Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-02-07
Mr.. ROOSEVELT AT
M'kINLEY BANQUET
Presidents Beautiful EuIogy Of
Of His Departed Prede-
cessor at Canton, Q
467 SEATED ATTHE BOARD
Judge William r. Day Acts as Toast
master-GoVernor Nash Of Ohio
Unable to Be Present, Owing
to Illness

NeS@N ~ NAS
len Mckinley. He was the principal
orator at a banquet given under the
auspices Of the Canton Republican
league In commemoration OF the birth
day OF Mckinley. Surrounded by
friends, n%eighbors and business and
political associates Of the dead presi-
dent, he pronounced a brilliant and elo-
quent eulogy upon the life and works
of McKinley-a eulogy by many re-
garded as the most beautiful and heart
felt tribute ever paid to the memory OF
the distinguished dead.
The banquet was held in the Grand
opera house, the seats removed In the
pit, and the house entirely retloored for
the occasion.
The interior Of the building was beau
tifully decorated with flags and flowers,
the floral decorations being particularly
elaborate. Festoons of flags were ar
ranged about the balcony and gallery,
and the thirteen great banquet boards
were massed with roses and carnations,
interspersed with smilaX and ferns.
A selected orchestra of twenty-five
pieces furnished exquisite music dur
ing the banquet.
The occasion was the most brilliant
of it's kind ever witnessed in Canton,
and few banquets held in Ohio have
equaled 1T in beauty, elabOrateness and
interest.
Many NotabIss Present.
Among the 457 assembled about the
boards were some Of the most distin-
guished men in the civil, public and
political life of the country.
At the speakers table, besides Pres
ident Roosevelt, were seated Judge
William r. Day, who acted as toast
master; Secretary Root, Secretary Cor
telyou, General S. B. NJ. Young, Cen
eral Leonard Wood, General Luke E..
Wright, vice governor of the Philip
pines; Surgeon General Rixey, Captain
w. s.. Cowles, the presidents naval
aide; Colonel Theo. A. Bingham, his
military aide; Assistant Secretary Of
Agriculture Brigham, Representative
X. w. Tyler, James w. Grant, Colonel
Myron Il. Herrick of Cleveland, J.. G.
Schmidlapp, II. II. Kohlsaat of Chi
cago, Hon. Chas. Emory Smith, Judge
Harter, Judge Smyser and Alfred c..
Eynon.
At the tables throughout the large
auditorium were men of state n ma
tional prominence.
Governor Nash Of Ohio, who was ex-
peCted to be present to respond to a
toast, Ohio was unable to leave his
home on account of illness. His place
on the program was taken by Hon.
James j. Grant Of Canton.
Soon after he close of the reception
at the Hotel Mckinley, President
Roosevelt and party walked in a driv-
Ing rain from the hotel to the banquet
hall, a half square distant. Despite the
inclemency Of the weather the streets
were thronged with people.
Greeted with Hearty Cheers.
AS the president entered the banquet
hall the asSemblagc rose as one man
and cheered him heartily.
The demonstration-the first Of the
day-was a personal tribute to the
president, which he acknowledged with
eVIdenI pleasure.
AS soon as the president n party
were seated the doors OF the balcony
and gallery were opened, and in a few
minutes both were crowded with hand
somely gowned women and men in
evening dress.
The material part of the banquet was
not concluded until 10 o'clock.
Judge Day, as POSTMASTER, intro
duced President Roosevelt, who spoke
IN part as follows:
Mr.. POSTMASTER, and Gentlemen: 1t
has been given to few men to take so
marked q lead in the crises Of their gem
e%rations as was taken by President Nc
Kinley. If during a generation no crisis
occurs, the world does not know of the
leader; and there are long periods during
which no man appears who leaves an in
utllDl6 IldIh. Ill lle ItNOlullOn anu
period of construction following, the high
est civic attributes were embodied in
Washington, n so in him we have one
of the undying men Of history. In the
civil war Lincoln and Grant deserved we'll
of mankind by saving a precious hertz
age. Thomas jefferson and Andrew Jack
son each stands representative of the
great movement Of his generation.
1t was given to President Mckinley to
take the foremost place in our political
life at Il time when our country faced
DTnlN1AFNNE rNlpA n tAVtn fIa- 800
In the revolution and civil war. Under
his leadership the nation solved these.
Therefore he stands as first Of his. gem
Grafton. and among the greatest figures in
our national life.
After the war Mckinley came to con-
gress, and rose to leadership; he became
governor Of Ohio; he received practical
training most valuable when he became
chief executive. He was able to realize
his ideals, to work with men while he led
them. His rise was not sudden or acct
dental. In his nomination the national
convention carried into effect its judg-
ment as to a candidate. AS n candidate
he was more than the candidate Of a
party, and as president he was president
Of all the people.
Elected on an sisue entirely rev to par
ty politics. the president faced questions
other than those at issue in the election.
The situation became intolerable. He
had fought too well in his youth, lightly
&c enter war. He sought to avert war.
When efforts were useless he devoted his
sllCHSth W iidhAH5 liz war SIOIl ana
decisive.
AS a result of the wal we came into
possession of the insular territories Of
Spain. The difficult and varying condi-
lions are well known.
After explaining the difficulties of
the insular situation, and the multidu-
dinous complications that would have
discouraged weaker men, Mr.. Roose-
welt continued:
But President Mckinley never hinched
While e~ndeavoring to act with humanity
toward the insurrectionists, he never fai-
tered In determination to put them down.
His policy was indicated. Peace has come
with greater liberty and self-goVernment
than ever before. All the tasks of the
war with Spain have been we'll accom-
plished, and this nation stands higher
than ever among the nations.
President McKinley's second campaign
was on the issue of approving his first
administration. The verdict in his favor
was overwhelming. No other president en-
tered upon a second term feeling such
right TO peaceful satisfaction. Then by
q stroke OF horror, so strange in its fan
tastic iniquity as to stand unique in the
black annals of crime, he was struck down.
Inc hideous infamy of the deed shocked
the nation to It's depths, for the man thus
struck at was in a peculiar sense the
champion OF the plain people. The nation
was stunned, n the people mourned a
man whose heart beat for them as the
heart or Lincoln once had beaten.
lie dled IN the golden fullness Of his