The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-10-04
TRIBUTE OF NATION
More Than $4,000 Persons From Ey-
cry Section of the Country Partici-
pated in the Ceremonies-High
Qualities Of Deceased Beautifully
Portrayed by President Roosevelt.

Portrayed by President Roosevelt.
Canton, O., Sept. 30-The nation
paid homage today to the memory OF
William Mckinley when the splendid
monument which marks his last rest
ing place was unveiled in the pres
ence OF an assembled throng such as
Canton never saw before and with the
president Of the United States as the
principal speaker. 1t was the tribute
of a grateful nation both in word aud
in deed to "a good citizen, a
soldier, a wise executive, and o
than fifty thousand persons, represent
ing every part of the country, partici-
pated in the ceremonies defeating the
monument, the loving gift of a mil
lion Americans, whose contributions
a~ggregating $4,000 900, provided the
splendid tomb in which rest the bodies
of the third martyred president, his
wife and their two children. Distin-
country and many representatives of
foreign countries made the pilgrimage
here to participate in the dedication
of the mausoleum and made the event
a notable one.
The monument is a magnificent
structure, simple but imposing. In
the sarcOphagi are the bronze caskets
containing the bodies of both Presi-
dent Mckinley and his wife. In
inches in the wall of the tomb are
two little caskets containing the ashes
of their only children, Ida and Mary,
both of whom died in infancy.
The president arrived in Canton at
1:15 this morning. The president i'm
mediately drove to the reviewing
stand where he witnessed the mag
nif1cent military and civic parade
which took nearly an hour and a half
in passing. At the close of the parade
the president was taken to Monument
Hill where the unwilling ceremony
took place. The arrival of President
Roosevelt upon the stand was awaited
anx1ously and greeted with cheers. He
was accompanied by Justice Day and
Vice President Fairbanks. At 2:24
Justice Day called the assemb1age to
order, and in a few words introduced
Governor Harris, president Of the day
Rev. DR.. Bristol of Washington, offer
ed prayer. Governor Harris then de-
I1Vered the opening address Of the
ceremony.
After the singing of 'The Star Span.
NJ
sled Banner Justice Day spoke.
: At the close of Justice Days ad-
dress, Miss Helen Mckinley, the only
sister of h late president, drew aside
the flag disclosing the bronze figure of
mckinley in the attitude of delivering
MS last speech on the day of his assas-
slnation at Buffalo, September 6, 1901.
h was followed by the reading of
a poem entitled "William Mckinley
by James Whitcomb Riley.
President Harris then introduced
president Roosevelt. The president
spoke as follows:
we nave gathered together today 10
pay our need of respect and affection
TO the memory of William Mckinley.
VINO as president won a place in the
hearts of the American people such as
out three or four of all the presidents
of this country have won. He was of
singular uprightness and purity of
character, alike in public and in pri-
vate life; a citizen who loved peace, he
did his duty faithfully and we'll for
four years of val when the honor Of
the nation called him to arms. AS
congressman, as governor of his state,
and finally az president, he rose to
the foremost phase among statesmen,
reaching a position which would sat
1sfy the keenest ambition; but he new
er lost that simple and thoughtful
kindness toward every human being,
great OF small, lofty Or humble, with
whom, he was brought in contacl
which so endeared him to our people
and complex problems than any pres
ident since Lincoln, and yet while
meeting every demand of statesman
ship. he continued to live a beautiful
and touching family life, a life very
healthy for this nation to see in its
foremost citizen; and now the woman
come has been extended to the kind
who walked in the sharow ever after
his death, the wife to whom his loss
was a calamity more crushing thar 1t
could be to any other human being
lies beside him here In the same Sc
pulcher.
There is a singular appropriateness
In the inscription on his monument
Mr.. Cortelyou, whose relations with
him were of such close intimacy, gives
me he following information about
1t: On the presidents trip to the Pa
cifc slope in the spring OF 1901 Pres
adent Wheeler, of the University OF
california, conferred the degree OF
LID. upon him in words so we'll chos-
en- that they struck the fastidious taste
of John Hay, then secretary of state