The San Francisco call., 1903-01-28

~ ny AO-Nf OAA4Os jail IeblQenl
a Roosevelt tonight participated in
Ma notable tribute to the memory
~ Of the late President Mckinley
He was the principal orator at a
banquet given under the auspices of the
Canton Republican League in commem-
Grafton Of the birthday of Mckinley. He
pronounced brilliant and eloquent eu-
logy upon the life and works of McKin-
ley-a eulogy by many regarded as the
most beautiful and heartfelt tribute ever
heard to the memory of the distinguished
dead.
The interior Of the banquet hall was
beautifully decorated with flags and flow
ers. The occasion was the most brilliant
of the kind ever witnessed in Canton and
few banquets ever held in Ohio equaled
it in beauty. elaborateness and interest
Among the 457 guests assembled about
the boards were some of the most dis
tinguished men in the civil, public and
political life of the country.
At the speakers table besides President
Roosevelt were seated Judge William r.
Day, who acted as POSTMASTER; Secretary
Root. Secretary Cortelyou, General S. B.
NJ. Young, General Leonard Wood Luke
+. Wright, Vice-Governor of the Philip
pines; Surgeon General Rixey, Captain
w. S. Cowles, the Presidents naval aid;
Colonel Theo Bingham and Charles EN-
ory Smith.
At the tables throughout the large au-
ditorium were men of State and national
prominence. Governor Nash Of Ohio,
who was expected to be present to re-
spond to the toast, "Ohio," was unable to
leave his home on account Of illness.
Soon after the close of a reception to
the President at the Hotel Mckinley
President Roosevelt and party walked in
a driving rain from the hotel to the ban
quet hall, half a square distant AS the
President entered the banquet hall the
assemblage rose as one mass and cheered
him heartily.
The demonstration, the first of the day
was a personal tribute to the President
which he received with pleasure. AS soon
as the President and party were seated
the doors of the balcony and gallery were
opened and in few minutes they were
crowded with handsomely gowned women
and men in evening dress. Hundreds who
desired to attend the banquet We're unable
to obtain tickets. The menu, admirably
served was all that could be desired
The material part Of the programme was
not concluded until 10 o'clock Judge
Day, as POSTMASTER, in introducing Pres
ident Roosevelt, spoke briefly in part as
follows:
choice his fellow countrymen should meet to
pay tribute to his memory and TO the
taught. William McKiney's most precious
legacy TO mankind is the example of his life
and character He~believed implicitly in his
country and its institutions. He had supreme
faith in the people He never sought to exalt
himself above the people Re served. In his
career the youth of the country may learn
that the surest foundation of enduring sue
cess is upright character
AS the President rose to speak the
audience rose and cheered him enthusi-
astically. When he addressed the toast
master as "Mr. Justice Day." a designa-
ton applied only to Justices Of the United
States Supreme Court. mis- auditors shook
the building with applause. President I
Roosevelt spoke in part as follows
Throughout our history and indeed through |
out history generally. it has been given to only
a very few thrice-favored men to take so !
marked a lead In the crises faced by their |
several generations that thereafter each stands |
as the embodiment OF the triumphant effort of |
ms generation President Mckinley was one |
1t was given to President Mckinley to take |
the foremost place In our political life at a |
time when our country was brought face Ia !
face with problems more momentous than anv
whose solution We have ATTEMPTED save |
only in the Revolution and in the Civil War:
and 1t was under his leadership that the ma !
ton solved these mighty problems Alright
therefore he shall stand in the eyes OF history |
not merely as the first man Of his renerat,on !
but as among the greatest figures in our no.
tional life. coming second only to the men Of 1
the two great crises In which the Union was
founded and preserved
HIS POWER OF LEADERSHIP
PRESIDENT Mckinley rise to greatness had init
nothing OF the sudden, nothing of the unexnected
or seemingly accidental. Throughout his long
term OF service in Congress there was a steadv
increase allke In his power of leadership and
m the recognition OF that power both by his
associates in public life and by the public IL
sei Eight years before he was nominated ,
Tor President he was already considarad = !
Presidential possibility. In 1896 he was chosen
oecause the great mass Of his nartv knn,.. - |