Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-10-02
Bryan's Tribute To Mckinley.

Goods will, not ours, be done.'
These were thelast words of President
Mckinley as he bade farewell to the
loving companion of his life, to whom
his kindness and devotion have been 30
constant and conspicuous. 1t was with
this beautiful spirit Of resignation that
he turned from the realities of earth to
explore the mysteries of the world be-
yond.
The struggle was over-the struggle
of week during which hope and fear
alternately gained the mastery. The
book of life is closed, and his achieve
ments are part of history. After he
became conscious that the end was
drawing near, but before the shadows
quite obscured the light, he was heard
to murmur some of the words of "Near-
er My God to Thee" This sacred hymn
contains several lines inspired by
Jacobs night at Bethel:
Though, like wanderer,
The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me,
My rest a stone."
Thus do the lines immortalize the
pillow which to Jacob must have seem
ed hard indeed pillow which, when
morning came, the patriarch would
not have exchanged for the softest one
on which weary head was ever laid.
1t is still true that ones sorest afllic-
tions and most bitter experiences are
sometimes stepping stones to higher
rewards.
The terrible deed at Buffalo, rudely
breaking the ties of family and friend
ship and horrifying every patriotic cit
izen, crowns most extraordinary life
with halo that cannot but exalt it's
Victims place in history, while his
bravery during the trying ordeal, his
forgiving spirit and his fortitude in the
final hours give glimpses of his inner
life which nothing less tragic could
have revealed.
But, inexpressibly sad as is the death
of Mckinley, the illustrlous citizen, it
is the damnable murder of Mckinley,
the president, that melts sevepty-five
million hearts into one and brings a
hush to the farm, the factory and the
forum.
Death is the inevitable incident of
every human career. 1t despises the
sword and shield Of the warrior, and
laughs at the precautions suggested by
science; wealth cannot build walls high
enough or thick enough to shut it out,
and no house is humble enough to escape
its visitation. Even love, the most
potent force known to man-loye, the
characteristic which links the human to
the divine even love is powerless in its
presence. Its contingency is recognized
in the marriage vow-"until death dc
us part"-and is written upon friend
ships signet ring. But the death, even
when produced by natural causes, of q
public servant charged with the trem.
endous responsibilities which press
upon a president, shocks the entire
country and is infinitely multiplied
when the circumstances attending il
constitute an attack upon the govern
ment itself. No one can estimate the
far-reaching effect of such an act al
that which now casts q gloom over oul
land. 1t shames America in the eyes
of the world; 1t impairs her moral pres.
tige and gives the enemies of free gov.
ernment a chance to mock at her
And it excites an indignation which
while righteous in itself, may lead t.
acts which will partake of the spirit O.
lawlessness.
AS the presidents death overwhelm
all in a common sorrow, SO 1t imposes ,
common responsibility, to SO avenge tn,
wrong done to the president, his famil,
and the country, as to make the execu
tive's life secure without bringing in
security to freedom Of speech or free
/! dom Of the press. The Commoner.