The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-01-30
M'kINLEY
DAY IN
new YORK.

New York. Dec. so.-The West Side
Republican club kept Mckinley day with
dinner at the Waldorf Astoria last
night About $50 members Of the club
and their guests were present The dec
orations were red carnations. Mr.. Nc
Kinley's favorite flower.
Among the guests were: j. r. New
man. O. NJ. Mather p. T. McIain. George
E. Cook. George Barber. +. Q. McLain.
II. c. Haight, Fl. B. Read and w. A.
Davies. all Of Canton. They sat at a table
directly in front OF the speakers dais
John s. Wise. president OF the club.
was in the chair. In setting the speech
making ball rolling he said in part:
"As we perhaps know our guests better
than they know US. let me tell them who
We are We are the best organization OF
young. fighting Republicans. representing
the best and only uncon2uerable Repub-
iican district in the best but most un
reasonably Democratic city in the state
and the best nation In the world. These
propositions are beyond discussion here.
Any person who would question either
may do so In the street or at Blooming
dale asylum"
The first speaker of the evening was
Col James j. Grant OF Canton who
delivered an eulogy on Mckinley. part OF
which follows:
The nation loves the name OF william
Mckinley; and his home city. herself
monument 10 his wise statesmanship,
cherishes the memory OF her distinguished
citizen and bsnefactor.
1--WE believe him TO have been truly
great; for he meets the supreme test OF
greatness--he compels US TO speak or him
and what he did. to admire his life after
he is gone, and yielding TO a gentle but
resistess constraint. without statute or
request, the American people are placing
his birthday upon the national calendar.
No other president since Lincoln ever
met graver questions: problems arose for
the decision OF which there was no GER
tain precept, yet no decision he ever
made has been reversed. Both Lincoln
and Mckinley appreciated the crises
which confronted them; both felt that
the dogmas OF the quiet past are made
quate TO the stormy present and both
adopted the maxim: We must follow
duty. and the path OF duty Is always the
path Of honor
KEPT NOBLE IDEALS.
''He shrank from war. but once the die
was fast he know no fear or turning.
Compelled by honor to assert and enlight-
ened civilization, he was called an i'm
perialist, yet, with HIS victorious troops
at the head OF the allied army about
pose OF spohation or revenge. and power
ful as we are, and helpless as would have
been the Republic OF Mexico TO resist
our demands. we were the first suitor TO
appear In the court Of arbitration at The
Hague If this be Imperialism, then the
Caesars were misnamed.
without intimacy or resentment he
kept his course: criticised. he waited for
vindication in the future; firm In his con-
viotons he was tolerant toward those
who differed from him. and so won fol-
lowers from every party and every creed.
He kept noble ideals before his country
and Americans rejoice because William
Mckinley was born When he fell he de-
livered 10 his illustrious successor
greater state than he had received; he
left TO his countrymen the inspiration OF
a spotless life. and 10 her who waits In
a darkened home he left as sweet a men,
ory as human affection ever made"
William Alden Smith. member OF con-
gress from Michigan. followed Mr. Grant.
He spoke for half an hour on the Panama
question. and declared that both houses
at Washington would follow President
Roosevelt In the stand he had taken.