The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-02-27
HAYS SPEECH
Continued from page two.

palled a man of less serene and tran
auil self confidence. a man either
4 weak or rash. either irresolute or
headstrong, might have brought ruin
on himself and incalculable uarm to
the country. / believe that ,he YER
dict Of history will be that he met all
the grave questions with perfect yalor
and incoaquerable ability; hat in
graphing with them he rose to the full
height of a great occasion IN a manner
which rebounded to the lasting bene
fit Of the country and to his own inn
mortal honor
In dealing with loreisn powers he
win take rank with the greatest of
our diplomaHsts. Vt was a world Of
Y which he had little special knowledge
9 before coming to the presidency. But
his marvellous adapaDiiity was in
nothing more remarkable than in the
firm grasp he Immediately displayed
in international relations BY patti
ence, by frmness, by sheer reasonable
ness, he improved our understanding
with all the great powers OF the world
and rightfully gained the blessing
which belonged to the peacemakers.
But the achievements Of the nation
in war and diplomacy are thrown in
the shade by the vast economical dc
velopments which took place during
Mr. McKinleys administration The
most extravagant promises made by
the sanguine Mckinley advocates Eve
/ years ago are left out of sight by the
sober facts The debtor nation has
become the chief creditor nation" l
will not waste your time by explaining
that do not invoke for any man the
credit of the vast results. The cap
tain can not claim that it is he who
drives the mighty steamship over the
l tumbling billows of the t.aclless deep;
4 but praise is justly due MIN if he has
i made the best of her tremendous
powers. if he has read Alright The cur
rents Of the sea aud the lessons of the
! stars. and we should be ungrateful, If
4 in this hour of prodigious prosperity
we should fail to remember that VIII
4 lam Mckinley with sublime faith fore
4 saw It, with indomitable courage la
! bored for It, put his whole heart and
mind into the work Of bringing it
about: that it was his voice which in
dark hours, rang out, heralding the
coming light, as over the twilight
waters Of the Nile the mystic cry OF
Memnon announced the dawn TO
Egyp- waking from sleep.
Mr.. Mckinley was reelected by an
overwhelming majority. There had
9 been little doubt Of The result among
well informed people but when it was
known. profound feeling Of clief ald
renewal Of trust were eyident among
the leaders of capital and of industry
not only i'm his country but every
where They felt tha, the immediate
future was secure. and ;aat trade and
commerce might safely push forward
in every field Of effort ana enterprise.
He i1spi cd universal confidence,
which is the life blood Of the CONNER
cial system of the world
The obvious elements which enter
into the fame Of a public man are few
and by no means reconcile. The nan
who alls a great staJlcn in q period Of
change. who leads his country sue
ceeetul,y h-ougb time Of crisis; who
4 by his power OF p,rsualing and con
trolling others has been able 20 com
mand tle best thought of his age, so
as to lead his country IN a moral or
material condition in ucyance OF
where he found it-suCa mans po
sition in history is secure. If. in adj
dition TO this. his written or spoken
words possess the 6uDCe qualities
which carry them fa. and lodge then
in mems hearts, and, more than all
if his utterances and actions while in
formed with a lofty morality are ye
tinged with lie glow OF human sympa
tay. the fame OF such a man will shine
like a beacon through the mists o
ages-an object OF reverence, OF imita
tion and of love It should be to III
an occasion OF solemn pride that il
the three great crises of ous histor
such man Was not deaied us. Tn
moral value o a nation or a renow
such as Walhington's and Lincoln
and McKineys Is beyond All ccmpI
tation. No loftier idear can be hel
up TO the emulation o. ingenuou
youth with such examples we ca
MOI De wholly ignoble grateful as W