Norwich bulletin., 1910-01-29

thirteenth child, and he recalled when he twelve went to school at one time it required three to carrv the dinner for the others. My ancestors were
 before Roosevelt was born. This shows
 we are lineally descendants of resi-
 dents of Connecticut.
 Ohio owes a debt of deep gratitude to the state of Connecticut. The an- cestors of many of our most renown- ed men came from this state. That section of Ohio known as the Western Reserve was peopled by immigrants from New England. The soldiers of the revolution, fresh from the fields of tri- umph, settled in the wilderness and laid the foundations of a state whose light has gone forth to the ends of the earth. We are taught in the com mon schools of my native state to look with pride and veneration upon New England. It is the home of American history. Liberty and enlightenment, twin daughters of civilization, have held dominion here since the landing of the Pilgrim Fathers. The sterling qualities of character which have been the proud possession ow New England Is ever present in the citizenship of the western Reserve It Is part of the flower and fruit of New England. This truth has become so patent it has formed the basis of a maxim, gro be born in the Western Reserve of Ohio. Is to be a presidential possibility" When I contemplate a citizenship in- spfred by the purest patriotism, char sscter in full orbed perfection, and man. hood in it's majesty. fnstinctively turn to that section of our national horizon. resplendent with the fame of Garfield and Giddings, Whittlesey and Wade, Hays and Hanna, and that other typ ical American in whose honor we are now asembled-William Mckinley.
 The life of Mckinley is full of hope and inspiration to every American boy. It is typical of this continent. It illus trates the wonderful possibilities of the average American citizen, blessed with freedom of opportunity. Equality of opportunity is the heritage of this na- tion- It is the most sacred right which has been handed down to us from the early days of the republic As long as that right is maintained men of merit will hold positions of power.L ike Lin coin, Mckinley was born and reared in humble circumstances. But by means of his own power he rose above those adverse circumstances and left a record of achivement surpassed by few Americans His life is a tribute to the common school system of the state of Ohio. He received the rudiments of his education in that great American in- StitutiOn. Had he lived in New Eng land, he would probably hold a degree from Harvard or Yale or some of the other great institutions which have their home in this section But he liv- ed in Ohio, where there were many obstacles to a collegiate course. So he took his degree in the university of nature and entered the contest of life Law was hischosen profession In com mon with the rest of his young fellow countrymen, he was suddenly called from the pursuits of peace to perform his part in the mighty conflict for the preservation of this republic. He learned his lessons in patriotism un- der teh leadership of Lincoln. The whole course of his subsequent career is characterized by that high sense of honor and sacred regard for public duty which is ever present in the life and work of Abraham Lincoln. shall not give the details of his military service. Suffice it to say, he perform ed his duty with soldier-1ike fidelity and bears an unsullied record for gal lantry on the field of battle.