Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/45

BENJAMIN HARRISON 25 to note the increase or decadence that new legis lative policies may bring to us. There is no reason why the national influence, power, and prosperity should not observe the same rates of increase that have characterized the past thirty years. We carry the great impulse and increase of these years into the future. There is no reason why, in many lines of production, we should not surpass all other na tions, as we have already done in some. There are no near frontiers to our possible development. Retrogression would be a crime." Upon retiring from the presidency, Gen. Harri son was engaged by the late Senator Stanford, to deliver a course of lectures at the Leland Stanford, Jr., university, in California, on constitutional law. These were delivered during the early months of 1894. Foreigners who have studied our institu tions have expressed regrets that in America no provision is made for the dignified retirement of our ex-presidents, and they have suggested that some office with a life tenure be bestowed upon them with a suitable provision for their support out of the public treasury. The temper of our peo ple and the genius of our institutions are not in ac cord with any such desire. The great volunteer generals of the war came back to the ranks and took their places with their fellow-citizens in the walks of private life. So our great political lead ers, from the senate and from the presidency, when