The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-12-06
OPPOSES GENERAL
TARIFF CHANGES
Partial to Reciproeity--Treats
ExhaustiveIy on Trusts--Cu-
ban Tariffs, isthrnian h
Canal, PHILIPPINE Prob
lem and Merchant
Marine Touched.

Hoosevelt's first message was read to
both branches of congress Immediately
upon their convening at noon today.
The message is in some respects a
remarkable document, disregarding
all conventions, dismissing many pre-
cedents. The president. after saying
plainly that he favors the principle of
reciprocity, declares against any tariff
changes. Publicity, he says, Is the only
sure remedy for the trust evil that can
now be evoked. The reduction Of tar
iff duties on Cuban Imports into the
United States, and the re-enactment Of
the Chinese Exclusion act are both
urgently advocated.
Considerable attention is given the
question OF the preservation of the
forests and the irrigation Of western
lands. The Monroe doctrine is defin-
ed afresh, and the merchant marine
the Isthmian canal and Pacific cable
and the Philippine problem are all
touched upon. Following Is the mes
sage in full:
TO the Senate and House Of Representa-
tives:
The congress assemb' IS this year under
the shadow of a great calamity. On the
9Th OF September President Mckinley was
shot by an anarchist while attending the
Pnn-American exposition at Buffalo and
died in that city on the 14th Of that
month s..
or the last seven elected presidents he Is
the third who has been murdered, and the
bare recital of this fact is sufficient to
Justify grave alarm among all loyal
American citizens. Moreover tho circum-
stances Of this. the third assassination Of
an American president have a peculiarly
q n pnfh t,,-
coin and President Garfield were killed by
assassins Of types unfortunately not un-
common In history, President Lincoln
falling q Victim to the. terrible passions
erouscd by four years of civil war and
President Garfield to the revengeful van
ity of n disappointed offlceseeker Presi-
dent Mckinley was killed by an utterly
dcpraved criminal belonging to that body
Of criminals who object to all govern
nlents, good and bad alike. who are
against any form OF popular liberty IL It Is
guaranteed by even the most just and lib
eral laws and who are as hostile to the
upright exponent Of n free peoples sober
will as to the tyrannical and irresponsible
despot.
1t is not too much to say that at the
time of President McKinley's death he
was tho most widely loved man In all the
United States. while we have never had
any public man Of his position who has
been SO wholly free from the bitter ami
mooities incident to public life. His polit
ical opponents were the first to bear the
heartiest and most generous tribute to the
broad kindliness of nature. the sweetness
ana gentleness Of character which so en-
,deared him to his close associates. To r
standard Of lofty integrity in public life
he united the tender affections and home
virtues which are all important In the
makeup Of national character. A gallant
soldier In tho great war for the Union, he
also shonc Us an example to all our people
because Of his conduct In the most sacred
and intimate Of home relations. There
could be no personal hatred of him, for he
never acted with aught but consideration
for the welfare Of others. No one could
fail to respect him who knew him In pub
lie or private life. The defenders Of those
murderous criminals who seek to excuse
IL excrcised for political ends tnveigh
against wealth and irresponsible power
But for this assassination even this base
hpology cannot be urged.
The object of the Blow.
President Mckinley was a man Of mod
crate meano, a man whose stock sprang
from the sturdy tillers Of the soil. who
had himself belonged among the wage
workers, who had entered the army as a
private soldier. Wealth was not struck at
when the prcaldont was assassinated, but
the honest toll which Is content with mod
crate gains after lifetime of unremitting
labor largely in tho service Of the public
Still loss was power struck at In the sense
that power 10 irresponsible or centered in
the hands of any one individual. The blow
was not aimed ut tyranny or wealth. 1t
was aimed at one of the strongest cham
pions tho wagcworker has ever had at
one Of the most faithful representatives OF
the system of public rights and represent
ative government who has ever risen to
faK KtnIa a
Tint political office for which the entire
people vote and no president, not even
Lincoln himself, wns ever more earnestly
anxious to represent the well thought out
wishes OF tho people. His one anxiety In
every crisis was to keep In closest touch
with the people. to find out what they
thought and to ondeavor to give express
sion to their thought after having endeav-
ored to guido that thought Alright. He
had just been reelected to the presidency
because the majority Of our citizens. the
majority OF our farmers and wagework-
ers, believed that he had faithfully upheld
their interests for four years. They felt
themselves in close and intimate touch
with him. They felt that he represented
80 well and SO honorably all their ideals
and aspirations that they wished him to
continue for another four years to repre-
sent them.
sassin struck Tha. there might be moth
ing lacking to complete the Judas-like In
fanny Of his act he took advantage Of an
occasion when the president was meeting
the people generally. and. advancing as IL
70 take tho hand outstretched to him In
kindly and brotherly fellowship. he turned
the noble and generous confidence of the
victim into an opportunity. to strike the
fatal blow. There is no baser deed In all
the annals Of crime.
A Glorious Death.
The shock, the grief Of the country, are
bitter in the minds Of all who saw the
dark days while the president yet hovered
betwsen life and death. At last the hight
vss stilled In the kindly eyes, and the