The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-28
LIFE AND WORK
Of Mr.. M'KIkLEY.
Continued from page Five,

cradle. President Mckinley had fought
too well in his youth ne knew too well
at first what war really was. lightly TO
enter into a struggle. He sought by
every honorable means TO preserve peace,
to avert war. He made every effort con-
sistent with the national honor - bring
about an amicable settlement OF the Gu
ban difficulty. Then. when IL became
evident that these efforts were useless.
that peace could not be honorably enter
tained. ne devoted his strength I'm making
the war as short and az decisive as pos-
sibe
In cuba. where we were pledged to give
the island independence. the pledge was
kept. not merely IN letter, but I'm spirit.
IL would have been a betrayal Of our duty
20 have given Cuba Independence out or
hand. President Mckinley. with nus
usual singular sagacity I'm the choice ot
agents. selected in Gen. Leonard Wood
the man OF all others best ht TO bring
the island through its uncertain period OF
preparation Dor Independence, and the re-
suit Of his wisdom was shown when last
May the i~and became in name ana IN
fact a free republic. for II started With q
better equipment and under more favor
able conditions than had ever previously
been the case with any iah-Amcrcan
commonwealth.
COMPLEX PROBLEM.
Finally. in the Philippines. the prob
lem was one OF great compleXity There
represent SrT S tRc the peopie Of the islands and
. putting forth their claim with certain
speciousncss, which deceived no smali
number Of excellent men here at home,
and which afforded TO Yet others chance
10 arouse a factious party spirit against
the president. or course, looking back,
A. IS now easy TO see that ~ would nave
been both absurd and wicked TO abandon
tho Philippine archipelago and let tne
scores Of different trtbcs-Chrisuan, Mo.
hammedan and Pagan, in every stage OF
eeui-civill2ation and Asiatic barbarism
turn the islands into a wCltcr or bloody
savaCerN with the absolute certainty
that some, strong P2wer w"uI1 d., hnNS thCrgS ~
now 10 is easy enough TO see that our
duty was 20 stay In the Islands, to put
down the irsureCtiou hy force Of arms.
ana The, TO establish freed mig wing civi,
government. 90 needed genuine statesn IN /.
shin 10 sco this and 90 act accordingly M
IN" time " the first revolt 49,.
All tho tasks set us as a result ot the
war with spain have 50 FAR been Wei ai,o
honorIhly accomplished, ana as n r'tIl'
this nation stands hieher than ever DC
President NcKinley's second campaign
was fought mainly on the issue OF an
proving what he had done IN NJ nrss
Administration. and specifically what ne
had dare as regards these problems
rurrgirg out OF the war with Spain.
No othcr president In our history mas
seen high and honorable EFFORT crowned
with more conspicuous personal success.
No other president entered upon his sec
ond tern, feeling such right TO profound
and peaceful satisfaction. Then by n
stroke OF horror so strange in its Tan
tastic iniauitv os 20 stand unique IN tho
black annals ~ crime. he was struck
down.
VIC arc gathered together tonight % re-
call his memory % pav oar tribute ~ re-
spec' 10 tho great chief and leader who
fcu In tho harness who vas stricken
down while his eves were bright WITH
"the usht that tells ~ trirruoh tasted 9"
We can homer him best by the way We