The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1903-12-02

Cannons doomed. bands played, torches
blazed and people cheered in honor of
the citizen who had been thus dis
tinguished by his fellows.
Last week the crowds we're present
but tears had taken the place of the
cheering, there were flowers in the
place OF the torches, and the solemn
Dead March" of the band had sue
ceeded the lively stirring airs OF the
former occasion.
But after all the same thought ran
through both observances, both were
efforts to fittingly commemorate the
great events of great career, the one
to celebrate the civic triumph of
fellow citizen, the other to observe
with proper pomp and solemnity the
glorious close when Death crowns all.
On both occasions there we're the
large mass of the simply curious, still
others within self interest had brought
to the scene, and yet others, the sim
cere friends, whose hearts rejoiced in
the victory of eight years agone and
whose grief was genuine as they saw
their friend carried to his last rest.
1t was our pleasure to know Francis
Marion Drake intimately and we'll
during the two years of his admins
tration and during the six months pre-
ceeding his election to the Governor
ship. Although the time was short
it served. to show US the beauty and
the strength, the simplicity and the
honesty, the steadfastness and the
earnestness CT character that will
grow in brightness as the years recede
and that will mark General Drake as
( one of the greatest men Iowa has pro-
duced Long after the memory of
more polished men, more astute poll
ticians, more wiley statesman has
passed into oblivion, the rugged. sim
pie honesty of Governor Drake will
stand out in bright relief.
Weshall leave to others the tale of
the Governors public philanthropies,
the score of his business successes and
his military bravery, but as we have to
tell of General Drake as we knew him,
as the man of sixty-fve, already wear
ing the silver crown of age. already
enjoying the affluence of a successful
business career, and plunged for prac-
tically the first time into the vortex of
politics, the storm center of conflicting
elements and factions land ambitions,
and bearing himself through it all as
a simple, great hearted. generous
minded man, steadfast friend, a
lenient enemy and possessed of those
virtues that make for greatness in
every age and cline.
AS is the case with most public men,
Ger eral Drake was assailed with ca
lumny and SANDER. When such charges
were made, he met Them boldly and
unflinchin ,ly; proved them untrue and
passed on, and no man ever saw one
trace of malice in his heart toward his
traducers although more than once he
had them in his power. aIt is due to the
memory of our friend to say that these
charges which saddened the last year
of his administration, were wholly I'M
true and without foundation, and we
believe that no one was more intimate.
or had better opportunity of knowing
the governors every act at that time,
than ourselves.
Governor BRAKES administration
was comparatively ureventful but no
man can be governor of Iowa without
being confronted daily with problems
that require honesty, plain dealing,
tact and ability. No one has ever been
able to point to one discreditabe act of
the Drake administration; no one has
been able to show that during his time
in Office he ever used his official posi-
ton to favor any one of the corporate
interests in which he was large hold
or.
In fact it was his strict adherence 10
ideals of duty which prompted the ma
licious charges set on foot by those who
found that General Drake was govern
or in fact as we'll as in name, and not
the plant tool they had thought him.
The Savior said I'm as much as ye
have done it unto the least of these,
even so have ye done it unto me-" If
this be supreme test of christianity
Governor Drake could read his title
clear to all the promises the Good SOCK
MAKES No man was more conslderate
of others, more kindly, more careful
not to offend With him it was evel
others first and himself afterward Il
was this that made the governor such
lovable character. One might admire
others, one light stand in awe of some
but one loved General Diake
Space does not permit us to tell al
the acts of private charity; acts un
known to the world and to tie press
J1, tba hi