The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-11-21
Hays Tribute to Ttkinley.

tIloh ll'' l0lIIutG ~ till'|l'' 'l'.'''''I
y w MI. advert. but for no.
mcnt. to on" aspect OF or
L. recent hcrca Vcinent when la
especially interesting to those
engaged. as your are. in relations who's"
scope is as wide ns the world. Never,
since history began, has there been an
event which 50 immediately and so
deeply, Touched tn. senSibilitieS ot 80
vast portion of III" human race. The
sun, which set over Lake E.ri" While
the surgeons were stll battling for the
pre- sirlcut's life, had not risen on the
Atlantic before every capita. OF thc
civilized world was in mourning. Ana
it was not from the Ccnlers OF Cirilina-
and sympathy reached lis. they came
as we'll from the utmost limits of The
world, from the most remote islands Of
the sea: not only from the courts of
Chrislendom. but from the temples OF
strange gods and the homes of exotic
religious. Never before has the heart
of the world throbbed with II sorrow
so universal. Never before have the
Kingdoms of the earth paid such iloin-
age at the grave of q citizen.
Something of this was naturally due
to his great olice--presiding as he did
over the government of n nation hold
ing in fee the certainty of illimitaDlc
greatness. But no ruler can acquire
the instructive regard ana esteem OF
the world without possessing most an
usual qualities OF mind and character
This dead president OF ours possessed
them. He was strong: he WAS wise,
he was gentle. With no external ad-
vantlgcs beyond the mass OF his fell
low citizens. he rose by sheer merit
ana will to the summit of distinction
and gradual as that of an oak, nc
grew stronger and wiser with every
year that he lived. Confronted con-
tinualIy with ncW and dXacting SIT
l;ationS. lie was never unequal. TO
them: his serenity was never "loudcd:
he took the storm and the sunshine
with the same CHEEKY welcome: his
vast iutluenc" expanded with his OPP
portlnities. Like that Divine Master
whom he humhiy and revcrentiully
served, he grew continually lin favor
with God ana man.
One simple reason why the millions
of this country mourned him as if
they had buried u brother, ana why
all tho nations of the earth felt that
his death WAS a loss to humanity at
men. There We're literally no bounds
to his lavish good will. In political
genius, in wisdom for government, in
power of controlling men. he was one
Of Tie elect of the carth--thelc were
few like him: but in sentiment and
crat ever met lfe never knew what
it meant to regard another man rs
his inferior or as his superior. Moth
in" human was alien to him. Even
his death was in thai sense Signili-
cant. He was slain in the moment
when with that delightful smile we
knew so Well-.which seemed like the
very sunshine OF the spirit---he Was
stretching forth a generous hand 10
greet the lowest and meanes, unit in
that crowd of many thousands. lie
made II" demasosical parade of his
sympathy with the masses. but this
sympathy was Il part Of his life. He
knew no inicrcs; which was not
theirs; their welcome Was as dear to
him as the blood in his own veins:
and. in spite of calumny and false
hood, The people knew it, and they
loved him in return.
Others vii! rise ANA labor ana do
good service To the republic. We shall
nave: lack good men Whcu the emel-
Scnc.' calls for theln. Thank God, we
do nut lack them nov. But it may
well be dbubted if in any century of
the glorious future before as there
will ever appear two such sincere.
hiSl-min1ci, S"lf-respcctins lovers of
the people as thc last fifty years have
shown rs in Abraham Lincoln ,ui
William Mckinley.