Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-11-13
MCKINLEY FUND
Senator Hanra Is VigoI ously
Pushing tie Project
For a Suitable Memorial to the
Martyred President.
Believes it Should Be a Representative T.ibutc
Of the American People.

Nv York. Nov Ex-senator Hanna
has been in the city FOR several lays
past actively pushing the work OF
ralsIng 4 mckinney memorial fund.
referring to the matter in conN crsa-
tion with a reporter he said:
Il am to confer with several men in
New York about this memorial in can
ton. just as ! have talked about il with
President Roosevelt and others in
Washington. Cornclirs ~ Bliss. whom
have already seen here * q trustee
OF the memorial fund and is giving to
tn" project his devoted attention. In
Washington | had friendly confer
cnce with some Of the men who wish
to erect a memorial to President Nc
kinley there as . part oi tht great
bridge TO be built across the Potomac.
am heartily in favor Of this plan, as
am IN favor of all sound projects for
bcautifying the national capital. !
shall probably give my Not" in the
Senate in favor ~ spending some ~
the surplus in the national treasury
tor such purposes. l.ut mis- plan 70
erect u Mckinley memorial in Wash
ington ought not to b,. allowed to in
tcrf"rc with the purposc of erecting Il
national memorial in Canton. There is
where his body viii rest permanently.
That N i'll accordance with His wish,
repeatedly ana distinctly expressed.
There is where his parents ana his
children lie There X Wh"r" his Wild
ow wishes his body to be aud there is
where she viii lie II Il day that W. all
nope is distant
nom" uf his life ..nG thc haven ~ his
death. win IT, erected hy popular Vol
Intary subs, riptious. | want them u
come from all the people. in every part
of the country. who knew him and
loved ana admired him. 1t VIII BE- eX
p.cssivo nf that wonderful tribute "a
his personal character that aros" All
over this land ana throughout tho civil
lied world at The time of his death ana
burial. That was Il tribute unique: it
was unprecedented in history. That is
The sentiment ME- Wish u perpetuate in
material form At the place Wnere most
of his life Was spent ana where h"
wished Ms body t. rrruse It VIII be
i tribnt" moi only Of ;iffectiunate senti-
ment but of patriotism. and it will be
y
all the people of all the country.
II have explained an this t. our
friends in Washington. ana think That
they will perceive the wisdom ana pro-
pliety of withdrawing their project
from public attention. at least for the
present. If it is desired to build for
mai memorial to President Mckinley
III the national Capital-and certainly
that will De- dcSired-that can b. ac-
complisn ned later, Just as well A. now.
! But it is impracticablr to place before
before the public simultaneously pro
jcCtS for two memorials. one in Canton
and one in Washington. Popular at
tention should not be divided, but
should be concentrated upon one pro-
Jet at d time. | think that al! the
close personal friends Of President Me
kinley will agree with the trustees of
the Canton memorial fund that il is en-
titled to first and. for the time eX-
elusive recognition.
II have received many letters from
municipalities and universities and
other institutions inviting my attcn-
tion TO proposed local memorials. Eut
to all, my uniform reply has been that
those who wish 70 honor and perpetu-
ate the memory of the most beloved
President should cooperate in secur-
ing the truly national and affectionate
memorial upon the beautiful and COM
mandng site where his body lies in
Canton"
Even now senator Hanna cannot
speak of his dead friend without oDvl-
Gus emotion But he has lost the pal
lor and the depression that cnnract"r-
zed his appearance Immediately after
the tragedy in Buffalo.
Tho II y1, .ioht Cu1rtIS cleared a hoIlf