The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-03-07

chaplain, DR.. Couden, he introduced
the order of h day.
With impressive dignity Secretary
Hay arose and spoke in part as fol-
lows:
For the third time the congress of the
United States are assembled to
crate the life and the death Of a president
slain by the hand of an assassin. The at
tracted to the features which reappear
with startling sameness in all three of
these awful crimes: the uslessness,
the utter lack OF consequence of the act:
the obscurity, the insignificance of the
criminal; the amelessness-so far as in
our sphere OF existence the best of men
may be held blameless-of the victim.
The stupid uselessness of such an in
fanny, a~ffronts the common sense of the
world. One can conceive how the death
OF a dictator may change the political
ton Of a narrowing line of kings may
bring in AN alien dynasty. But in a we'll
ordered republic like ours, the ruler may
ran, but the state feels no tremor. Our
beloved and revered leader Is gone-but
the natural process of our laws provides
us a successor. Identical in purpose and
IDEALS, nourished 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
Inense task committed TO his hands, and
festation of that hideous crime which his
forgave. ~
our minds cannot discern the origin,
perverse and so cruel; but this does not
exempt us from the duties OF trying to
control ana counterfeit 1t. This problem
OF anarchy Is dark and intricate, but 1t
ugh TO be within the compass OF dem
ocratlc Recommendations no sane
mlnd can fathom the mystery OF these
Cntracked and orbitless natures-to guard
against their alterations, to take away
from them the hope of escape, the long
luxury, OF scandalous days in court, the
un"no!sone sympathy of hysterical de-
generates, and SO by degrees to make the
crime not worth committing, even to these
abnormal and distorted souls.
As to Remedies.
1t would be prcsumptuous for me in this
presence TO suggest the details of remedial
legislation for a malady so malignant.
mat task may safely be left to the skill
ana patience of the national congress-,
any such emergency. The country be-
NeVeS that the memory of these three
murdered comrades Of yours-all of whose
voices still haunt these walls-will be a
sutncient inspiration to enable you to
solve even this abstruse and painful prob
ZEN. which has dimmed SO many pages
OF history with blood and with tears.
The life of William Mckinley was, from
ms birth to his death. typically American.
There is no environment. | should say,
inyWhere else in the world which could
iioouSc just Suc1 a character. he was
porn into that way of life which elswhere
Is called the middle class, but which in
this country is so nearly universal as to
make of other classes an almost negligi-
Die quantity. He was neither rich nor
poor-neither proud nor humble: he
knew no hunger he was not sure OF sat
!sfying, no luxury which could enervate
mind or body. His parents We're sober.
God-fearing people; intelligent and up
right; without ~pretentions and without
humility. He grew up in the company of
boys like himself: wholesome. honest,
self-respecting. They looked down on no.
body; they never felt it possible they
could be looked down upon. Their houses
were the homes of probity. piety, patriot
ism. They learned in the admirable
school readers Of fifty years ago the les
sons Of heroic and splendid life which
have come down from the past. They
read in their weekly newspapers the story
of the worlds progress, 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 seri-
GUS 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 Il time was coming when to them
should be addressed the stern admonition
of the apostle, Quit you like men; be
strong"