The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-09-14

liam Mckinley placed a light in the VIM
dow of his home. That light is ineXtin-
gu;shable Through the years to come
it, will be beacon to the American PEP
pie. It will guide the young who ars
hopeful and the older who falter. Seven
days after he had been shot down by an
assassin, President Mckinley slipped the
burden from his shoulders and rested.
His was a life we'll spent. Born an
American, he died an American. From
humble surroundings he rose to lofty
height. He achieved greatness. He early
learned to be true to himself, and hay
ing learned that greatest lesson Of life,
could not be untrue to others. Enter
ing the Union army a boy, private in
the ranks, he came out of the war
veteran, the commander Of battalion.
In civil life he steadily advanced. He
was elected to .one office after another
He was man the people delighted 20
honor. He rose gradually. His was no
nseteoric career. Steady as the sun. he
rose and in his MONDAY splendor the
light went out.
Not since the death OF Lincoln has
such blow fallen upon the American
people. When Lincoln died the country
was in process Of recreation. Fratri-
cidal strife had ended but the hatred Of
brother for brother was still intense.
Homes we're desoate and there was
mourning in the land. Enterprise was
pboAtiate, trade stagnant, progress ar
rested, hope all but abandoned, despair
all but triumphant. From out Of the
shadows fife returned. It took years to
bring the people together again. and
that was not fully accomplished until
Mckinley was in the presidential chair:
it was the Spanish American war that
made of us one people, loyal to one 1las.
end the greatest nation on earth. The
death of President Mckinley will still
closer cement us together. There is no
north. no south, no east, no west, but
the United States is one and inseparable
ard so will remain as long as our insti-
tutions survive and they cannot perish
when reason guides and justice rules.
Elected the second time to the highest
office within the gift of the American
people, President Mckinley pursued the
same policies which, carried out during
his first administration, had proved so
successful, which had given prosperity,
commencement and happiness to the land.
The last speech the president made was
at the Buffalo exposition. In that
speech the policies Of his party were
clearly enunciated. There was no
wavering, no hesitation. Where the
president stood all knew. Where he
would stand in any crisis all knew.
That was his last public utterance.
It has been claimed that President Nc
Kinley was a weak man. This claim,
made by his assaiants, has never been
substartiated, and history will give the
lie to the baseless charge. The president
ruled by tact. He was man Of infinite
resources. He knew when to placate
hairs line from the course he had De.
termined to pursue. 1t was his affabil
ify. his gentleness that made some thinl
he was yielding in his nature. His hant
was velvet, but his heart was steel. H,
studied all questions, made up his mind
and then listened. But he shaped hi
own course. Consderate of the Views o
others, he yielded no views Of his owl
Il he believed himself to be in the right
Firm. he was not dogmatc. Courageous
he was not obstinate. Possessed of
kcener insight than most men, yet h
was not hasty as quick men generail
are, but applied all the tests of reaso
10 the subject in hand before he an
nounced his decision. Acute, he wa
quick to see, but slow to act. He neve
made a specous plea for any cause h
aspoused. An ardent politician, he wa
also wise statesman. He was broad
Eauged and a many-sided man. Method
tea. in his habits, he neglected no dut
lite had to perform, and did it at the tin,
gDpointed. He was quick to. see OppoI
fun:ty and take advantage Of it. T
This trait was due his political success
H perfected. his plans before he al
tempted to put them into execution. H