The Republican journal., 1901-09-19
DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT.

President Mckinley is dead. A heart
broken people stand with bowed heads
beside the stricken form of their be-
lowed leader Prayers and hopes were
tower temperature, the full faith of the
distinguished patient that he would re-
cover, the fact that he had seemed to
pass the critical period of peritonitis
and ntiammatory complications, lifted
tie burden of these depressing days
from all hearts, and the star Of hope
ghttered brilliantly in the armament.
But on Friday morning the millions
who had so anxiously and sympathiz-
inglv watched the guarded bulletins of
the previous days, were doomed to a
bitter disappointment; for then there
flashed over the wires the dreadful in
formation that the President was sink
ing. The span of life was measured by
only a few hours. The noble soul, in
its conscious moments, realizing the
help of the Divine staff upon which it
had leaned, murmured the tender words
of the hymn, which has been the sweet
pillow of rest to many departing spirits,
N carer My God to Thee After the
members of the family and of the cabi-
net had taken their final leave, in a
silence broken only by sobs, the Presi-
dent took the hand of his beloved wife,
and with smile upon his lips, uttered
his last words: Goods will, not ours be
DONE And then. as peacefully as a
child going to sleep upon his mothers
breast, passed into the eternal rest the
soul of our noble President.
Standing within the shadow of this
great calamity, it is too early to analyze
the character of William Mckinley.
We may say, however, that he was a
typical American citizen. He has been
a man of the people, whose every ener-
gies were employed for the good of the
people, whose interests he SO devotedly
served. Beginning life in an obscure
Ohio village, he has risen by gradual
steps to the proudest honor that the
people can bestow upon him. He knew
the taste of poverty. He had marched
IN the ranks side by side with the private
soldier His body was riddled with
bullets before he had extended his right
hand OF love to the cowardly assassin.
qIe had learned useful lessons CT fru-
sgality as a young and struggling country
sawyer In the broader fields of states
9nanship, to which he was called at an
early period, he had always been found
In sympathy with those who toll for
daily bread. Those who had the pleasure
of his personal acquaintance, knew him
better as friend than as President In
mis- home life he was gentleness itself.
A Christian gentleman always. Even
after he was shot down, he could look
upon the bringing, stricken form of his
aassailant, and utter the Christ-like
Fvords, God forgive him"
The grief of the people at this un-
timely end is not confined to this CONT
nent, but is worldwide. The mourners
are in huts and in palaces, beside the
hearthstones of the poor and in the
homes of luxury. With Lincoln and
Garfield, he has taken his place in the
martyr throng. To human understand
ing his life seems unfinished. But in
the economy of God there are no un
finished lives. Even the little child who
comes to our home, fingers there few
weeks, and then vanishes away, leaves
behind ray of sunshine that would
never have come to the world but fol
its presence.
President Mckinley has finished his
life work. His name is among the i'm
mortals. The heritage he has left tt
the American people is an enduring one
and his memory shall be more and more
blessed as the years roll on.