The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-04

To the Senate and House of Representa-
tives:
The congress assemblies this year under
the shadow of a great calamity. On the
9th OF September President Mckinley was
shot by an anarchist while attending the
Pan-American exposition at Buffalo and
died in that city on the 18th of that
month.
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, the circum-
stances Of this, the third ASA ssination Of
an American president, have a peculiarly
sinister significance. Both President Lin
coin and President Garfield were killed by
assassins ef types unfortunately not I'M
common In history. President Lincoln
falling a victim to the terrible passions
aroused by four years Of civil war and
President Garfield to the revengeful van
tty of disappointed ofaceseeker. Presi-
dent Mckinley was Ialed by an utterly,
depraved criminal belonging to that body
of crimiHels who object to all govern
ments, good and bad alike. who are
against any form of popular liberty if 1t Is
guaranteed by even the most just and lib
eral laws ard who are as hostile to tho
upright exponent of a free peoples sober
will. as to the tyrannical and irresponsible
despot.
1t is not too much to say that at the
time Of President McIinleys death he
was the most widely loved man in all the
United States. while we have never had
env public man Of his position who has
been so wholly free from the bitter ami
mesities incident to public life. His polit-
ical opponents were the first to bear the
heartiest and most generous tribute to the
ird1 I'M If M
and gentleness of character which so en-
deared him to his close associates. To
standard of lofty integrity in public life
he united the tender affections and home
virtues which are all important in the
makeup e. national character. A gallant
soldier in the great war for the Union, he
also shone aS 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 welfars 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
their criminalitv by asserting that it
is exercised for political ends inveigh
against wealth and irresponsible power.
But for this assassination even this bare
apology cannot be urged
Phe Object Of the BLOW.
President Mckinley was a man of mod
crate means. 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
private soldier. Wealth was not struck at
when the president was assassinated, but
the honest toll which is content with mod
crate gains after a lifetime Of unremitting
labor largely in the service of the public.
Still less was power struck at in the sense
that power is irresponsible or centered in
the hands of apv one individual. The blow
was not aimed at tyranny or wealth. 1t
was aimed at one of the strongest cham
pions the wageworker has ever had, at
one OF the most faithful representatives Of
the system OF public rights and represent
alive government who has ever risen to
public office President Mckinley filed
that political Office for which the entire
people vote, and no president. not even
Lincoln himself, was ever more earnestly
anxious to represent the well thought out
wishes OF the people His one anxiety in
every crisis was to keep in closest touch
with the people, to And cut what they
thought and to endeavor to give express
sion to their thought after having endeav-
ored to guide that thought Alright. He
had just been reelected to the presidency
because the majority Of our citizens the
majority of our farmers and wagework-
.
their interests for four years. They felt
themselves in close and intimate touch
with him. They felt that he represented
30 well and so honoTably all their ideals
and aspirations that they wished him to
continue for another four years to repre-
sent them.
And this was the man at whom the as
sassin struck! That there might be moth
ing lacking to complete the Judas-llke in
fanny of his act he took advantage of an
pcca sion when the president was meeting
the people generally. and, advancing as If
to take the 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 GIOrious Death.
The shock. the grief of the country, are
bitter in the minds Of all who saw the
dark days while the president yet lowered
between life and death. AT last the light
was stilled in the kindly eyes, and the