The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-16
AMONGST THE KINGS
MIR. sTRONG'S HIGH ESTIMATE OF
DECEASED PRESIDENT.
WHERE HE MIGHT FIFTY LAY.
HE WAS THE BEST TYPE OF AMER
ICAN CITIZENSHIP.

The Life and Character of the Man
Reviewed and His Great Work De-
scribed-The Condition of the M
ton When He Assumed Charge
and Its Remarkable Development
and Expansion Under His Guild
nnce-He First Extended the Hnnc1
of Friendship to Old ConfedcrnteS
and Did Much to ObIiterate the
Line Between North and south.
The congregation at st. Johns
Church enjoyed a splendid sermon yes
terday morning by Rev. Charles H.
Strong upon the national topic-the
and the life and character which make
his death so universally mourned.
And they buried him among the
kings" II Chron. 2416, was the text
chosen by Mr.. Strong for his discourse.
The first thought developed by Mr..
Strong was that the continuity of the
national life does not depend upon the
life of any one man. The national
foundations are firmly fixed both in
situations which have provided for
their safeguarding, and the passing
away of one man, be he soever great
and good, cannot affect these founda-
lions.
The conditions under which Mr.. Nc
Kinley reached the high office which
he so ably filled were discussed. He
was qualified by long experience for
this exalted station. He was of the
best type of American citizenship.
Springing from the plain people, from
which source come most of our great
men, he boosted of no ancestry, and
yet his origin was honorable and
worthy. Educated in the public schools,
he was from early life in touch with
the masses of the people. His family
was strongly religious and the princi-
pies instilled in him in youth were not
obscured with the increasing honors
and responsibilities heaped upon him
in later life.
His experience in public affairs was
ample. Doing his duty nobly as SOL
der and coming out of the war with
honor, he soon took a lively interest
in the public affairs of his native state
and achieved prominence as one of
whom greater things were to be eX-
pected. Honored at first in state af-
fairs, he was elected to Congress, and
served several terms, gaining national
prominence and becoming one of the
recognized leaders of his party Fol-
lowing this with two terms as Cover
nor of his state, he was then prepared
to assume the higher duties of the Of
flee of chief magistrate of the nation
conferred upon him by the voice of the
people.
The conditions which existed at the
beginning of Mr.. McKinley's first term
were strongly pictured. The country
was still feeling the effects of the pan
ic the financial agitation had made
capital timorous, the currency was I'M
settled, commerce and manufacturing
were sadly hampered and thousands or
workingmen, who could not obtain
work. begged their bread. Such was
the situation when Mckinley assumed
the high duties of his office, and the
prophets of evil predicted worse things
for the country. No previous admin
istration, said Mr.. Strong, was marked
with such strange and striking events
and such remarkable changes in the
national life. Public confidence was re-
stored. and prosperity came rushing
on with leaps and bounds. The curren-
cy question was settled, the financial
agitation put aside temporarily and
commerce and manufacturing increas-
ed with unheard-of strides. Never be
fore was such development witnessed
in the history of the country.
Occurring in this same term were the
remarkable and unexpected results OF
tie Spa nish- American war, placing our
nation in the forefront among the Pow
erS OF the world and bestowing new du-
ties and new responsibilities. No sucn
rapid development had ever been wit
messed within the same length of time.
Such being the case, it was no cause
to wonder that Mr.. Mckinley was
again placed at the head of the ma
tional government by the most decisive
vote ever received by a presidential
candidate. In this connection, Mr..
Strong passed some severe structures
uror the Democrats, whom he charged
with seeking after false gods. abandon
ing the old ideals OF the party and set
ting up new and strange theories of
government.
The high personal character and the
devotion to duty of the dead President
were dwelt upon, and that fact that he
was a man of large mental caliber, who
avoided the petty things of life, was
strongly stressed. In this connection
Mr.. S,rong emphasized the fact that
Mckinley was the first President to
give real recognition to the South
and to the old Confederates, and that
1t was due to his kindly policy that the
old wounds were so nearly healed and
the two sections again brought togeth-
er for mutual interest as we'll as in
mutual esteem. 1t was Mckinley who
selected prominent Confederate leaders
for high appointments in the Spanish
American war, and who throughout
that affair, demonstrated a determine
ton to treat the South with equal fair
ness with other sections. 1t was McKin-
ley who grasped the hands of Confed-
crate veterans in fellowship, and by
him was the suggestion offered that the
graves of Confederate dead should be
cared for at the national expense.
The beauty of his private life and the
tenderness which characterized him in
his marriage relations were dwelt upon.
BY mans treatment of the woman
whom God has given him as his COM
nj H., h &c