Milford chronicle., 1903-01-30

name and in fact a free republic, for IL
started with a better equipment and un-
der more favorable conditions than had
Spanish-American commonwealth.
Finally, in the Philippines, the problem
was one of great cOmpleXity. There was
an insurrectionary party claiming to rep
resent the people of the islands and put
ting forth their claim with a certain spe-
ciOusness which deceived no small num-
Der of excellent men here at home and
which afforded to yet others a chance to
arouse a factious party spirit against the
president. OF course, looking back, II IS
now easy to see that it would have been
both absurd and wicked to abandon the
Philippine Archipelago and let the scores
of different tribes turn the Islands INTO
a weter of bloody saVagery, with the aD-
solute certainty that some strong power
would have to step in and take possess
sion. A weaker and less far sighted man
than President Mckinley would have
shrunk from task very ditflcult IN ltselI.
and certain to furnish occasion Tor at
tack and Misrepresentation no less than
for honest misunderstanding. But Fresl-
dent Mckinley never hinched- lie refused
to consider the thought of abandoning our
duty in our new possessions. Again his
policy was most amply vindicated Peace
has come TO the islands, together with
greater measure of individual liberty ana
self government than they have ever be-
President McKinley's second campaign
was fought mainly on the issue OF APP
proving what he had done in his nrst ad-
ministratiOn, and specifically what ne had
done as regards these problems springing
out of the war with spain. Ihe result
was that the popular verdict in his favor
was more overwhelming than 1t had oeen
before.
seen high and honorable effort crowned
with more conspicuous personal success
No other president entered upon his sec
ond term feeling such right to profound
and peaceful satisfaction. Then, by
stroke of horror, so strange in It's ran
tastic iniquity as to stand UNIQUE 1.,,1i5 IN tae
down. The brave, strong, gehlle neal neaI ! !
was stilled forever, and word was brought
to the woman who wept that she was 10
walk thenceforth alone in the shadow:
/ The hideous infamy of the deed shocked
the nation to its depths, Tor the man
thus struck at was in pecular sense
the champion Of the plain people, IN a
peculiar sense the representative ana the
exponent of those ideals which IL we
live up to them, will make as tney nave
largely made, our country Dlesseu Iel..
uge for all who strive to do right ana
10 live their lives simply and well as
light is given them. Inc lSll naIlon n Wes %
sense of bitter bereavement because Ihey
had lost a man whose heart beat FOR them
as the heart of Lincoln once haq oeaIen I,.l,
We did right to mourn, Ior tne loss was
| ours, not his. He died IN the golden
| fullness of his triumph. He died victor
! ious in that highest of all KINDS OF strlIe-
1 the strife for an ampler juster and more
| generous national life. For him the lau-
rel: but woe for those Whom ne ieII
]
| and woe to mankind that there shouiu
! exist creatures so foul that one OF them
| should strike at so noble a hte.
! We are gathered together to-nlsht 70
| recall his memory TO pay trlpute ol
| respect to the great CHIEF ana leadeT Wno
/ fell in the harness, who was strickeh exc I
/ down while his eyes were bright Wltnn
/ "the light that tells of triumph tasted.
| We can honor him best by the way we
1 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 Mckinley a leaqeI
! Of men, a mighty power for good-hls
strength, his courage; ms courtesy iiaI any
| dignity. his sense of justice, his ever
| present kindliness and regard Tor the
! rights of others. He won greatness by
meeting and solving the issues as they
| arose-nOt by shirking them-meetlns
! them with wisdom. with the exercise OF
the most skillful and cautious judgment
but with fearless resolution Wlen tnt
| time of crisis came. He met each crisis
on its own merits; he never sousnt e4,
| cuse for shirking a task IN the Iact ina
! II was different from the one ne had eN-
| nected to face. The long public career
| which opened when as boy ne carried
| a musket in the prime of his inteilecIua
! strength he stood among the world chlel
| statesmen. came to What II was Decauss ~
| he treated each triumph as opening the
| road to fresh effort, not an excuse fol
! ceasing from effort. He undertook migh
| fv tasks. Some of them he finished com
| pletely; others we must finish, ana LherS
| remain vet others which he did not nave
! 10 face but which if we are worthy tC
! he the inheritors of his principles, We
| will in turn face with the same resolutOH
! the same sanity, the same untalterlnB pc
| lief in the greatness of this country ans
| each and all of our people. which marked
| b{e high and splendid career.