The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-09-16

labors placed upon his shoulders.
WASHINGTON AND LINCOLN.
| II may be questioned whether Wash
ington or Lincoln was forced TO meet
problems as knotty as fell 10 the lot OK
| him we mourn. His work vas TO COM
| plete the tasks they had begun.
| Washington laid the foundation ana
when IL was discovered that the super
structure was faulty Lincoln sealed It's
gaps with blood. The strong structure
| must have a foundation built on the
rock Its walls must be perpendicular and
| firm. But after wisdom and skill nave
done their best the dome may make un-
slightly or even mock the whole.
The men who laid the foundations and
! the walls OF st. Peter have been lost In
oblivion; but the one who preserved with
splendid skill the dome has Immortality.
In a striking way IL was the work OF
William Mckinley 10 complete what
Washington and Lincoln had done so
well but left unfinished
He was the second healer OF the ma
tion's wounds
lie came TO office with sectional dis
cords ready TO break forth IL only famed
with zephyr breeze.
BY his wise administration in matters
relative to the tariff he hushed the words
full of rancor between North and South
He preached the Gospel that the interests
of the nation were one. Thus the feeling
between the agricultural districts OF the
South and West and the manufacturing
districts OF the North and East was lulled
TO quiet. That feeling found It's death
throe in the Spanish campaign when
North and South marched shoulder TO
shoulder and the one flag under which
they marched, was the stars and stripes.
The South shared the glory with the
North and when the honors were be-
slowed TO the victors the laurel wreath
crowned the brows of both alike.
But dissension was again rife. East and
West were divided on an issue that In the
minds OF sober thoughtful men was n
less important than the issue OF 81. That
issue must at some time have arisen and
every man today, who squarely faces the
facts must thanA Almighty God that
William Mckinley was then at the head
of national affairs.
| The wisdom displayed In his first term
| lent him strength as a candidate for the
second and with courage he hurled him
self against the stronghold of his oppo-
nents and II went down never to be
| reared again.
These issues may seem less important
and far reaching than the trend he gave
| 10 national affairs after the ultimatum
to Spain had been delivered.
FOREIGN POLICY.
What the results OF foreign policy
may be is hard 10 conjecture. 1t only
| remains certain that at the time when
Admiral Dewey sunk the Spanish feet al
| Manila we were on the threshold OF a
| new way that must in the end tremend-
| ously affect tho nations destiny and the
4 history OF the world.
| Whatever that destiny may be II will
bear the fruit of the hands that now lie
| cold in death.
with keen insight he leapt ahead Of the
wranglings and clamors OF an uncertain
! congress. the councils OF a sometimes di'
| vided cabinet and marked the path him
| self. AS 10 the outcome, il may be said
as we look fondly and hopefully to the
| future OF our national life. as he said
| OF fate inevitable Gods will be done
However men might vary with him ir
matters OF national concern his policy
was an independent one. Whatever hos
tile criticism may say 10 the contrary 4
will be hard 10 convince the American
people that from the time he hurled fortl
his dictum, bald and unmistakable as e
meaning, on the tariff until the time h'
yielded himself 10 the surgeons knife hi
policy was not his own.
Ii was not fixed dogmatism that be
came hard and Interchangeable. but prin
ciple with life In IL that grew and bor
|
public utterances was characterized b.
the demand for high protective tariff.
In the last spsech OF his life reciprocit,
rang out clear and plain.
It was not only the fact that he him
self had grown but that he was consciou
that the times had changed and condi
tions had altered that led him 10 modi
fed statements on the one hand and In
creased emphasis on the other.
Time fOrbids that We should linge
longer on a public career that has bee
forced into the solution OF problems s
vexed that only the solution OF time ca
solve them into ways so strange and un
known that only the compass OF convic
ton that he was right could guide hin
into dark places of uncertainty where n
lamp OF experience made plain the pat
his feet were 10 follow. Yet leading IN
nation on TO an era OF prosperity whic
in it's swiftness and sureness has bee
unparalleled IN the history OF the worl'
SETTING AND RISING SUN.
The sun of the president went down {
, Its setting while the sun OF the natio
was bursting forth with light and spler
, dor at its zenith.
. The traveller lest In ways that are M
, | known leaps with Joy when sore perple'
, ed and I'm despair he hits upon the we
, worn track his feet before have trod.
| So we may turn from the ineNtflCab
mazes OF this mans public life where,
be certain. would be TO mock at destir
and time aud start upon the sure an
, certain ground OF his personal life.
, No hostile criticism has been shai
! enough 20 find n vantage ground In q
minor walk and talk OF this mans e.
. perience. No venomous tongue has bee
. able To repeat with truth one delicio'
I, morsel OF blasphemous gossip about h
life I'm the home.
Enemies have formed stronghold he
where attack was synonymous with q
feat. Friends have found a shelter he
, whose atmosphere was laden with syi
|, pathy and love.
Too well am I conscious that In q
hour OF national calamity. when q
strong fall IN the midst of the battle
I 1 iife. that our sympathy and sorrow ms
! do Injustice 20 our judgment and leave
unsober. But take % 10 be great Do
An tho affairs OF a nation, when 90 ,
highest position there is called a ma
who by all the qualities Of mind a
soui Is great enough 90 add lusire nr
dignity 10 the onico while ~ the san
time with humility performing its man
fold functions.
A TRUE TYPE OF MANHOOD.
william Mckinley did this Nor was
CONTINUED on Psge Four.