News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1900-08-15
PRESIDENT MCKINLEY.
Gen. Charles II. GrOsvenOr on the Chic
Executive "As Man."

In an article in The Independent
General Grosvenor of Ohio says, in
part
have been requested to write an
article describing somewhat the per
sonal characteristics of William Nc
Kinley, in other words, to write ian
article about him as man."
Mckinley, as an officer of volun-
teers. as a lawyer at the bar, as a
Congressman of long service, as the
Governor of a great State for four
wears and as President of the United
States four years, has always been
one and the same man. His leading
characteristics have never been mod
flied or changed, except as they have
been developed by the new position
in which he was placed. L said IN
letter in regard to him in 1896, before
the election, which was widely pub
lished, that he had never held a posi-
ton that heidi not fill to the utmost
possibilities of the position Itself,
May | rot say the same now with
pride and great personal satisfaction
at the end of three years and upward
of his term in the greatest office IN
the world? But what is meant when
| say that he has been the same man
always is this He has been uni
| fOrmly kind, courteous, open hearted
and gentle under all circumstances.
Pride of position, apparently, Is a
characteristic unknown to him. de
meets his old time friends of the day
of small things with him with neither
more nor less frank cQrdiality day.
AS Governor of Onio he was a model
oft The combination of gOO1iellOWship
hale fellow well met aud the dignltied
magistrate of great Safe. No
man in the hour OF relaxation, when
Mckinley becomes the cOmrade Of
his former or present acquaintance,
ever loses sight of the fact that he Is
President of the United States, and
vet he never feels that Mckinley is
feeling, 81 am President and you are
an insignificant factor" He is sin
cere man. He believes in things; be
has opinions. Some of our friends
feared when he was elected President
that he was of too gentle and too
yielding a. disposition, and that be
would be swerved from the right by
personal considerations or by failure
of courage to do his duty. A great
many of those persons are Of different
opinion now. They have learned in
a school that is not based solely on
theory that when William Mckinley
has an opinion and believes in way
he has recurrence of what is popu
larly called back bone equivalent
to two "backbones" in some of our
greatest men. do not mean to say
that he is stubborn; he is not. | dc
not mean to say that he does not fol-
low the advice of friends; be does. ]
do not mean to say that he never
yields his Judgment; he does, but be
never does it because of any weakness
in ability, and he ST. nds by the guns
of an opinion as long as he believes it
to be right, but he does that, which
in my Judgment, is the most signifi
can't evidence of the wisdom of the
man; he changes his opinion, and q
man who cannot is not fit for admin.
istrative duty in the United Stat 8.
He is not bigoted man, and has
no criticism of men who differ from
him in matters Of religion, of ltera,
ture, or of politics. He is a sincere
and devoted member of the Method.
ist Episcopal Church. He never pa.
rades that fact, and he goes as a
quiet citizen to church, quietly takes
his seat and quietly worships God in
accordance with the dictates of his
own conscience and judgment.
His domestic life has been a charm
to the people under whose observa.
ton it has fallen. Filial devotion to
father and mother, affectloDatein inter.
est in brother and sisters, and above
all, a devotion almost unparalleled in
his relation to his relation to his wife
Bereft of children by the cruel hand
of death, he bowed to Providence
that smote hin, but took up with
cheerfulness the duty of making the
pathway of his beloved and lovtl,
companion as beautiful and as happy
as it was possible under all circum
stances. "He has done no more thar
his duty in this behalf" says the crit
ic. That is true, but he has set ar
example to the men of the UniteC
States from which and out of whict
will grow up many an affectionatO
home, many a happy Preside anC
many a condition that might other
wise have been different. He is tn,
model American 10 the matter of do
nestle conduct.
He is man of strong faith; faitl
in God, as shown by his devotion tC
religion; faith in mankind; some
times to much, perhaps. The great
est men we have ever had in thi
country failed of success in certainin
stances by reason of their unlimited
faith in personal friends. Example
are unnecessary to be mentioned il
this connection. McKinley's faith il
the people is marvel to me. Mel
may come to him and place befor
him suggestions in regard TO thei
fears as to the political effect tina
certain questions and the conduct c
! men may have, and nine times out G
! | fen he will atudv oons;l..41