Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-03-06
Strange Coincidence.

Strange Coincidence.
was emfnently fitting that the last
publlc ceremonial of sorrow for the la
mented Mckinley should take place In
the forum which had echoed his voice
IN the hHena where he won his spurs.
BY strange coincidence today was the
twentieth anniversary of tha, on which
the peerless Blk: inc In the same ham de-
llvered the eulogy upon the martyred
Galfleld anu, stranger still. the sub
Ject or todays memorial service was
chairman OF the committee that had
charge OF the arrangements on that
occasion. Who then could have dreamed
the man who escorted the then presi-
dent of the United States, and orator
or th2 day to their places, was destined
to be honored like Garfield. with the
highest place in the gift of his country
was to meet his sad fate and was him
SELF TO be the next martyred president
above whose grave the nation would
bow its head
only a year ago, In five days, at
the head of an imposing civic and mill
tary procession, Mckinley passed tri-
umphantly along Pennsylvania avenue
Tor his second inaugural Six months
later the tragedy occurred at Buffalo.
and another but different sort of
cession tenderly bore his body through
streets to the rotunda of the capitol,
where brief funeral Grafton was de-
llvered over his cofnn, and the trib-
utes of the nations of the earth about
his bier bespoke the universal sorrow.
Today once more, with uncovered
head. the nation paid it's last tribute
of respect and publicly expressed its
living grief. Again the broad avenue
vas filled with vast crowds a $ they
were a year ago. Then the streets
nF ,rljn t "a
waving plumes and the air was filled
with the music of hundred tongued
bands To-day all was
changed. The procession was unorgan-
tied izea u Ne tl,g m t1.. music lghtened the
air. The only pageant was the clat-
tering of the troops of cavalry escort
ing Prince Henry and party to the
capitol and carriages here and there
officers In uniform or dipio-
mats In court costume to the place
where the culogy was to be delivered.
That was the extent of the outward
spectacle Tho only emblem of mourn
ing of the capitol was the flags flutter-
ing at halfmast above the two wings,
and on the great archng dome.
Scene In the House.
At 10 o'clock tho doors of the house
opened, and In five minutes the spa
cious galleries surrounding the cham
Der were dense with black rows of
people.
Even the aisles were filled. but the
crowding and jamning which have
marred so many state occasions today
were avoided, as the tickets issued
We're limited strictly to the number
of seats provided. only one WAS given
to each senator and representative and
the gathering in galleries was most
distinguished one. The fact that few
of the ladies wore bright gowns was es-
pecially noticeable. In the area in front
of the speakers rostrum heavy leather
upholstered fauteuils had been placed
for the accommodation of the pres-
dent, Prince Henry. the cabinet, gen
eral of the army and justices Of the
supreme court The first two rows
on the democratic side We're reserved
for the diplomatic corps and four rows
Immediately behind them for members
of the senate. Governors of states,
umbia. the judiciary of the district
heads of departments and other invited
guests sat back of the senator's
AT 11:40 the strains of the inter
,pezzo from the Cavalleria Rusticana
noated through the hall. and the dip
lomatic corps marched in preceded by
the sergeant at arms of the house. The
foreign ambassadors and ministers did
not appear in their court costumes, but
in somber frock suits BETTING the oc-
casion, with the exception of the
Chinese minister. who was attired in
his rich costume of SILK.
Hays Address.
When the speaker called the house to
order at noon every available seat In
the chamber was occupied and many
persons stood in the aisles.
After the reading Of the journal the
doorkeeper announced the senate The
members arose as the senators filed in
and took the seats assigned them.
Then came General Miles. followed
by the diplomatic corps Then came
Prince Henry, dressed in the uniform
corted by Foraker and Grosvenor to a
seat next the one reserved for the pres
ident. The members of the supreme
court were next announced Then
came the president and cabinet.
All now being ready Senator FRYE
called the assemblage to ORDER and
after fervent prayer by the house
chaplain, Or. Couden, he introduced
the order of the day.
With impressive dignity Secretary
Hay arose and spoke in part as fol-
lows:
For the third time the congress of the
crate the life and the death of a president
slain by the hand of an assassin The at.
tention of the future historian will be at
tracted to the features which reappear
with startling sameness in all three OF
these awful crimes; the usessness,
the utter lack of consequence of the act;
the obscurity, tho insgnihcance of the
criminal: the blamelessness-s far as in