Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-10-22

,nly in Iowa, but in the whole nation,
Senator Jonathan P. Dolliver.
The Veterans.
This afternoon / experienced anoth-
II inspiration. As | was meeting c1tl-
;ens of Ottumwa my eye fell frequent
" upon that little bronze button that |
lecorates so many brave bpsoms III
his land of ours. have seen many
badges of honor. ] have seen the en-
1lem of the Legion of Honor, the
badge which France loves to present
20 her sons for acts OF signal bravery; |
have seen the Iron Cross OF Germany
which that government delights TO
give the brave Germans who perform
creditable deeds; | have
seen the badge that England presents
to her sons who have rendered great
service for her, but l have never seen
any badge, or any decoration that
thrills my being so much as that one
which rises and falls with the heart
beats Of every member of the Grand
Army of the Republic.
A Great Shadow.
| feel a peculiar difficulty in discuss
ing partisan questions at this time and
under the present circumstances. We
are still standing under a great shad-
ow, which will pass away only under
the assuaging hand of time. AS l was
passing over the prospects of the cam
paign of 1901 a few weeks ago l saw
nothing but a happy people coming to.
gether to express their approval OF
the progress of the greatest nation
on earth, and above all to testify to
the love and affection they held for
our great national leader, the Presi-
dent of the United States. l felt that
the people would experience only the
natural enthusiasm and content that
the conditions would create.
A Sad Scene.
But four weeks ago last Tuesday
stood beneath the massive dome of
the capitol at Washington, and saw
the flag covered and flower decked
coffin of William Mckinley, surround
ed by the majesty of all the govern
ment of the world l felt then that
the tone of the political discussions
for long time to come must be in
sympathy and in harmony with the sad
scene there witnessed.
No Politics.
saw Grover Cleveland and Theo-
dore Roosevelt, their bodies literally
shaking with grief, tears streaming
from their eyes, as they stood by the
dead body of our fallen President.
knew that the edge of partisanship was
dulled-that the last vestige of criti-
NJ nnlifina1
nifty was a thing of the past. The
thought uppermost in the minds of all
is how best to perpetuate the memory
and the policies of William Mckinley
William Mckinley.
l do not intend to dwell long upon
the life and character of Mckinley
His countrymen have too just an ap
prevail of what he was, too good a
knowledge of what he did to permit
the employment of vain eulogy in elab
Grating upon his merits. Mckinley
was tender man, not only to his fam
| ily-his devotion to the companion oil
his life has become the embodiment
| the example of human affection the
world over-but he was not only kline
| to her. He was kind and sympathetic
INV al VI oil WhClc SNS IL wa;
struggling upward.
His Course.
I He was strong, because he had al
abiding sense of the righteousness o
things, He was serene, the most Sc
rene, man l ever knew, because one,
| having found the path of duty he neve
| inquired if there were any othe
1 paths by which safety might be reach
ed in the end, but pursued the RICH
course always.
A Leader.
He was leader of the people, no
only of the republicans but of all, be
cause he knew that his life had bee
dedicated to the welfare of the cour
i try and the honor of the nation. H
was pure minded and white-souled-
eminently fit to live but fully prepal
ed to die. He was student of publ
. affairs, sincere mana combinatio
that made him powerful and inaue1
tial-that made him easily the frs
man in an age of great men, the fore
most man in this great nation of our!
Anarchy.
| could have said this, would hav
said it ifMcKinleyhad died and passe
into his reward peacefully. But the al
palling crime which robbed him of lif
not only desolated our hearts, but
has gathered clouds all over the entir
nation which mere death could neve
have made. The people loved him, hol
; ored him, trusted him, and made hil
the highest representative of societ
, in the whole world. The shot thu
killed William Mckinley was aimed {
the heart of the republic, it was il
tended for the life of the nation. An
tits this the reflection that not only il
tensifies our sorrow but reminds us {
a duty only too long neglected.
:; A Free Land.
This beautiful land has long bee
the happiest and best asylum of Ii
; erty, the home of freedom Of though
and freedom of speech, but it neve
has been, is not and never will be til
asylum of murder and lawlessness.
must remain the home of free though
and free speech, but it is not and ne
er will be the habitation of infamol
conspirators and cowardly assassin
1t has never been tolerated and nev'
will be.