is a staunch republican newspaper, formerly edited by the present Postmaster-General, and is a power in the most thoroughly protectionist state in the Union. And it is the Press that warmly commends the enlightened utterances of President McKinley in his Pan-American speech concerning the imperative necessity of liberalizing our foreign trade relations. It means judicious modification of the tariff with a view to widening our foreign markets and forestalling hostile foreign tariff legislation. “Reciprocity on the President’s lines should meet with no opposition in the Republican party or from any friend of the protective tariff. It would be highly advantageous to the nation, and the sooner it can be carried into effect the better. If Congress co-operates in carrying forward this policy the future of the republic, while Mr. McKinley remains at its head, will be without a cloud.”
     The President’s address commanded the attention of the world and would have been for many days the universal theme of international discussion but for the terrible tragedy of Friday which put every other subject in the background. But the word has gone forth and will have even wider acceptance if it should, unhappily for the country, prove the last message of President McKinley to his people.