The Washington times., 1901-09-20
PHASES OF A GREAT LIFE.
President Mckinley Described as n
Man, a Soldier, and Il Statesman.

Tta three prominent phases of the life
and character of President Mckinley, as
1 a man, as soldier. and as a statesman,
were eulogized at the memorial service
yesterday morning In the Mount Pleasant
| Congregational Church. The service was
conducted by the pastor, the Rev. NJ.
Ross Fishburn. Frank L. Campbell, AS
sistant Secretary of the Interior, spoke
of President Mckinley as man. Gen.
Ellis Spear dealt with his career as a
soldier. and Major Horace L. Piper spoke
on MCKINLEY, the statesman" The music
was of high order of excellence. The
opening selection was Chopins Funeral
March" Mrs. Thomas c. Noyes sang
Sometime Wen Understand" The IA
vorite hymns Of the President also found
places in the programme.
In opening the service the Rev. Mr..
Ffshburn likened the feeling OF the Amer
lean people to the sentiment in the writ
ings of Claiming upon the death of Ed
mund Burke over a hundred years ago;
There is but one event. Burke is dead"
Mr.. Campbell in speaking of Mr.. McKin-
ley as a man, and as citizen, said that
the subject in way involved the holy
circle of family association, too sacred TO
be touched upon. He said he had known
President Mckinley for third of q CEN
tury. He was born in the same year and
they had both started in life in Starke
County, Ohio, about the same time Mr..
Campbell told of the struggles of the man
who was to be President as he endevored
to gain foothold in the legal profession
and of the manner in which his integrity
and broad intelligence soon brought him
to the front In the public esteem In all
the years of his public life. Mr.. Camp
laa1l casa hafs Aff.I< <st,la
in thise relations towards friends whom
he had known carly in life and in the
justice of character nodded at the time.
Then Mr. Campbell passed on TO sEeak
of his tender devotion to his inraiid wife
and mentioned incidents expressive OF
the unceasing devotion he always dis
played toward her In conclusion he said:
"A President has been taken from us by
the ruthless hand Of the assassin, and we
today bow in humble submission. unable
to understand Great and good was
President Mckinley as a citizen and
friend. He. was a man in whom there
was no guiie-one pure in thought, word
and speech. honest in purpose and noble
might wen he emulated by every Ameri-
can citizen He has gone and we ask
Why was he taken? We know not now,
but We shall know hereafter
General Spear in speaking of President
Mchinleys career as q soldier, said in
part:
If l were simply 10 recite the bare out
iiil' S Vi lllt iliSlDty Vi 1-TtSlutUl hChln-
leys military service, l might perhaps
better read what has recently appeared
ia the public prints and is known 20 you
all So iar as am aware he has left no
record OF personal "reminiscences of that
service.
we are told that he never lost a day
from duty nor was absent from any en-
gagcment in which his regiment took
part.
This is n good record surely A boy
under twenty-one years OF age, Fl volun-
tccr utterly without previous military in
struction or training. he bore like - vet
eran the hard fare and harder marches
the exposure to heat and cold, the ma
laria of camps. and the strain and stress
Of thirty battles and skirmishes. and so
bare himself. was of such character and
strength and discretion, that he is found
after his severe trial, fit to command
men in battle and camp. at an age when
most youths are at school.
But the paragraphs which rccite these
brave acts OF his military service mrst
be read between the lines. What II Ioeans
for a boy of seventeen. loaded with a
soldiers burden, to bear the exposure of
active campaigns. TO march and fight in
company with strong and mature men,
and to dare and bear as much as they
and all that men can endure, and to face |
Wounds and death In n war such as that |
which began in 1861. you who are fathers |
md mothers. with boys of that age can |
somewhat comprehend.
From what We have learned of his |
character and high and noble spirit we |
may be sure that to him 1t was no mere |
love of adventure which impelled him, |
nor even military ambition, but rather |
love of country