Evening journal., 1903-01-28

when last May the island became IN
name and In fact free republic, Tor II
started with better equipment ana un-
der more favorable conditions than had
ever previously been the case with any
Spanish American commonwealth.
Finally in the Philippines, the problem
was one of great complexlty. There was
an insurrecuonary party claiming 70 rep
resent the people OF the Islands and put
ens ss IorhH Which Will decelved % no smali num-
Der Of excellent men here at home. ana
which afforded to yet others chance to
arouse u factlous party spirit against the
presldent. OF course looking back Il Is
now easy to see that IL would have been
both absurd and wicked to abandon the
Philippine Archipelago ana let the scores
Of different tribes turn the islands Into
a welter OF bloody savaBery, with the alb
solute certainty that some strong power
sion Tonio nss WEAKER S and less ' FAR sighted man
than President Mckinley would nave
shrunk from task veryA1 1ihcult IN itself.
and certain TO furnish occasion Tor at
tack and Misrepresentation no less than
for honest MISUNDERSTANDING But Iresl-
dent Mckinley never hlnched. 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-
fore known.
President McKlnley's second campaign
was fought mainly on the issue OF ap-
proving what he had done In his nrst ad-
fninistration, and specifically what he had
done as regards these problems springing
| out OF the war with Spain. The result
| was that the popular verdict IN MS faNor
was more Overwhelming than it had been
no other president I'm our history has
| seen high and honorable effort crowned
/ with more conspicuous personal success.
/ No other president entered upon his Sec
| ond term feeling such right TO a profound
/ and peaceful satisfaction. Then, by
stroke Of horror so strange IN IT'S IAN
| tastic iniQulty as to stand unique in the
| black annals of crime. he was struck
| down. The brave, strong, gentle heart
/ was stilled forever. and word was brought
/ to the woman who wept that she was TO
| walk thenceforth alone in the shadow.
| The hideous infamy Of the deed shocked
the nation TO its depths for the man
| thus struck at was In n peculiar sense
i the champion OF the plain people, in a
| peculiar sense the representative ana the
| exponent OF those ideals which II we
live up TO them, will make, as they have
largely made, our country a blessed ref-
/ uge for all who strive TO DO right ana
70 live their lives simply and well as
J light Is given them. The nation was
| stunned, and the people mourned with q
| sense Of bitter bereavement because they
had lost man whose heart beat for tnem
as the heart OF Lincoln once had beaten,
| We did right TO mourn, for the loss was
ours, not his. lie died in the golden
fullness Of his triumph. He died victor.
ious In that highest OF all kinds Of strife
the strife for an ampler, 1uster ana more
generous national life. For him the lau.
Il
behind; woe to the nation that lost him
and woe TO mankind that there SHOULD
exist creatures so foul that one of then
should strike at 50 noble a life.
We are gathered together tonight tS
recall his memory, to pay tribute O
respect to the great chief and leader wh'
fell In the harness, who was stricken
down while his eyes We're bright Will
"tho light that tells of triumph tasted
J We can honor him best by the way WI
show In actual deed that we have takeI
10 heart the lessons OF his life. we mus
, strive to achieve. each In the measure
that he can, something of the qualities
which made President Mckinley leade
OF men, mighty power for good-hii
strength. his courage, his courtesy an'
} dignity, his sense of Justice, his eve
} rights OF others. He won greatness b.
{ | meeting and solving the issues as thel
arose-not by shirking them-meetinl
them with wisdom. with ihe exercise o
| hut with fearless resolution when tn
time Of crisis came. He met each crisi
on its own merits, he never sought eX
cuse for Sinking a task IN the fact tina
pected to face. The long public career
which opened when as a boy he carried
q musket i'm the prime Of his intellectual
strength he stood among the worlds chile
statesmen. came 20 what It was becaus
he treated each triumph as opening tn
road to fresh effort, not an excuse 70
+ ceasing from effort. He undertook Nigh
) pletely: others we must finish. and ther
remain yet others which he did not hav
/ to face. but which. II we are worthy Z
) be the inheritors of his principles. W
will In turn face with the same resolution
! the same sanity. the same unfalterlng be
. lief in the greatness Of this country, an
! unfalterng championship OF the. rights o
( each and all OF our people, which marke
| his high and splendid career.