The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-09-18
wATTERs0N ON MCKINLEY.
Editor Of Louisville Courier Journal Praises
the Man He Fought

Henry Watterson, in an editorial in
the Courier Journal, pays the following
| tribute to President Mckinley:
For the third time in single gen
Grafton the people of the United States
stand awestruck about the bier of a
| murdered President. In the present in
stance the horror takes on a sharper
edge of grief, out of the sudden revulsion
of feeling from hope to despair; from
the confident belief that the hand of
the assassin had missed it's mark to the
swift descent Of the dread Angel OF
Death without warning and before our
eyes.
even rage and shame are Cor the
moment ouenched by the pity of it.
The sense of humiliation is drowned by
the sense of humility, and as we bow
our heads in silent prayer the virtues
of him that is dead lie between US and
him that struck the blow.
Truly. the words quoted by Blaine
to picture the slayer of Garfield apply
to the slayer of Mckinley with deeper
significance and added emphasis. Who
ever he said, shall hereafter draw a
portrait of murder, if he would show it
as it has been exhibited where it was last
to be looked for, let him not give it the
grim visage of Moloch-the brow knit
ted by revenge, the face black with set
tied hate. Let him draw, rather, dec
orous, smooth-faced, bloodless de-
mon: not so much an example of hui
man nature in it's depravity and it's
paroxysms of crime, as an Internal be-
ing; in the ordinary display and de-
velopment of his character
How perfect a description of Cool
gosZ, the moral leper-differing from
Guiteau in the cold serenity and cause
lessness of his act even as Mckinley
differed from Garfield in a gentler ma
ture and a sweeter and purer grace.
ut will not be said by the most cen
serious critic of William Mckinley that
he was not a we'll intentioned man who
loved his coontry and tried to do his
duty. To those who had the happiness
personally to know him he seemed very
much more than this, man who brought
to the public service a strong character
ard large capabilities but who in his
private relations of life MAS gracious
ness ersoni6ed-patient, kindly, SYM
pathetic.
"The notion that he was not his own
was singularly at fault. Nothing could
be better proof of this than his fidelity
to his friends.
at is the weak man who kicks away
the ladder when he has climbed to the
top. Mckinley showed himself CRATE
full to every round in the ladder. In
his heart he feared no mans rivalry
not even the accusation and appearance
of a division of power.
HE knew, as few men have known,
how to say No. as if comforting fav-
or, and to send the sutton away at least
half satisfied He was the strictest, the
most orthodox of partisans, in the sense
that he earnestly believed his party to
be right. The party, right or wrong,
meant with him the conviction that par
ties are aggregations made up both of
right and wrong, and that as to the sum
totals and in the long run he was surer
of realizing his ideals by keeping close
ly in the party line.
"Thus, though accessible to his polit-
ical adversaries and most considerable
in his intercourse with them, he took
counsel mainly of his political friends
very Jackson in this respect, without
Old Hickory's vehemence, his obdurate
likes and dislikes.
Justly to understand William Nc
Kinley we must take this into account.
1t is the lode-st that sheds a flood of
light upon all that he said and did. He
resembled Lincoln in the steadfastness
of his partyism and the benignancy of
his utterances and conduct. Opposed to
him upon the most public questions,
both theotrical and practical, we yet can
not help thinking that his removal
from the head of affairs at this time is a
national calamity.
However men may differ as to the
new questions which are even now but
half risen above the disc of the political
armament, there cannot be two opinions
as to the proposition that they should
be met with intelligent disposition. II
in the nature of the case they aug
ment the power of the executive
though for time only, it is of the first
, importance that the executive should
! be an honest man, not given>to excuses
| or assumption of radical experimental
| ton In William Mckinley we had such
F! a man.