Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-10-24

COLUMBUS, o., Oct. II, 1901.
A day in the capital of Ohio deepens
the impression of the wonderful hold
which the late president had upon the
mind and heart of the people Of his ma
tive state.
1t seemed to me that when a citizen
of any other commonwealth came
within these borders during the shad-
owed autumn, he ought to come bear
ing in his hand a branch of laurel TO
Irvine with the cypress of Ohio's grief
And when I offered here my own, sim
ply and sincerely from the platform Of
the lyceum, the response that met 1t
was believed with tears. Strong men
and good women speak of him even
now with broken voices and with misty
eyes, and give evidence unfeigned that
to this people William Mckinley was
something better than a statesman,
something dearer than president.
1t is marvellous how many little acts
of tactful personal KINDNESS the presi-
dent managed to sprinkle through the
formal routine of his official life.
have scarcely found a city in which
there were not two or three individu-
ais in the quieter walks Of living who
were bound to him in the memory OF
the little things" that are so many
times immortal.
Take my own experience, If I may
be pardoned for presenting it:
Under the second Cleveland admin
istration Hoke Smith gave my brother
a modest position in his department OF
the interior. When the Cleveland dy-
nasty retired. the times were so hard
and work, even for skilled experts, so
difficult to secure, that l sat down and
wrote a frank letter to President Nc
Kinley, stating the circumstances. and
asked him If he would not permit my
brother to retain his position for few
months, or as long, at least, as the
pressure of the spells system would
allow.
had no especial reason to antici-
pate a favorable reply. / was an avoW-
ed Democrat, and had canvassed New
York as a Cleveland speaker in the last
campaign. My personal acquaintance
with the president was slight. l had
net him once in Atlanta, and sat next
him once as a fellow-speaker at a New
England banquet board, and talked
with him easily over the walnuts ana
the wine. This was all.
But within five days Of my letter
there came back to me an answer in
the presidents own handwriting, say
ing:
''It gives me pleasure to evidence
my very kind regard for you in the as
surance Tat your brother shall re-
main in the department service not
only for a few months, but as long as
/ may continue in office, and If his eff
cheney should justify it, will see that
his compensation is increased"
And l have in my desk today the per-
sonaI note which the chief executive
sent to the head of the department
requesting the transfer and promotion.
This story may not seem on paper
a very unusual or important one. But
there are a few private citizens who
could receive such a letter from the
president Of the United States and for
get it, 1 am not one of these. am not
built that way.
And in my quieter way of life have
not forgotten anywhere to be loyal to
the spirit of that letter On every ly-
ceum to which l have been hidden
since that time I have not failed to
pay in earnest words my tribute of re-
spect and confidence to the character
and motives of the statesman and the
man. In the south as in the north,
through evil and through good report,
through the storm of the Porto Ri
can tariff, as in the calm approval OF
his fraternal policies, I have always
remembered the ''tie of little things
by grace of the people, twice president
of the United States, and by the grace
of God, a golden-hearted, Christian
gentleman.
But l started to speak of the infiu-
ence of Mr. McKinley's life and char
acter upon the people of Columbus and
Ohio. For twenty years he had been
the most conspicuous personality in the
great commonwealth-not always an
active figure in politics or a master Of
the machine-but there has never been
a time within these two decades when
he was not a central and towering fig
ure around which circled great conf
dence and greater hopes. For whether
as the Napoleon of protection" in
carnating the high tariff idea of his
party or as governor of the state, or
as private citizen, there has always
been about William Mckinley the in
definable intangible quality that
seemed to attract and to inspire, and
to prophecy instinctively of greater
things to come.
And l wish to record the distinct be-
lief that this strong, shining, winning
personality has mellowed not only the
thought and the character, but has
actually impressed itself upon the
manners of the people of Ohio. I have
been for ten years a yearly visitor to
the state. Coming back at long inter-
walls, 1 am possibly more observant of
changes than a permanent resident.
Year after year 1 have noted the grad
ual metamorphosis of the bluff, hearty
Buckeye into softer and gentler ways,
and do not think that / am drawing
on my imagination to any appreciate
extent when ] say that, at this time,
and under the influence of recent
events, the Mckinley manner spreads
like a mantle Of gentleness over the
capital city and over the state.
There is nothing strained or illogical
in this belief. Great men and great
characters, as well as great events,
unconsciously influence the thought
and therefore the manner Of those
about them.
No man can linger for an hour In
Philadelphia without feeling that the
spirit of William Penn broods above
the "City of Brotherly Love-" If you
stop a policeman on the streets he will
answer you with something Of the old
QGaker's air of placid kindness. If
you ask pedestrian or a business man
for information, he will go out of his
way to give it as cheerfully as the old
fellow who stands in a wide hat on
monument above the city hall would
have done. And Philadelphia. thanks