Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1902-03-06
S[GR[lARY hay [UDDIy'
Pays Blsqsent Tribute . lsmsry
d the Late William
Mckinley.
SAYS az WAS a TYPICAL AMERICAN.
rial Address Delivered BY Invita-
tion Of Cdngfess-MartyFed Presi-
dent VIII Rank with the Greatest
Of Anaeeican Statesmen.

tlOn of CongRess-MaetyPed Presi.
Aent VIII Rank with the Greatest
Of AAeeican Statesmen.
For the third time the congress Of the
United States Is assembled to comment
crate the lite and the death OF q president
aaatn by the hand of an assassin. The at
tentton OF the future historian will be at
tracted to the features which reappear with
ths ater
lack of consequences Of the act; the OBJ
security. the insagntticance Of the criminal;
Of existence the best Of men may be held
blamelese-of the victim. Not one Of our
murdered presidents had an enemy In the
purity Of life that no pretext could be given
Tor the attack of passional crime; they
were all men of democratic instincts who
GUS advocates of equality; they were Of
wrong or injustice was impossible: of mod
body could envy. They. were men Of aus
abilities, which they had devoted, with
ever men walked before God and man
without blame. 1t was these three rulers Of
ives only yas ier ene ra
ance-to eyes hating the light that was Of
tense enough.
Going on to speak of the uselessness and
anarchistic standpoint. he said: The
stupid uselessness of such an infamy aft
fronts the common. sense of the world. one
can conceive how the death of q dictator
may change the political conditions of an
empire; how the extinction of a narrowing
line Of kings may bring in an alien dynas-
~. But in a we'll ordered republic like
ours, the ruler may fall but the state feels
no tremor. Our beloved and revered leader
Is gone-but the natural process Of our laws
pose and ideals. nourished by the same
teachings inspired by the same principles,
Redsed ~ tender as vel las as 1y
mense task committed to his hands, and to
smite with iron severity every manifesto:
predecessor, with his dying breath. for,
gave. The sayings of celestial wisdom have
no date; the words that reach US, over 1000
world has ever known, are true to the life
to-day: "They know not what they do
The blow struck at our dear friend and
make it; but the blow struck at anarchy
was deadlier still. =. How many coun-
tries can. join with us in the community Of
distant regions where assassination enters
into the daily life of government; But
a az the nations bound to US by the ties
that wise and mild autocrat who had
earned the proud title Of the .Liberator?
1ea aad s
and chivalrous king OF Italy who only lived
for his people? and, saddest of all. that
snd e eorG Rssry exafed
develish spirit nothing avails-neither vir-
tue, nor patriotism, nor age nor youth, nor
conscience nor pity.
A Typical American.
The life Of William Mckinley was, from
his birth to his death, typically American.
There is no environment, should say, any,
where else in the world which could pro-
n a nj 1oH oN<4r To H1usa 9~ak<
that way Of life Which elsewhere is called lied
the middle class. but which in this country
1s 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 luxury which could
sober; God,fearing people: intelligent and
boga Es nR 1ae sye Il
respecting. They looked down on nobody;
they, they never felt It pSssibls they could BE
homes Of probity. piety. patriotism. MT they hey
learned in the admirable school readers Of
50 years ago the lessons Of heroic and splen-
past. They read in their weekly newspa-
pers the story of the worlds progress. in
which they were eager to take part, and Of
which they burned to do b battle. Il was asa
serious and thoughtful time.
Early Influences.
It is not easy to give to those Of a later
generation any clear idea Of that extraor-
over the country at the first red signal fires
of the war between the states. In 1860 the
nation was going down into the Valley Of
debated on thousands Of platforms, which
had been discussed in countless publica-
lions. which, Numbered from innumerable
the bitter strife and dissension to which
orny cases OF conscience can give rise, was
everywhere pressing for solution.
In the south as we'll, below all the eff
feryescence and excitement of a people
than we. were. there was the profound
mons to decide whether honor and free
dom did not call them to revolution and
var It Is easy for Partisanship to that
was wrong: 1t is still easier for an indolent
magnanimity to say that both were right.
Perhaps !Rh IN the vide view Of ethics one is al!
tory is !, inexorable She takes no account
and @ that eide is rR IL ae wed
fights in harmony with the stars in their
courses. The men are right through whose
onward. and humanity moves to a higher
level and a brighter day.
men who h Are are lying ;1 to-day and who
m that ise f4es ear fs
and the sky when the long twilight of doubt
and uncertainty was ending and the time
of action had come. Patriotism, which had
been rhetorical expression, became pas
sionate emotion, in which instinct, logic
and feeling were fused. The country was
worth saving: 1t could be saved only by
fire; no sacrifice was too great: the young
men of the country were ready for the
sacrifice; come veal, come woe, they were
ready.
Mckinley ~ . Soldier.
At II years of age William Mckinley
heard this summons of his country. He
was the sort of youth to whom military
life in ordinary times would possess no at
fractions. His nature was far different
from that of the ordinary soldier. He had
other dreams of life, its prizes and pleas
ures, than that Of marches and battles.
But to his mind there was no choice or
question.
He enlisted as private; he learned to
obey. His serious. sensible ways, his
prompt, alert efficiency soon attracted the
attention of his Supporters. He was so
faithful in little things they gave him more
and 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 Presi-
dent Lincoln for gallantry in battle.
Speaking of the close of the war, Mr.. Hay
said: A conclusion had been reached
and 1t is to the everlasting honor of both
sides that they each knew when the war
was over. and the hour of lasting peace
had struck. We may admire the desperate
daring Of others who prefer humiliation to
nrnnnfSo hut ha no1v Of