Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-05-08

ed by Mr. McKialey as minister to
Brazil. but then Republican member
of the Illinois Legisla ature; "What
kind of man is this fellow, Altgald?'
AN absolutely honest many, he re-
piled. "He stands with his liand firm
~ on the throat of the thieves who
would rob the state. have no ques-
tion that he could have half millions
at any time II he would turn his back
and ignore the attempts which are be-
ing made on the state treasury" This.
from Il staunch Republican, interest
ed me, and later on, while eli route
across the continent, q telegram TO
Governor Altgcld brought an invita-
tlon to meet him in Chicago.
The preceding day there had been Il
Democratic convention in Michigan
The papers cf the morning con
tained an account of how the dele.
gates had sold themselves after ad-
journing the convention in order to per-
nit the bribery to be consummated. 1t
seemed at that time as If the spirit of
corruption was over everything. Both
national parties were in the hands of
men who apparently proposed to use
them TO advance private interests.
| found sick man sitting in deep
chair, his hend thrown forward, look
ing the picture of detection, grave.
severe face. cut lip which would have
been disfigurement without the intel
lectual head above. | have seldom
seen more hopeless man At that
time he had been misreprcscnted, in
the yilest terms, In two-thrds OF the
press of the United States. 10
read the accounts you would have be-
lieved him low, illiterate, dishonest
and capable Of almost any crime. He
himself recognized that, in adminis-
terlng with the highest intentions the
duties of his Office, he had drawn up
on himself a hatred that had never
been equalled in American politics. He
also knew that he had lost his fortune
and recognized that his health was
gone, and Oh the day in question it
seemed as if such efforts as he had
made had been entirely in vain.
II was impossible for me to estimate
truly at this time the great soul of this
man. | am thankful, however, that /,
in some measure. gagged his real char
actcr, and that sought every occa-
sion afterwards to see more of the
man and have the opportunity TO hear
him discourse. j can say now, In all
sincerity, that | believe him TO have
been absolutely true to his ideal of
justice and human brotherhood at ev-
cry moment Of his career. Without
n single one of the arts of the orator,
he stood upon the Platform, gloomy and
forbidding while he held his audi.
cnces spellbound by the force of his
splendid intellect.
And what death.
\ soldier of humanity with armour
on, standing in the foremost ranks,
defending the cause he loved above
all others, these were his dying words:
Il am not discouraged. Things will
right themselves A pendulum swings
one way and then another, but the
steady pull of gravtation is toward
the center of the earth. Any struc-
ture must. be plumb If 1t is to endure.
So it is with nations. Wrong may
seem to triumph; right may seem ia
he defented but the gravitar1on of
eternal justice Is upward toward the
throne of God Any. political insti-
tuition, If 1t is to cndmrc, must he
plumb with that line of Justice"
Then he fell TO tho platform, and,
with one word Of recollection for his
wife, the end had come. Was ever
before devoted life rewarded with a
more magnificent death?
JOHN BRISBEN WALKER.