The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-09-20

In the very act OF extending KIND aud
generous greeting I'd one who approach
ell him under the sacred guise of friend
ship.
Could the assailant have realized
how awful was the act he was about
to perform, how utterly heartless the
deed, metbinks he would have stayed
his hand at the very threshold Of It,
In all the coming years, men will seek
in vain to fathom the enormity OF
that crime.
Had this man who fell been des-
pot, tyrant, an oppressor, an in
sane frenzy to rid the world of him
might have sought excuse, but 1t was
the peoples friend who fell when Will
liam Mckinley received the fatal
wound. Himself
A SON OF TOLL.
hts sympathies were with the toiler.
No one who has seen the matchless
grace and perfect ease with which he
greeted such, can ever doubt that his
heart was In his open hand. Every
heart-throb was for his countrymen.
That his life should be sacrificed at
such time, just when there was
abundant peace, when all the Amer
leans were rejoicing together, is one
OF the inscrutable mysteries of Provi-
dence. Like many others 1t must be
left for future revelations to explain.
In the midst of our sorrow we have
much to console us. He lived to see
his nation greater than ever before.
All sectional lines are blotted out.
| There Is no south, no north, no east, no
west. Washington saw the beginning
of our national life. Lincoln passed
through the night of our history and
saw the dawn. Mckinley beheld his
country in the splendor of it's noon.
Truly he died in the fulness of his fame.
With Paul he could say, and with equal
truthfulness, Il am now ready to be
offered" The work assigned him
HAD BEEN WE'LL DONE.
The nation was az peace. We had
fairly entered upon an era of unpar-
alleled prosperity. Our revenues were
generous. Our standing among the ma
tions was secure. Our president was
safely enshrined in the affections of n
united people. 1t was not at him that
the fatal shot was fired, but at the
very life Of the government. His Of
fcring was vicarious. 1t was blood
poured upon the altar of human liber-
ty. In view of these things, We are
not surprised to hear, from one who
was present when this great soul
passed away, that he never before saw
death so peaceful, or dying man so
crowned with grandeur.
Let us turn, now, to brief consid-
GRAFTON of some Of the lessons that
we are to learn from this sad event.
The first one that will occur to us
all is the old, old lesson-"In the
midst Of life we are in DEATH" Man
goeth forth to his work and to his
labor until evening"" "He fleeth as 1t
were a shadow, and never continueth
in one stay"
Cur president went forth in the full
ness Of his strength, in his manly beau-
ty and
| WAS SUDDENLY SMITTEN
tby the hand that brought death with
1t. None of us can tell what day
nay bring forth. Let us, therefore
remember that. mo man liveth to him
self, and none of us dieth to himself. Il
May each days close see each days duty
done.
Another great lesson that we should
Iced is the vanity of mere earthly
greatness. In the presence of the dread
messenger how small are the trappings
of wealth, and distinctions of rank
ard power. l beseech you, seek him
who said: II am the resurrection and
the life; he that believeth in me. though
he were dead, yet shall he live; and
whosoeyer liveth and believeth in me
II. a. l.,
Savior for the sinsick and the weary
l entreat you, find him, as our brother
found him.
But our last words must be spoken
Little more than four years ago We
bade him goodbye, as he went to as
sumo the great responsibilities to which
the nation had called him. His las,
words as he left us were. Nothing
could give me greater pleasure than this
farewell greeting-this evidence of your
friendship and sympathy, your good
will, and, l am sure, the prayers oil
all the people with whom have lived
SO long, and whose confidence and es,
TEEN are dearer to me than
ANY OTHER EARTHLY HONORS.
To all of us the future is as a sealed
book; but IL can, by official act OF
administration or utterance, in any
degree add to the prosperity and unity
Of our beloved country, and the
advancement and well-being of oul
splendid citizenship, will de.
vote the best and most un.
selfish efforts of my life to that end
With this thought uppermost in my
mind, l reluctantly take leave of m.
friends and neighbors, cherishing In
my heart the sweetest memories ant
thoughts of my old home-my home
now-and, / trust, my home hereafter
so long as l live"
We hoped, with him, that when hi;
work was done, freed from the bur.
dens of his great office, crowned with
the affections of happy people, ht
might be permitted to close his earth
ly life in the home he loved.
He has, indeed, returned to us, bu