The Cooperstown courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., N.D.) 1902-1913, 1903-02-05


of the late President Mckinley. His
address was the principal feature OF
q banquet given under the auspices OF
the Canton Republican league in COM
memoration of the birthday of Pres1-
dent Mckinley, whose former personal
friends and political and business as
sociates attended in large numbers.
Foremost In Political Life.
President Roosevelt said in part:
cit was given to President Mckinley
to take the foremost place in our po-
litical life at a time when our country
was brought face to face with prob
lens more momentous than any whose
solution we have ever attempted, save
only in the revolution and in the civil
war; and it was under his leadership
that the nation solved these mighty
problems Alright. Therefore he shall
stand in the eyes Of history not mere
" as the first man of his generation,
but as among the greatest figures in
our national life, coming second only
to the men of the two great crises in
which the union was founded and pre-
served"
Praises His Genius.
The president outlined McKinley's
military and political career, down to
the date of the convention when he
was nominated for president, gave a
detailed and eulogistic account Of his
delicate and masterful handling of the
grave questions preceding, accom-
panying, and following upon the war
with Spain, and of his genius, shown
in handling the complicated situations
in Cuba and the Philippines. Continu-
ing the president said:
He Died Victorious.
ssNo other president in our history
has seen high and honorable effort
crowned with more conspicuous per-
sonal success. No other president en-
tered upon his second term feeling
such right to profound and peaceful
satisfaction. Then, by stroke OF
horror, so strange in its fantastic in
EQUITY as to stand unique in the black
annals of crime, he was struck down.
The hideous infamy Of the deed
shocked the nation to its depth, and
the people mourned with a sense OF
bitter bereavement because they had
lost q man whose heart beat for them
as the heart of Lincoln once had
beaten. He died in the golden full
ness of his triumph. He died victo-
rious in that highest of all kinds of
strife-the strife for an ampler, juster
and more generous national life.
An Eloquent Tribute.
eve are gathered together tonight
to recall his memory, to pay our TIL
butte to the great chief and leader who
fell in the harness, who was stricken
down while his eyes were bright with
the light that tells of triumph tasted
We can honor him best by the way we
show in actual deed that we have taken
to heart the lessons Of his life. We
must strive to achieve, each in the
measure that he can, something of the
qualities which made President Nc
Kinley leader of men, a mighty power
for good-his strength, his courage.
his courtesy and dignity, his sense of
Justice, his ever present kindness and
regard for the rights of others.
He Never Sought Excuse.
.He won greatness by meeting and
solving the issues as they arose-not
by Sinking them-meeting them with
wisdom, with the exercise of the most
skillful and cautious judgment, but
with fearless resolution when the time
of crisis came. He met each crisis on
its own merits; he never sought ex-
cuse for Sinking a task in the fact that
it was different from the one he had
expected to face. He undertook many
tasks. Some of them he finished COM
pletely; others we must finish; and
there remain yet others which he did
not have to face, but which if we are
worthy to be the inheritors of his prin-
ciples we will in our turn face with the
same resolution, the same sanity, the
same unfaltering belief in the great
ness of this country, and unfaltering
companionship of the rights of each
and all of our people, which marked his
high and splendid career"
other Speakers.
Gen. Luke E. Wright was announced
as the next speaker, and he paid
glowing tribute to the life and char
acter of President Mckinley, and then
reviewed the manner in which Presi-
dent Mckinley dealt with the prob
lens arising out of the acquisition of
the Philippine islands and in putting
down armed opposition to American
authorities.
Charles Emery Smith also spoke
briefly in eulogy of President McKin-
ley, and Secretary of War Root spoke
in praise of the army.
Visits the Tomb.
At the conclusion of the banquet the
President and party were driven to
the station, and shortly after one
o'clock the special train started for
Washington.
During the day the president and his
party called on Mrs. Mckinley, and
were then driven to the Westlawn
cemetery to visit the tomb of the late
president. There the president and
the entire party paid silent tribute
of respect to the memory of the dis
tinguished dead.