The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-10-11
AN IMPRESSIVE TRIBUTE TO
TRUE GREATNESS.
LESSONS TO BE LEARNED
From the Lite and Death OF the
Martyred President-Ad-
dress at Princeton.

Portions of former President Cleve-
lands address on the life and death
Of President Mckinley have been pub
lished, but the full text, as printed
in the Princeton Alumni Weekly, is
now presented.
President Patton introduced Mr..
Cleveland, who spoke very slowly and
with deep earnestness, saying:
To-day the grave closes over the
dead body of the man but lately chos-
en- by the people of the United States
from among their number to repre-
sent their nationality, to preserve,
protect and defend their constitution,
to faithfully execute the laws ordained
for their welfare and to safely hold
and keep the honor and integrity of
the republic. His term of service is
ended not by expiration of time,
but by the tragedy of assassination.
He has passed from public sight
not joyously bearing the garlands and
wreaths Of his c~ountrymen's approx
ing acclaim, but amid the sobs and
tears of a mourning nation. He has
gone to his home-not a habitation of
earthly peace and quiet, bright with
domestic comfort and joy, but to the
dark and narrow house appointed for
all the sons of men, there to rest until
the morning light of the resurrection
shall CLEAN in the east.
"All our people loved their dead
president. His kindly nature and low
able traits of character and his ami
able consideration for all about him
will long be in the minds and hearts
of his countrymen. He loved them in
return with such patriotism and un-
selfishness that in the hour of their
grief and humiliation he would say
to them, 1T is Gods will; I am con
tent. If there is a lesson in my life
or death; let it be taught to those who
still live and have the destiny Of their
country in their keeping
LET us then, as our dead is buried
out of our sight, seek for the lessons
Y and the admonitions that may be sug.
/gested by the life and death which
> constitutes our theme"
First in my thoughts are the les
sons to be learned from the career OF
William Mckinley by the young men
who make up the student body Of ou1
university. These lessons are not
obscure or difficult. They teach the
value of study and mental training;
but they teach more impressively that
the road to usefulness and to the only
success worth having will be missed
or lost except it is sought and kept
by the light of those qualities of heart
which it is sometimes supposed may
safely be neglected or subordinated In
university surroundings. This is 9
great mistake. Study, and study hard
but never let the thought enter YOU
minds that study alone or the great
est possible accumulation of learning
alone will lead you to the heights o.
usefulness and success.
"The man who is universally
mourned today achieved the highes'
distinction which this great country
SNn confer on any man, and he LIVED
a useful life. He was not deficient il
education, but with all you will hea1
of his grand career and of his ser
vices to his country and his fellow
citizens, you will hear that either thu
high place he reached or what he &C
compfshed was due entirely to hi!
education. You will, instead, con
constantly hear, as accounting for hi
great success, that he was obedien
and affectionate as a son, patriotic
and faithful as a soldier, honest ant
upright as a citizen, tender and de
voted as a husband, and truthful, gen
erous, unselfish, moral and clean il
every relation Of life. He neve
thought any of these things too veal
for m~anliness. Make no mistake
| Here was a most distinguished man
7 a great man, a useful man, who be
came distinguished, great and usefu
because he had and retained unim
paired the qualities of heart which
fear university students sometime
feel like keeping in the BACKGROUND
or abandoning.
There is a most serious lesson TO
all of us in the tragedy of our lat
presidents death. The shock Of ]
is so great, it is hard at this time t
read this lesson calmly. We can hare
ly fail to see, however, behind tn
bloody deed of the assassin horribl
figures and forces from which it wi
not do RI +,rp oupov IF MO oro I