Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-01-30
Ottumwans Celebrate Anniversary
of Late Presidents Birthday.
ADDRESS BIZ REV. R. /. PATTERSON
Talks to Children at the Irving School
Day Is Observed All Over the City
Contributions Made to the Mekln-
ley Memorial Fund.
[From Wednesdays Daily.l

lhTOm wednesdays DAILY
Fifty-nine years ago today, in the lit
tie town of Niles, Ohio, occurred the
birth of William Mckinley. Little did
the parents, who were humble but
highly respectable people, imagine
what the future held in store for their
boy-what a series of successes and |
ovations, what an 'end-but today the
people of the whole United States |
mourn him as the third martyred Pres
ident of the nation. Today, the first
anniversary of his birth since his aw-
full death at the hands Of an assassin
last September, Ottumwa, together
with the remainder of grief-stricken
land, pays it's respects to the memory
of the dead.
The Memorial.
Now that the first rush of feeling on
account of the brutal attack by the
assassin Czolgosz has passed over and
the man himself has rendered up his
life to pay the penalty for his rash
and inhuman act, the minds of the
people of the nation have become oc-
cupied with desire to show their ap-
probation of Mckinley, acknowledged
one of the greatest men of any period
in the history of the world, in sub
stantial and a lasting way. A memo
rial monument to perpetuate his mem
DRY has been suggested, the cost to be
raised by popular contribution.
Today was set aside by Mayor Pick
Ter in a proclamation some days ago,
as the day upon which the people of
this city are to show their devotion to
Mckinley and their respect for his
memory by contributing money to the
memorial monument fund, which has
already been started by his most ar.
dent and prominent admirers and for
mer friends. This proclamation was
issued some time ago in accordance
with one issued by Governor Cummins
just after his assuming the gubernato-
rial seat.
In Ottumwa the proclamation is
meeting with many responses. The
matter Of political leaning makes no
difference, and democrats as well as
republicans are contributing of their
means to the fund. School children
have been given the opportunity to
give what they wish, and little tots are
today carrying to their teachers pen,
MES, nickles and dimes to swell the
fund which is to purchase the monll-
ment to the memory of the greatest
man of the times, the greatest, in the
opinion of many, of all time.
At all of the public and parochial
schools in this city some recognition
of the day is being or has been made.
The devotional services at the high
school included the singing of Nearer,
My God, to Thee" the late Presidents
favorite hymn. and also a short talk
on the life and work of Mckinley, by
Principal e. C.. PIERCE. At the Sacred
Heart school and st. Joseph's academy
similar services were held, and in the
graded schools all over the city the
children were told by their teacher
something about the life of President
Mckinley. In each school the chill
| dren responded to the invitation of the
teachers to contribute to the memoir
| ia1 fund.
Rev. Patterson's Address.
At the Irving school the last hour
of the afternoon was devoted to mem
orial services. Rev. R. L. Patterson,
pastor of the Willard Street Metho-
dist Episcopal church, delivered an adj
dress to the students on Mckinley, a
synopsis of which is published here
with
1T is eminently fitting that the
schools Of America pause in their work
for little time and, recalling the pa
triotic scenes which stirred the heart
of every American last September,
give each scholar an opportunity to
make contribution to the Mckinley
memorial fund, as an expression of pa
triotism, for nothing can add to his
fame.
Civilization passed through an
unique experience when, on Septem-
Der 10, 1901, with earth robed in gloom
and the heavens weeping, the wheels
of commerce, travel, and manufacture
stood still, and Americans enmasse
gathered at their various places of as
semblage to express their sorrow and
pay their tokens of respect to our be-
loved President statesman, fellow-cit-
izen and brother man.
1T is not necessary, perhaps, for us
at this time to recall in detail the life
of President Mckinley, as this has
been rendered efficiently by master
minds and hearts during the past au-
tumn, but it is worth the while to en-
phasize a few lessons which may be
an inspiration to. some young life.
ga marked characteristic of P1esi-
i QenL Mchlnley'S career was that he
loved the people. There entered into
the very fibre of his life the words of
the immortal Lincoln, who said: God
must have loved the common people,
he made SO many of them He drank
from the same canteen and shared the
privations of the private soldier and
endeared himself to the rank and file
of the Grand Army of the Republic.
He entered with brotherly spirit in
to the lives of the laboring masses
and sought in every way to better
their condition. From his life as fel-
bowman the young of today may well
learn the lesson that life's truest sue
cess may be found not in snobbish eX-
clusiveness, but among the people.
! another trait to which would call
your attention was his uniform kindly
courtesy at home and abroad. would
that all might learn that the greatest
strength is not in the loud voiced bel
hgerent who beats and grinds the
weaker brother. The world Is coming
more and more to realize that the
strongest character, the mightiest per-
sonality, is the one strong enough to