Life — May 2, 1901 — page 4: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ae “ White there is Life Wuere's Hop’ VOL, XXXVIL. MAY 1901. No. 19 West Tainty-First 81 ‘gw YORK. ry Thureday. $5.00 a year in ad. ‘0 forelt countries in the Postal Published ny sina y Hack numbers, after three tiunte trom’ pabllcation, 25 c No contribution accompanied by stamped envelope The illustrations in Lire are copyrighted, and are not to be reproduced without special arrangement with the publishers, Prompt notification should be sent by sub- soribers of any change of address, \ J R. J.P. MOR- M AN is,nowa days, about the most neces- sary and con- spicuous citi- zenoon the footstool. No so close- will be returned unless and addressed one ly watched and sedulous- ly followed as he. He is in England now. He bought the stolen Gains- borough last month, and if there were any more stolen Gainsboronghs in the market we should all be wanting shares in them, When the cable announces that he has bought a new pair of striped trousers at Poole’s, all Wall Street cables to Poole for striped trousers. He extraordinary man, but his vogue is more extraordinary still. If the Earth was to be created again, Mr, Morgan's syndicate, which would include Mr. Rockefeller, would bid on the job, and the Equitable Life, the Mutual Life and the Bank of the Whole Thing would help underwrite it. When the papers suggest that Mr. Morgan is going to build the Panama Canal, lend England three hundred million dollars, frame a constitution for Russia and settle up the Chinese indemnity, none of us feels that any of, these jobs is too big for him. What he eats, what he drinks, the kind of cigars he smokes, the size of his hat, and the fact that he takes no more ex- ercise than he can help, are all re guarded as matters meet for medita- tion, The first big mark that has been LIFE - made ou the Twentieth Century has been made by him. He plays a great game and plays it wonderfully. The world has confidence in his brains, but after all, a greater part of his strength is due to the confidence it has in his probity, and to its impression that he tal rgo vi and is even more concerned to serve his generation than to heap up unnecessary accumulations for himself. & @ Q ‘Te possibility that Harvard Uni- versity, at the instance of Senator Hoar, will make the President an LL.D, at the next commencement, is distressing to a good many Harvard graduates, some of whom have freed their minds abont it in letters to the Evening Post, Some of these letters are intemperate ; others are moderate and dignified. Some argue against the man, others against the propriety of conferring an honorary degree upon any President during his term of office. Harvard once offered such a tribute to Mr. Cleveland, but he courteously de- clined it. Tho argument that Mr. McKinley is a double-dyed villain and unworthy to be named Doctor of Laws by Harvard is not useful. Too few persons, Har- vard graduates or otherwise, concur in that opinion of him. No argament based on personal or political con- ations is adapted to the situation. always a fair presumption that the President of the United States, especially if he is serving his second term, is fit, in character, abilities and acquirements, to be an LL.D. of any university in the country, It is not the province of a university to go behind the returns in such a case. To honor a man whom the ‘people have twice sent to the White House is to honor the people who sent him there, and that is proper cnough if a univer- sity chooses to do it. But thero is strength in the other argument, that it is inexpedient for a great university to give LL.D.’s to men in office, who are necessarily representatives of policies which nearly half the people in the country distrust and disapprove. ‘Those gentlemen who say that Harvard should not offer her LL.D. to any President in office have a good case and are justified in speaking up. But after all, the matter is in good hands. If President Eliot and a majority of the Harvard Fellows and Overseers are able to agree that it is seemly to confer an honorary degree on the Major, it is safe to conclude that their action will not be much amiss. Tho Boston district is not overmuch addicted to imperialism, and is not in the least likely to lose its head over the President. The ad- ministration co-operated cordially in the Harvard plan forsummer-schooling the Cuban teachers, and Harvard would be justified in bearing that in- cident in mind. Sts ATTERS are going pretty well in our outlying districts. Beyond question the Philippines are in better order than they have been since we got them, and there is good hope that something like a satisfactory agree- ment will be reached with Cuba. At any rate Cuba is not getting any seri- ous harm at present. She needs time to think and to work, and she is getting it. Pretty soon the Supreme Court will decide whether the Constitution follows the flag and, incidentally, whether we have a right to levy im- port duties on merchandise that comes to our ports from islands that we have annexed. If the court decides that wo have not that right, the party which disapproves of annexation of distant islands will be strongly reinforced by business and agricultural which will fear competition. 33 FF HE short cut to riches just now seems to be to steal somebody's child. It is excessively unpopular among parents and their sympathizers, and no one who is caught at it need be surprised at any expressions of public disfavor which may overtake him, or even at the sudden failure of his health. The case of the McCorm boy who disappeared several weeks ago has been complicated by suspicions that he might have run away, Whether ho went willingly or not it is time that he came back, for his absence har- asses the public mind. interests