The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-09-20
THE PRESIDENT DEAD.

THE PRESIDENT DEAD.
The end has come. The assissins'
bullet has done its work, and in
Buffalo the nations chief lies cold in
death. The entire nation mourns as
one man for it's fallen head, every head
is bowed in grief, for not only has the
president been struck down, but a
most lovable man has placed his life
on his country's altar. How any
human being could shoot down such a
man as William Mckinley is unex-
plainable only that an anarchist has
no feeling for humanity, no respect for
those traits of character which draw
a man more closely to his fellowmen,
for more kindly, genial, lovable
man, free from all thoughts of oppres-
sion, guided only byS'a desire to further
the best interests of his fellowmen and
the upbuilding of his nation on the
broadcast gauge of liberty, never lived
than was our martyr president.
Ever since the evening of the fateful
Sept. 9th, the nation has prayed that
the presidents life might be spared
that his work, seemingly unfinished
might again be taken up, but God has
wilIed otherwise and the nation bows
its head submissingly, as it echo's his
dying words: "Tt is Gods way, His
will be done -
William Mckinley is dead. How
feeble are words at such a time in
the presence of such a sorrow. The
mute appeal of man to man as they
meet upon the street is more express
sive. For FIVE years nearly he has been
the president of our country, and
what a record he has made What a
work he has accomplished for his peo-
pie. To what heighth among the ma
tions of the world has he led our re-
public. And now in the strength of
his manhood, in the prime of his
mental faculties he has been laid low
to take his place beside those great
martyrs, Lincoln and Garfield Oh,
thou accursed assassin
His work as president has been of a
constructive nature He has built for
the future. It has also been a work
for peace. Under his ministrations the
republic has been most thorou ghly
united and the traits of his great work
will be realized and appreciated more
and more as the years pass by.
The nation mourns its fallen chief
and the demand for the execution of
the wretch who did the foul work, is
heard on all sides But that is poor
consolation for the nations lost. The
lives of hundred Thousand wretches
like this foul assassin are not worth
an hours life of the great Mckinley.
The greatest consolation can only come
in the hope that the damnable doctrine
which instigated the blow, be forever
driven out from our liberty loving
atmosphere.
And to her, upon whom the blow
falls hardest, whose flame of life has
fiickered and come back from the brink
of the grave only in response to the
devotion of his great heart, the sym
pathy of the whole nation is poured
out, but with her great grief, words of
consolation would be hard and rasping
at the best.
The clouds are dark, the future looks
dreary, but with the grief there is yet
hope. In the words of Garfield, 'God
reigns and the government at Wash
ington still lives. To others will fall
the work of guiding the nations well
fare, bat the dead presidents life will
ever stand out as guiding star di-
recting their footsteps in the great
mission they have to fulfill.