Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-02-27


this presence to suggest the details of
remedial legislation for a malady so
malignant That task may safely be
left to the skill and patience of the ma
tional congress, which has never been
found unequal to any such emergency.
The country believes that the memory
of three murdered comrades of yours
all of whose voices still haunt these
walls-will be a sufficient inspiration to
enable you to solve even this abstruse
and painful problem, which has dimmed
SO many pages of history with blood
and with tears.
1.-The life of William Mckinley was.
] from his birth to his death typically
American. There is no environment, l
should say, anywhere else in the world
which could produce just such char
acter. He was born into that way of
| life which elsewhere is called the mid
die class, but which in this country is
so nearly universal as to make of other
classes an almost negligible quantity.
He was neither rich nor poor-neither
proud nor humble; he knew no hunger,
he was not sure of satisfying, no lux
ury which could enervate mind or body.
| His parents were sober, God-fearing
people; intelligent and upright; with
out pretensions and without humility.
He grew up in the company of boys like
| himself: wholesome, honest, self-re-
specting. They looked down on no.
body; they never felt it possible they
could be looked down upon. Their
houses were the homes of probity
piety. patriotism. They learned in the
/ 1Nl nf
ago the lessons of heroic and splendid
| life which have come down from the
past. They read in their weekly news
papers the story of the worlds pro-
gress, in which they were eager to take
part, and of the sins and wrongs OF civ
ilization, with which they burned to do
battle. 1t was a serious and thought
| full time. The boys of that day felt
dimly, but deeply, that days of sharp
struggle and high achievment We're be-
fore them. They looked at life with the
wondering yet resolute eyes of young
esquire in his vigil of arms. They felt
| a time was coming when to them should
be addressed the stern admonition of
the apostle, Quit you like men; be
strong.
"At seventeen years of age William
| Mckinley heard the summons Of his
country He was the sort of youth to
whom military life in ordinary times
would possess no attractions. His ma
l;ture was far different from that of the
ordinary soldiers. He had other dreams
of life. it's prizes and pleasures. than
| that of marches and battles. But to
his mind there was no choice or ques-
4 4 Y,
ing breeze was the beckoning gesture
of his country. The thrilling note of the
trumpet calling him-him and none
other-into the ranks. He was of the
stuff of which good soldiers are made.
Had he been ten years older he would
have entered at the head of company
and come out at the head OF n division.
He did what he could He enlisted as
private: he learned to obey. His seri-
Gus, sensible ways, his prompt, alert
efficiency soon attracted the attention
of his superiors. He was so faithful in
/ little things that they gave him more
to do. He was untiring in camp and on
the march; swift, cool, and fearless in
fight. He left the army with field rank
when the war ended, brevetted by Pres
| ident Lincoln for gallantry ip battle.
"william Mckinley gladly laid down
his sword and betook himself to his
books. He quickly made up the time
lost in soldering. He was admitted to
1.-THE bar and settled down to practical
brevetted veteran of twenty four-in
the quiet town of Canton, now and
lhenceforward forever famous as the
tscene of his life and his place of Sc
pulcher. Here many blessings awaited
him; high repute, professional success.
and a domestic affection SO pure, so de-
voted and stainless that future poets,
seeking an ideal of Christian marriage,
will find in it theme worthy of their
songs.
I'm 1876 he began. by an election to
congress. his political career Thereaf-
ter for fourteen years his chamber was
his home.
He was a republican, he could not
be anything else.
FOLLOWING the natural bent of his
mind, he devoted himself to questions
of finance and revenue, to the essen
tials of the national housekeeping. He
took high rank In the house from the
| beginning.
"A year after he left congress he
was made governor of Ohio and two
years later he was reelected, each
time by majoyities unhoped for and
overwhelming. He came to flll space
in the public eye which obscured a
great portion of the field of vision.
In two national conventions, the pres.
idency seemed within his reach. But
he had gone there in the interests of
others and his honor forbade any dalli-
ance with temptation. So his Nay
was Nay-delivered with tone and
gesture there was no denying. His
hour was not yet come.
There was, however, no long de-
| lay. He became. from year to year.
the most prominent politician and or
ator in the country. Passionately de-
voted to the principles of the party, he
was always ready to do anything to go
anywhere, to proclaim its ideas and
to support its candidate. For several
months before the republican national
convention met in 1896, 1T was evident
to all who had eyes to see that Mr..
Mckinley was the only probably cam
didate of his party Other names We're
mentioned, of the highest rank in abil-
lity, character and popularity; they
were supported by powerful combina-
ton, but the nomination of Mckinley
as against the field was inevitable.
1.-The campaign he made will be al
ways memorable in our political an.
nails.
when he came to the presidency he
~,