The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-09-18

distress.
No matter, to what heights of sue
cess he arose. coming home. President
Mckinley was ever the same to neigh
bors and friends of his early manhood.
To others he may have been the ruler
of the first of nations, intrusted with
power to make or mar peoples des-
tiny. At home he was ever the guide,
counsellor and friend of those who
knowing him best loved him most.
His ideal of home was one of peace
and comfort, not extravaganza and
display. "The American home" he
declared, where honesty, sobriety and
truth preside, and simple everyday
virtue without pomp and ostentatfon
is practiced is the nursery, of all true
education" 1t is in homes such as
this that the people bereft of one of
their own, mourn his. departure. 1t
was in the upbuilding of such homes
| that William Mckinley found the
highest duty of constructive states
-manship and the true safeguard of
\ Republican institutions. w~r
/
had seen the beauty of his home life,
has we'll said: From the front porch
of a cottage covered with vines,
| yonder at Canton, the outline sketch
of two lives has been thrown, so beau
tiful in their loyalty to one another
that good men everywhere stand in
silence before it while the woman
hood of the world seeing the knightli-
ness of love which alters not, draw
near, from stations high and low, to
salute the picture with the benedic-
ton of their tears" a
! Who shall speak adequately of the
gentleness and kindness OF this strong
man? Cardinal Newman has said:
1t is almost a definition of a gentle
man to say that he is one who never
inflicts pain" If that be the test, he
was indeed one, who wore without
reproach the grand old name of gem
tleman.'
William Mckinley never consciously
wronged a fellow being. 1t was his
rule not only to refrain from inflicting
pain but to scatter joy wherever he
could. He would step aside from a
march of retreat to assure q weeping
mother, who loved the Union that de-
feat was but for a day and would turn
into victory. Steadfast in his friend
ship he would not swerve from loyalty
for the glittering prize of the presi-
dency. Enduring the burdens which
came before, during and after the war.
no word of impatience' ever escaped
his lips, and he met the people with a
smile OF welcome and word of en-
couragement. He would turn from
the most important affair of state to
give flower to little child, or to say
some kindly word to visitor for
whom he could do no. more. Resent
ments he had none He believed that
life was too short to give any of his
time to cherishing animosity. Sensi-
tive to criticism, no one ever heard
him utter an unkind word of another.
He met calumny with silence and un-
fair criticism with charity. He was
the gospel of cheerfulness. His pres
ence was sunshine, never gloom; his
encouraging words dispelled doubt and
nerved others to their duty.
MET DEATH BRAVELY,
In the fullness of life with a message
of good will and kindness yet fresh on
his lips, meeting the people who de-
lighted to testify that affection and
appreciation which was his highest re-
service, he was felled to earth for no
other offense than that in his person
he represented the head of the nation,
and stood for liberty regulated by law,
and not for that unbrided license
which knows no respect for the laws
of God or man.
"The words of mercy were. upon his
lips,
Forgiveness in his heart and on his
pen,
When this vile murderer brought
swift eclipse
To thoughts of peace on earth, good
will toward men,"
So gentle, kind and true had been
his life that not even his slayer could
strike at him. With this gentleness
what mighty strength! Death meets
all on equal terms. The man as he is
then stands unveiled. With so much
to make life dear, this gentle man did
not falter when the summons came.
Looking forward to retirement in the
home he loved, sure of the affection
of his countrymen and the respect of
the world, holding the hand of his
loved companion, whose welfare had
ever been the first purpose of his life,
and whose returning strength had
made the last summer one of his
brightest, he entered the shadow of
death with no murmur at his fate,
leaning on the rod and staff which had
comforted his fathers. died as he had
liuad In bVn 1o