The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-28

dying breath, forgave. The sayings of
celestial wisdom have no date: the
words that reach us, over two thou
sand years. out of the darkest hour
of gloom the world has ever known.
are true to the life to-day: "Thev
know not what they do" The blow
struck at our dear friend and ruler
was as deadly as blind hate could make
1t; but the blow struck at anarchy was
deadlier STILL
Paradox of Crime.
What a world of insoluble problems
such an event eXcites in the mindl
NOT merely in its personal, but in its
PUBIC aspects, it presents a paradox
not to be comprehended. Under a sys-
tenn or government so free and so i'm
partial that we recognize it's existence
only by its benefactions; under a social
order so purely democratic that classes
cannot exist in it, affording opportuni-
ties so universal that even conditions
are as changing as the winds, where
the laborer of to-day is the capitalist
OF tomorrow; under laws which are
the result of ages of evolution, so uni
form and so benehcent that the Presi-
dent has just the same rights and
privileges as the artisan; we see the
same hellish growth of hatred and
murder which dogs equally the foot
steps of benevolent monarchs and
blood-stained despots. How many coun-
tries can join with us in the community
of kindred sorrow! I will not speak
OF those distant regions where assassi-
nation enters into the daily life of
government But among the nations
bound to us by the ties of familiar in
tercourse-who can forget that wise
and mild Autocrat who had earned the
proud title of the Liberator? that en-
lightened and magnanimous citizen
whom France still mourns? that brave
and chivalrous King of Italy, who on
ly lived for his people? and, saddest of
all, that lovely and sorrowing Empress,
whose harmless life could hardly have
excited the animosity of demon.
Against that devilish spirit nothing
avails-neither virtue, nor patriot
ism, nor age, nor youth, nor
conscience, nor pity. We can not
even say that education is sufficient
safeguard against this baleful evil
for most of the wretches whose crimes
have so shocked humanity in recent
years are men not unlettered. who have
gone from the common schools, through
murder, to the scaffold.
1t would be presumptious for me in
this presence to suggest the details of
remedial legislation for a malady so
malignant That task may safely be
left to the skill and patience of the
national Congress, which has never
been found unequal to any such emer
gency. The country believes that the
memory of three murdered comrades of
yours-all of whose voices still haunt
these walls-will be a sufficient inspi-
ration to enable you to solve even this
abstruse and painful problem, which
has dimmed so many pages of history
with blood and with tears.
A Typical American.
The life of William Mckinley was,
from his birth to his death, typically
American. There is no environment, /
should say, anywhere else in the world
which could produce just such a char
acter. He was born into that way of
life which elsewhere Is called the mid
die 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 lux
ury which could enervate mind or
body. His parents were sober God
fearing people; intelligent and upright;
without pretension and without humil-
ity. He grew up in the company of
boys like himself; wholesome, honest.
self-respecting. They looked down on
nobody; theyinever felt it possible they
could be looked down upon. Their
houses were the homes of probity,
piety, patriotism. They learned in the
admirable school readers of fifty years
ago the lessons of heroic and splendid
life which have come down from the
past. They read in their weekly news
papers the story of the worlds pro-
greSs, in which they were eager to
take part, and of the sins and wrongs
Of civilization with which they burned
to do battle. 1t was a serious and
thoughtful time. The boys of that day
felt dimly but deeply, that days of
sharp struggle and high achievement
were before them. They looked at life
with the wondering yet resolute eyes
of a young esquire in his vigil of arms.
They felt time was coming when to
them should be addressed the stern
admonition of the Apostle, "Quit you
like men; be strong"
At II years of age William Mckinley
heard his summons of this country. He
was the sort of youth to whom a mill
tary life in ordinary times would pos
sess no attractions. His nature was
far different from that of the ordinary
soldier. He had other dreams of life,
it's prizes and pleasures, than that of
marches and battles. But to his mind
there was no choice or question. The
banner floating in the morning breeze
was the beckoning gesture of his coun-
try. The thrilling notes of the trumpet
called him-him and none other-into
the ranks.
William Mckinley, one of that SEN
sible million of men, gladly laid down |
his sword and betook himself to his |
books. He quickly made up the time
lost in soldering. He attacked his |