The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-27
friend and ruler was as deadly as blind hate
could make it: but the blow struck at an
archy was Stiu deadlier.

friend and ruler was as deadly as blind hate
archy was stin deadlier.
InsOluble Problems.
What world of insoluble problems such
an event eXcites in the mind! Not merely in
it's personal, hut in its public aspects, it pre-
sents PARADOX not to be comprehended.
Under a system OF government SO free and so
impartial that we recognize its existence only
by It's benefactiOns; under social order so
purely democratic that classes cannot exist
in it, affording opportunities universal that
even conditions are as changing as the winds,
where the laborer of to-day Is the capitalist
of tomorrow; under laws which are the
result Of ages of evolution, so uniform and
so benefcent that the president nas just the
same rights and privileges as the artisan
we the same hellsh growth of hatred and
murder which dogs equally the footsteps OF
benevolent monarchs and blood-stained des-
pots.
Our minds cannot discern the origin. nor
conceive the extent Of wickedness SO perverse
and so cruel; but this does not exempt us
from the duty Of trying to control and coun-
teract it. We do not understand what cleo
tricity is; whence 1t comes or what Its MD
den properties may be- But we know 1T as
a mighty force for good or eyil-and so, with
the painful toll of years, men of learning
and skill have labored to store and to subju-
gate it, to neutralize and even to employ its
destructive energies. This problem Of an
archy is dark and intricate, but it ought to
be within the compass Of democratic govern
ment-although no sane mind can tathom the
mysteries Of these -untracked and orbitless
natures-to guard against their alterations,
to take away from them the hope of escape,
the long luxury of scandalous days In court,
the unwholesome sympathy Of hysterical de-
degrees
crime not worth committing, even to these
abnormal and distorted souls. 5>s.e ~
1t would be presumptuous for me in this
presence to suggest the details OF remedial
legislation for malady so malignant. That
task may safely be left to the skill and pa
thence Of the national congress-, which has
never been found unequal to any such emer-
gency The country believes that the memory
OF three murdered comrades of yours-all OF
whose voices still haunt these wallis will
be a sufficient inspiration to enable you ia
solve even this abstruse and painful problem,
which has dmlned so many pages of history
with blood and with tears. .. ..&..
Mckinley IL Typical American.
The life of William Mckinley was, from
his birth to his DEATH typically American
There is no environment, l should say, any
where else in the world, which could pro-
duce just such a character. He was born
into that way of life which elsewhere is
called the middle class, but which in this
country is so nearly universal as to make Of
other classes an almost negligible quantity
lie was neither rich nor poor, neither proud
nor humble; he knew no hunger he Was moi
! sure of satisfying, no luxury which coulc
enervate mind or body. His parents were
/ sober, God-fearing people; Intelligent and up
right; without pretenson and without humil
| ity. He grew up in the company of boys like
| himself; wholesome, honest self-respectng.
| At II years of age William Mckinley heard
| the summons Of his country. He was the
| sort of youth to whom military life in ordl
| rary times would possess no attractions. His
| nature was far different from that OF the OF
| binary soldier. He had other dreams of life
| its prizes and pleasures, than that of marche:
and battles. But to his mind there was" nj
| choice or question. The banner floating in the
| morning breeze was the beckoning gesture
| OF his country. The thrilling notes of thu
| trumpet called hm-him and none other
| into the ranks. His portrait in his first uni
| form is familiar to you all-the short stock!
| figure; the quiet, Thoughtful face; the deep
dark eyes. 1t is the face Of a lad who coult
not stay at home when he thought he wa:
| needed in the field. He was of the stuff o
! which good soldiers made Had he beer
| ten years older he would have entered at thu
| head of a company and come out at the heat
of division. But he did what he could
| He enlisted as a private; he learned to obey
! His serious, sensible ways. his prompt, aler
| efficiency attracted the attention Of hi!
| superiors. He was faithful in little things
, they gave him more and more to do. HI
| was untiring in camp and on the march
! swift, cool and fearless in fight. He lief
. the army with field rank when the war ended
! brevetted by President Lincoln for gallantr!
| in battle. ".ss ~
| William Mckinley gladly laid down hi
a,,I hofop y; RI hic nlc II
| quickly made up the time lost in soldi erin g
| He attacked his Blackstone as he would hav
! done hostile entertainment; was admitted
to the bar and settled down to practice:
| brevetted veteran Of Pin the quiet town o
! Canton.
| Ideal OF Christian Marriage.
Here many blessings awaited him: higl
| repute, professional success and a domesti
| affection so pure, SO devoted and stainles
| that future poets, seeking an ideal Of Chris
| tian marriage will find in it theme worth
Of their song. This is a subject to whicl
! the lightest allusion seems profanation; blu
| it is impossible to speak of William McKin
ley without remembering that no truer, ten
derer knight to his chosen lady ever live
among mortal men. If to the spirits of tn
just made perfect is permitted the conscious
| ness OF earthly things, we may be sure tina
his faithful soul is now watching over tina
gentle sufferer who counts the long hour
| in their shattered home in the desolate sp1en
dor of his fame.
"A man possessing the qualities with whic
nature had endowed Mckinley seeks politica
activity as naturally as a growing plant seek
light and air. A wholesome ambition rar
power of making friends and keeping them
faith, which may be called religious, in hi
country and its institutions; and, flown
from this, a belief that a man could do n
ncbler work than to serve such a country
these were the elements in his character tina
drew him irresistibly into public life. He ha
from the beginning a remarkable equipment
manner of singular grace and charm;
voice of ringing quality and great carryin
power-vast as were the crowds that gath
y cred about him, he reached their utmos
fringe without apparent effort. He had a
extraordinary power of marshaling and pre-
senting significant facts, so as to bring cor
viction to the average mind. His range {
reading was not wide: he read only ..wha
he might some day find useful, and what h
read his memory held like brass. He Wa
not often impassioned; he rarely resorted
the aid of wit or humor; yet I never saw hi
equal in controlling and convincing popula
! audience by sheer appeal to their reason an
intelligence. He had the divine gift Of sym
pathy, which. though given only to the cleo
makes all men their friends.
| His Political Career.
! So it came naturally about that in 1876
the beginning OF the second century of tn
republic-he began by an election to cor
gress, his political career. Thereafter fc
fourteen years the chamber was his HON,
! Nowhere in the world he so in harmon
| with his environment as here; nowhere els
did his mind work with such full conscious
! ness of its powers. The air of debate wa
native to him; here he drank delight of battl
with his peers. In after days, when he drov
by this stately pile, or when on rare occs
sions his duty called him here, he greete
his old haunts with the affectionate zest