Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-09-24
A HOUSE OF TEARS.
Hardly Dry Eye at Union Services
Thurei9y


AS the meeting progressed at the
noon there was hardly a dry eye n
that vast congregation. The exercises
commenced late. Tho crowd came carly.
When Major A. H. Hamilton took the
platform to call the big assemblage 10
order no Impotence was shown by the
congregation who had been waiting
nearly an hour.
When Major Hamilton stepped for
ward he spoke as follows:
Fellow citizens: We are assemble ed
here at this hour to attend the funer-
al of the lamented President of the
nation, who was stricken down by the
hand Of an assassin in this boosted
land of civilization. AT his home city,
in the midst of his nefghbors and
friends, and at the side of his strick-
en- wife, the immediate ceremonies are
this hour, on this day, being attended.
The body there will soon be laid in it's
final resting place Ali over this
land, everywhere, these funeral cerc-
monies are being conducted by the
whole nation. Millions upon millions
are today sitting with bowed heads
and sorrowing hearts, and listening to
the prayers that are offered up in be-
half of that stricken wife, and Cor
Gods favor upon bereaved nation.
To my mind, fellow citizens, l would
have no spirit of vengeance come here
into our hearts, at this time. You
will recollect that our lamented Pres
ident, VIM. Mckinley, as he was be-
ing borne away from the scene of that
murder, is said to have uttered these
words. Don't harm that man" He
meant when he said that, BE obedient
to law; don't disgrace this nation and
this people with mob violence" That
is what the people want to learn and
heed: BE obedient to law" Ii the
people are willing to heed this
sentiment and put away all the vices
that destroy the good condition of
this country; that debauch men in
their minds, their intellects and their
hearts, We shall minimize all such oc-
casions Of sorrow as this.
Judge Roberts Address.
Judge Roberts said ut is in
the midst of death that all persons be.
come silent and now know to their
own satisfaction what is best to say.
There is some consolation in the act
of pausing in the presence of death
and bringing our minds and hearts
to the consideration of the real char
acter of deceased friend or loved
one. So today it is fit and proper
that in compliance with the procla,
nation Of our new President the peo-
pie of this nation should suspend
their daily avocations and meet to-
gether in order that they may thus
show due and merited respect for
the deceased President, and also that
their minds may be free to consider
who it is that has been SO ruthlessly
stricken down by the hand of an as
sassin, and how the life and charac-
ter of the deceased has affected and
will in future affect the public wei.
fare.
One may not hope at this time to
say anything that has not already
within the last ten days been said
hundreds of times in praise of the
life and character of VIM. Mckinley
| One thing is conceded by all think
ing men and that is the fact that
measured by the standard of the
worlds greatest men the name O.
VIM. Mckinley stands today and will
forever stand in the very front rank
One thing that must humiliate us
all and cause us to pause and wonder
is the fact that the three presidents
of this country whose premature
deaths brought on by the hand of as
sassins, thus people have been called
to mourn-have been the three mel
whose humble birth and early sur
roundings, whose boyhood associa
lions, whose life work and greates
influences were among the common
people, and whose highest aims and
highest purposes were for their wei
fare.
We deplore the fact, yet however
much we may theorize about it W.