The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-09-16

and master, without rival, in the
great crisis of our history? -
LINCOLN AND, M'KINLEY. 3
What gave him such mighty
power?To me the answer is simple;
pie. He walked with and among
them. He recognized the Importance
and power of an enlightened public
sentiment and was guided by it. Even
amid the vicissitudes of war he con-
cealed little from public view and in
spection. In all he did he invited
rather than evaded examination and
criticism. He submitted his plans
and purposes, as far as practicable, to
public consideration with perfect
frankness and sincerity. There was
such homely simplicity in his clarac-
ter that it could not be nedged in by
the pomp of place or the ceremonies
of high official station. He was so
accessible to the public that he SEEM
ed to take the whole people into his
confidence. Here, perhaps, was one
secret of his power. The people
never lost their confidence in him,
however, much they unconsciously
added to his personal discomfort and
trials. His patience was almost super
human, and who will say that he was
mistaken in the treatment of the
thousands who thronged continually
about him? More than once when re-
preached for permitting visitors to
crowd upon him he asked in panied
surprise: "Why,-what harm does
this confidence In men do me? I get
only good and inspiration from it,"
How unconsciously, yet how
truthfully, in this picture he holds
the mirror up to his own character
and conduct.
mo less faithfully has he drawn his
own portrait when saying of him:
Lincoln had that happy, peculiar
habit. which few public men have at
tained, of looking away from the de-
ceptive and misleading influence about
him--and none are more deceptive
than those of public life in our cap
itals--straight into the hearts of the
people. He could not be deceived by
the self-interested host of eager
counsellors who sought to enforce
their own peculiar views upon him as
the views of the country. He chose
to determine for himself what the
people were thinking about and want
ing to do, and no man ever lived who
was more accurate judge of their
opinions and wishes
TERMS OF PEACE WITH SPAIN.
william Mckinley knew that a
war begun without exhausting every
means of reaching an honorable peace
would not be justified by the sober
sense of the people. He knew that
neither law nor fact, when fully dis
cussed and fairly developed, would
justify the recognition Of the so.
called Cuban republic, and he stood
like rock against the folly of such
course, and time has vindicated the
wisdom OF his position. When his
mind was made up he was firm and
immovable. Seeing the advice and
listening to the opinions of others
associated in the responsibilities of
ecutive head of the government and
took the responsibility of ultimate de-
cision upon himself. All the terms of
the peace were as clear to him when
Spain first asked for them as they
ever were, save the disposition of the
Philippine islands-there he wished
for investigation and deliberation.
Turn again to his picture of Lin
coin: He was neither an autocrat
nor tyrant; if he moved slowly
sometimes it was better to move slow
ly, and like the successful general he
was, he was only waiting for his re-
serves to come up. Possessing almost
unlimited power, he yet carried him
self like one of the humblest of men.
He weighed every subject. He con-
sidered and reflected upon every
phase of public duty. He got the
average Judgment Of the plain peo-
ple.'
"As truly as Abraham Lincoln, WI
liam Mckinley believed that this
average judgment was the power that
should control In the public aaffirs
of free people.
SPEECH AT BUFFALO.
Burke has said: A disposition to
preserve and an ability to improve,
taken together, would be my stand
ard Of statesman William McKin-
ley's career was a steady growth from
49, Sitieh iheo PubiiS iihS " liz
last speech at Buffalo, which comes to
us with the force of the last words
Of wisdom and the tender beauty OF a
benediction. The first of protection
lists, he lived to see his country de-
velop until it led the manufacturing
nations Of the world, when more mar
kets must be sought for our products,
and he boldly declared for an enlight-
ened policy which should seek the
reciprocal trade of the world without
impairing the present high standard
of American production and wages.
I'm touching words, bidding fare
well to his neighbors and townsmen,
when leaving them to take up the
duties of the presidency, he
declared: TO all of US the future is
as sealed book; but II i can by
official act or administration or utter
ance in any degree add to the pros
perity and unity Of our beloved coun-
try, and the advancement and we'll
being of our splendid citizenship, !
will devote the hest and most nm