Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-30

size would hear President Roosevelt !
pronounce the grafton at the unwilling
exercises on the afternoon of the last
day In September, would hear Justice
Days historical address and would lis
ten TO the nations patriotic songs as
the melody was hurled to it's echo in
the surrounding woods by n male
chorus of more than a hundred voices.
The cabinet, the supreme bench, the
diplomatic corps and all members of
both houses of congress received invi-
tations. Two thousand of Uncle Sans
regulars and more than an equal num-
Der of state troops received orders to
guard the flag walled route of the pro-
cession. Canton, of many memorable
Mckinley days, put forth every effort
to care for the nations visitors on its
last great day. 1t sent Mckinley forth,
received him back with cheers In tri-
umph and with weeping in death
And now Canton, which has watched
its progress from the time the first
stone was placed, gives up to the ma
ton the Mckinley tomb.
In three ways the Mckinley national
memorial is held TO be unique-it was
built by popular subscription in the
fullest meaning of that term; it has
been completed within the time set in
the contract; 1t was built within the
first estimate of it's cost
The citizens of the nation paid for
the Mckinley mausoleum. The people
at large gave the 100000 needed for
the building and maintenance of this
tomb No contribution exceeded $4,000
and few were of that magnitude.
In the committee which had charge
of the arrangements on that day of
sorrow when Canton received the
great men of the nation as mourners
at the dead presidents bier. the Nc
Kinley Memorial association had its
inception. A few days after the funer.
al an organization was formed under
the laws of Ohio having as its name
the Mckinley National Memorial asSo-
citation. President Roosevelt was ask
ed to name trustees. A statement IL
the public asked funds. 1t was deter
mined at the outset that men of vast
wealth were not to be permitted to
contribute munificently to the memo.
u.
truest sense the nations memorial. il
was to be erected at Canton. McKin
ley's home, on an eminence overlook
ing his residence, within sight, too, OF
the old Mckinley home i'll which his
mother died, almost within a stones
throw Of the graves of his children
and but similar distance from the
little moss grown Westlawn vault
where, since his death, regular soldiers
have guarded his remains.
At the outset of the movement the
trustees drew up schedule OF the
amounts they thought each state
| should give The estimate was baseC
| On the wealth and population of the
individual states. 1t was decided tina
the money agreed upon must be col
lected before spadeful of earth wa:
| turned.
The trustees organized by the cleo
| ton of Justice William II. Day, presi
| dent; Marcus A. Hanna, vice presi
| dent: Myron T. Herrick, treasurer, ant
| Ryerson Richie, secretary. A matt
office was opened in Canton. and Othel
offices elsewhere. Since the resigna
llOu VI SctIctdl. IAAlShlC CtiIAS III lou
Assistant Secretary Frederic S. Hart
zell has been secretary of the associa
ton, with headquarters at Canton
The nations love for Mckinley wa:
shown by the nations generosity
spontaneous and hearty, in makins
possible a glorious memorial to hi
name. In October, 1902, the trustee!
chose the site for the memorial. From
Westlawn Cemetery association ant
from neighboring property holders :
plot of more than a score of acres wa
bought By the middle of 1903, no
two years after McKinley's death
$500, 900 had been subscribed.
The trustees decided that an endow
ment fund of 100000 was needed t,