The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-28

welt tonight participated in. nota-
BILE tribute TO the memory of the late
President Mckinley. He was the prin-
cipal orator at the banquet given I'M
der the auspices of the Canton Repub-
lican League in commemoration of the
birthday of Mckinley. Surrounded by
friends, neighbors and business and
political associates of the dead
President, he pronounced eulogy upon
the life and works of Mckinley.
The banquet was held in the Grand
Opera House, the seats being removed
from the pit and the house entirely
refioored for the occasion. The inter
Tor of the building was beautifully de-
corated with flags and flowers, the
floral decorations being particularly
elaborate.
Among the 457 guests assembled
about the boards were some of the
most distinguished in the civil pdb-
lie and military life of the country.
At the speakers table. besides the
President were seated Judge William
r. Day, who acted as POSTMASTER,
Secretary Root, Secretary Cortelyou,
Gen. Young, Gen. Wood, Gen. Luke l..
1 Wright. Vice Governor of the Philip
pines; Surgeon General Rixey ana
many others.
Soon after the close of the reception
at the hotel, President Roosevelt and
party walked in a driving rain from
the hotel to the banquet, half square
- the
weather, the streets were thronged
with people. Special precautions were
taken to insure the safely of the Pres
ident, and his pathway to the opera
house was lined with secret service Of
ficers, policemen and soldiers. AS he
entered the banquet hall he was heart
ily cheered. The demonstration was
personal tribute to the President, which
he acknowledge with evident pleasure.
President Roosevelt and party arriv-
ed here at 2 o'clock this afternoon. In
accordance with the Presidents desire,
the reception was quiet and unostenta-
tious. A large crowd had assembled at
the railway station, but it was a quiet
throng. All seemed imbued with the
spirit of the anniversary which is be-
ing cOmmemorated.
The party was driven directly to the
residence of Mrs Mckinley, President
Roosevelt desiring first to pay his re-
spects to her The party was then
driven to the West Cemetery to visit
the tomb of the late President Mch'l-
ley. There the party paid a silent
tribute of respect to the memory of the
distinguished dead.
At 6:45 o'clock this evening the
President held a reception at the Ho-
tel Mckinley for those in attendance
upon the banquet and for the citizens
of Canton. During the forty-tive min
utes the reception lasted, hundreds of
people embraced the opportunity to
personally greet the President.
Judge Day, as POSTMASTER, intro
duced President Roosevelt in a brief
address. As the President arose to
speak the audience rose and cheered.
When he addressed the POSTMASTER as
Mr. Justice Day." his auditors shook
the building with applause.
The Presidents speech at the BAN
quet was, in part, as follows:
Mr.. POSTMASTER. and Gentlemen:
Throughout our history, and indeed
throughout 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 his generation. President
Mckinley was one of these men.
IL QuEluR the HlellIfle Oh Il kGUeTdLlOn
no crisis occurs sufficient to call out in
marked manner the energies of the
strongest leader, then of course the
world does not and can not know of
the existence of such a leader; and in
consequence there are long periods in
the history of every nation during
which no man appears who leaves an
indelible mark in history. If, on the
other hand, the crisis is one so many
Sid Tod 70 col he alr,N, ~
and exercise of many distinct attri-
butes, it may be that more than one
man will appear in order that the re-
quirements shall be fully met. In the
Revolution and in the period of con-
structive craftsmanship Immediately
following 1t, for our good fortune it
befell US that the highest military and
the highest civic attributes were en-
bodied in Washington, and so in him
we have one of the undying men of
history-a great soldier if possible an
even greater statesman, and above all
a public servant whose lofty and dis
interested patriotism rendered his
power and ability-alike on fought
fields and in council chambers-of the
most far-reaching service to the re-
public. In the Civil War the two func-
tons were divided, and Lincolns and
Grant will stand forevermore with
their names inscribed on the honor roll
of those who have deserved we'll of
mankind by saving to humanity a
precious heritage. In similar fashion
Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jack
son each stands as the foremost rep
resentative of the great movement OF
his generation. and their names SYM
bolize to US their times and the hopes
and aspirations of their times.
1t was given to President Mckinley
to take he foremost place in our DO
litical life at a time when our country
was brought face to face with prob
lens more momentous than any whose
solution we have ever attempted, save
only in the Revolution and in the Civil
War; and it was under his Leadership
that the nation solved these mighty
problems Alright. Therefore he shall
stand in the eyes of history not mere
ly as the first man of his generation
but as among the greatest figures in
our national life, coming second only
to the men of the two great crises in
which the Union was founded and pre-
served.
No man could carry through sue.
cessfully such a task as President Nc
Kinley undertook, unless trained by
long years of effort for its perform
ance. knowledge of his fellow-citi.
gems, ability to understand them, keen
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