Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1901-09-17
s'THE STATE OF WISCONSIN,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
"a PROCLAMATION.


death OF WILLIAM M'KIaLEY.
1t is my melancholy aud painful
duty to announce to the people of
Wisconsin that William Mckinley,
President of the United States,
died at Buffalo, ~ Y, this four
teenth day of September, from in
juries inflicted by an assassin.
''fhe first appalling intelligence
of the assault upon the Presidents
life was quickly followed by cheering
messages of hope, and finally by
assurances of his speedy and com
plete recovery, which had barely
settled into public confidence when
the nation is suddenly called to
mourn his death From the mo-
ment the fatal wounds were infiict-
ed he bore his suffering with mar
velous fortitude and patience and
met the end with sublime courage
and resignation.
''The life of William Mckinley
afforded its own best protection
against murderous thoughts in
other than utterly depraved minds.
BY it the highest ideals of citizen
ship we're exemplifed, and the most
splendid possibilities of individual
development and advancement
under free government were given
demonstration. His loyalty to pub
lie interests, his untiring zeal for
the national welfare and reputa-
ton, his great achievements for the
country, his masterful treatment
of issues wholly new in the exper-
fence of American craftsmanship,
his perfect balance and remarkable
poise OF character, his patriotic
fidelity to liberty in every form,
were allied with blameless private
life and attractive personal quail
ties which disarm envy and destroy
personal malice Even the assassin
found his wretched excuse for the
crime through disavowal of any
cause of grievance against the man.
Enduring recognition of the pub
lie services of the late President
will be conspicuous throughout the
history of the generation in which
he lived. In war and in peace, in
humble station and in exalted rank
gifted with craftsmanship of n
high order, modest, patient, pains
taking, patriotic; alike through vic
tory and defeat to death he main
tanned his trust in the integrity aud
wisdom of the American people, and
kept his faith in the Justice of
Almighty God.
The shock to hrtuan seu,ibilities
is too great and too recent to per-
NIT patient expression by American
citizens in contemplation of this
awful crime and its appalling re-
suits, For the third time within
the life of this generation the Pres
ident of the republic has fallen by
assassination; Lincoln 1T the end of
a great civil war, Garfield in the
midst of bitter political strife, in
each case preceded by conditions
which in some measure FIRE the
heart and mind of the misguided
and depraved being who struck the
blow, But today we are solemnly
admonished of more inSidious dan
gers and called to new responsible
ties. President Mckinley, in the
midst of peace and general good
will, the regard and affection of his
couutrymen bestowed upon him a
warmth and unanimity unsurpassed
since the days of Washington, in
the very act of receiving manifesto
tions of their enthusiastic devotion,
is murdered by the dastardly instru-
ment OF uureasoning hostility to all
government, which through him
strikes at the most tolerant govern
ment on earth. Preserving all the
rights of free American citizens ard
q due regard for individual liberty.
without malice or sensational de-
clamation, but with well matured
and considerable judgment, the
statesman of the country must
meet the grave responsibility which
this horrible crime lays upon them,
and meet it promptly aud firmly.
The patriotism of the American
people, their devotion to their gov
eminent, their love of law and
order, viii not permit this country
to be made the spawning bed for
political assassination.
THE excelling foresight and
knowledge of the founders of the
American republic are made most
manifest in times like the present,
when the safeguards which they