The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1902-03-08
SECRETARY HAYS DLOGY
Pays Eloquent Tribute to Memory
of the Late William
Mckinley.
SAYS he WAS A TYPICAL AMERICAN.
Comprehensive summary of Memo
rial Address Delivered by Invita-
tion oESCongress-Martyr Presi-
dent VIII Rank with the Greatest
OF American Statesmen.

Qent Will tahk WIN inc OEcutcst
OF American Statesmen.
For the third time the congress of the
United States Is assembled TO comment
crate the life and the death of president
slain by the hand OF an assassin. The at
tention or the future historian Will be at
tracted to the features which reappear with
startling sameness in all three OF these
awful crimes: the uselessness, the utter
lack OF consequence OF the act; the OBJ
scurity, the inSigniicance OF the criminal;
the blamelessness-so far as in our sphere
OF existence the best of men may be held
blameless-of the victim. Not one OF our
murdered presidents had an enemy In the
world; they were all of such preeminent
purity Of Lie that no pretext could be given
Tor the attack OF passional crime; they
could never have offended the most jeal-
Gus advocates Of equality; they were OF
kindly and generous nature. TO whom
crate fortune. whose slender means no.
body could envy. They were men of aus
tere virtue, Of tender heart, OF eminent
single minds to the good of the republic. IL
aver men walked before God and man
without blame, 1t was these three rulers OF
their lives offered was their gentle radi-
ance-to eyes hating the light that was Of
Tense enough.
absolute folly OF the crime even from an
anarchisuc standpoint, he said: The
stupid uselessness of such an infamy at
fronts the common sense of the world One
can conceive how the death OF a dictator
may change the political conditions Of an
empire; how the extinction of a narrowing
line of kings may bring in an alien dynas-
ty. But in a well ordered republic like
ours. the ruler may fall. but he)state feels
no tremor. Our beloved and revered leader
is gone-but the natural process of our laws
provides US successor. identical In pur-
pose and ideals, nourshed by the same
teachings inspired by the same principles
pledged by tender affection as we'll as by
high loyalty to carry to completion the i'm
mense task committed to his hands, and to
smite with iron severity every manifesto
ton of that hideous crime which his mild
predecessor. with his dying breath. for
gave The sayings of celestial wisdom have
no date; the words that reach US, over 1000
to-day: "They know not what they do"
The blow struck at our dear friend and
ruler was. as deadly as blind hate could
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
among the nations bound to us by the ties
Of familiar intercourse-who can forget
that wise and mild autocrat who had
earned the proud title OF the Liberator?
that enlightened and magnanimous cii-
zen whom France still mourns? that brave
and chivalrous king OF Italy who only lived
for his people? and saddest OF ALL that
hoysy and Pagr,; wh9se
the luminosity of a demon. Against that
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
duce 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. He
was neither rich nor poor neither proud
nor humble; he knew no hunger he was not
sure OF satisfying, no luxury which could
enervate mind or body. His parents were
sober. God-fearing people; intelligent and
upright; without pretension and without
boys like himself: wholesome, honest self
respecting. They looked down on nobody;
felt It they could be
homes of probity. piety. patriotism. They
learned in the admirable school readers of
did life which have come down from the
past. They read in their weekly newspa-
pers the story OF the worlds progress, In
the sims snd Wrongs Of With
which they burned to do battle. 1t was a
serious and thoughtful time.
Early Influences.
1t is not easy to give to those Of later
binary spiritual awakening which passed
over the country at the first red signal fires
of the war between the states; In 1850 the
nation was going down into the Valley OF
Decision. The question which had been
debated on thousands of platforms, which
lions, which, Numbered from innumerable
pupits, had caused in their congregations
the bitter strife and dissension to which
only cases of conscience can give rise, was
everywhere pressing for solution.
In the south as WELL below all the eff
fervescence and excitement of people
perhaps more given to eloquent speech
agony of question and answer the sum
mons to decide whether honor and free
war. 1t is easy for partisanship to say that
the one side was right and that the other
was wrong; 1t is still easier for an indolent
Perhaps in the wide view of ethics one is al
ways right to follow his conscience. though
It lead him to disa ster and death. But his
OF sentiment and intention; and in her cold
and luminous eyes that side Is right which
fights In harmony with the stars In their
efforts and struggles the world Is helped
onward, and humanity moves to higher
level and brighter day.
were young In 1860 will never forget the
glory. and glamour that filled the. earth
enpT agd 81
Of action had come. Patriotism. which had
been a rhetorical expression, became a pas
sionate emotion, in which instinct, logic
and feeling were fused. The country was
worth saving; II 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 as n Soldier.
At II years OF age William Mckinley
heard this summons of his country. He
life In ordinary times would possess no at
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 a private; he learned to
obey. His serious. sensible ways, his
prompt, alert efficiency soon attracted the
attention Of his supcrfors. He was so
faithful In little things they gave him more
and more to do. He was untfring 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 gallaptry In battle.
Speaking Of the close OF the war, Mr.. Hay
said: A conclusion had been reached
and II 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 annihilatiop to
compromise, but the palm of common
sense. and, I will say, OF enlightened pa
triotism, belongs to the men like Grant and
Lee, who knew when they had fought