The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1901-09-19

OUR DEAD PRESIDENT.

| With bowed hedQS ana sOFrO"lne
hearts the people OF this nation ar
in mourning at the bier and buria
this day of president-not a ruler
by Divine grace, by inheritance, mol
by bloody conquest, but president
by the peaceful ballots of freemen
He was not the president of the
north or the south; of the east or the
west. but he was the president o.
them all By his kindnes and demo
cratic ways he had endeared them
all TO him, and they sorrow at his
grave
William Mckinley had gained the
highest political distinction possible
for any man i'll this world to attain,
and he bore his honors modestly as
| became an American citizen. He was
| far from being an aristOcrat. He
came from the lOwly walks of life,
like so many OF his eminent predeces-
sors, and fought his way up to the
top, step by step, and was thereby
the better qualified for the grave
responsibilities which this high Office
carries.
He was a great man, not by virtue
of any one talent so developed over
all Others us to make it marked and
distinguish him a. a genius; but he
was great in having all the qualities
that go to make up greatness SO
com bined in him as to make a homo
geneOus whole.
He made a good president because
he was true American citizen, stud
led and understood our institutions,
loved and tried to be just to the peo
pie of all sections of this great cOun-
try. He did more to heal the old
sores of the late war of the rebellion
than all his predecessors since that
fratricidal strife When the war with
Spain was declared he was not afraid
to trust the people of the south, but
Lee and Wheeler, to important mill
tary commands and gave the soldiers
OF that section equal honors with the
north i'll going to the front to up
hold the flag of their common cOun-
try. How well they sustained that
confidence is now matter of history.
Therefore the people of the south not
only mourn for him as their presi-
dent, but as their big hearted. broad
friend, who was not suspicious
of their loyalty, and was not afraid
to trust the honor of the country in
their hands.
When William McKinley's histor.
ls written for future generations it
will not be complete il it does not tell |
Of his loyalty, his love, his self-sacri- |
Doing devotion at all times for his |
invalid wife. Cares of state never
rested so heavily upon him, but he
lad time to think OF her pleasure and
comfort. Her slightest wish was a
aw OF love for him to obey. His
irst thought when stricken by the
s bullet was of her, and fear
I'll OF the shock the news of the das-
ardly crime was likely to produce.
md his last thought expressed before
eaving this world was of his devoted
7ife and his God What noble her
tage has this good president left for
he husbands of this land
But our people sorrow for the =,
cath of this president and man not i
Ike those without hope. On SINH
IT occasion to this when the people
I this country were i'll the throes of
xcitement and fear bordering on /
envy. that distinguished orator and
plendid statesman james &. Blaine.
hid: God reigns and the govern
lent at Washington still lives"
hanks to the great wisdom of our
the life of our govern
-ent does not depend upon that of
ny man. For men may come and
len may 30, but it will go on for
yer
s-Ss 1870 s