The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-02
CANTON'S GooD-BY A CHEER.
PRESIDENT-ELECT STARTS ron
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

His Departure Taken Amid n shower
of Fireworks and Brilliant nIumi-
natiOns-The Local Militia Joins in
the DemOnstratiOn--NIr. McKinley's
Carriage Drawn 10 the station by
Four Richly CaparisOned White
Horses.
Canton March 1.-The President-elect
left Canton at o'clock tonight, thous-
ands of his fellow-citizens bidding him
adieu, in showers of fireworks and illum-
nations to their accompaniment of hearty
cheers.
The citizens. together with business
men, and arranged for a public demon
stration to bid farewell to their honored
and beloved citizen and neighbor. The
local militia joined in the demonstration.
and at $50, headed by the famous Grand
Army Band, marched to the Mckinley
home AS they countermarched, Maj.
Mckinley, escorting the coming first lady
of the land. appeared at his front door.
Their appearance was the signal for
cheers and right heartily they were given.
AS they walked from the famous front
porch to the coach in waiting, there was
a frantic effort to obtain shake of Maj.
McKinleys hand. This was impossible,
as the programme admitted of not a mo-
ment's delay. Mai. Mckinley paused but
a few seconds before he entered the cab
to raise his hat TO the thousands of peo-
ple-men, women and children-congre-
gated there. This was the signal for an
other outburst of applause.
Maj. Mckinley then assisted Mrs. NC
Kinley's maid into the cab, followed her a
second later, and the ride to the depot was
begun. All along the route, about a mile
the streets were jammed with people, hun
dreds coming from towns adjacent to
Canton to bid the major goodbye. Cheer
after cheer was given them, and many
women were seen to weep as the Presi-
dent-elect's carriage, drawn by four rich
ly caparisoned white horses passed
along.
Maj Mckinley lowered the window in
the cab as he left the house, and from the
opening waved his hat and Mrs. McKin-
lev her handkerchief to the surging
shouting multitude The space about the
station was packed for squares by people,
who struggled Intellectually to get near
the train, which was guarded by the COM
panies of militia AS the President-elect
and Mrs. Mckinley stepped upon the rear
platform of their car, the shouts ana
cheers of the people again arose.
Mai Mckinley seated his wife just in
side the door and stepped to the platform.
The cheering was repeated, but quickly
ceased as the President-elect raised his
hand. His words were: MY Neighbors
and Friends and Fellow Citizens: On the
eve of departure to the seat of government.
soon to assume the duties of am arduous
responsibility, as great as can devolve upon
any man, nothing could give me greater
pleasure than this farewell greeting, this
evidence of your friendship and sympathy;
your good will, and l am sure the prayers
of all the people with whom l have lived
so long and whose confidence and esteem
are 6earer to me than any other earthly
honors To all of us the future is as a
sealed book; but if l can, by official act,
or administration, or utterance, in any de-
gree add TO the prosperity of our be-
loved country, and the comfort and
well-being of our splendid citizen
ship. will devote the best and most
unselish efforts of my life. Cloud
and continuous applause and cries of I'VE
know you viii. major.'D The assumption
of the chief magistracy is of such grave
Importance that partisanship cannot blind
the Judgment or accept any other consid-
erations but for the public good of all to
every party and every section. With
this thought uppermost in my mind, re-
luctantly take leave of my friends and
my neighbors, cherishing in my heart the
sweetest memories and the tenderest
| thoughts of my old home-my home now,
and l trust my home hereafter, so long
as l live. tremendous applause.) !
thank you and bid you all good-by." (An-
other round Of applause)
When he concluded there was fran
tic effort to reach Maj. Mckinley, but the
train signalled TO start. AS it moved out
of the station the rain, which had been
| Threatening all evening, began to fall-a
fitting benediction to the farewell scenes
which had just been enacted.