?S|^|i5i!i!llii|i|iJliifli|il||P^ vv ■<^^'\ ^'.■- .^"^ \'^ .-y - v-^' ■<■ \ • ■^ ^ OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT As a Man, the Noblest and Purest of his Times. As a Citizen, the Grandest of his Nation. As a Statesman, the Idol of Millions of People. A\EMORIAL LIFE OF WILLIAM McKINLEY CONTAINING A " FULL ACCOUNT OF HIS EARLY LIFE; HIS AMBITION TO OBTAIN AN EDUCATION; HIS BRILLIANT CAREER AS A SOLDIER IN THE CIVIL WAR; HIS PATRIOTIC RECORD AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND GOVERNOR OF HIS STATE; HIS ABLE ADMINISTRATION AS PRESIDENT, ETC. INCLUDING A THRILLING ACCOUNT OF HIS ASSASSINATION ; HIS HEROIC STRUGGLE FOR LIFE; HOPE OF RECOVERY SUDDENLY BLASTED; PROFOUND SYMPATHY AND ANXIOUS SUS- PENSE OF THE WHOLE CIVILIZED WORLD, ETC. TOGETHER WITH A FULL HISTORY OF ANARCHY and its INFAMOUS DEEDS By COL. G, W. TOWNSEND THE WELL-KNOWN AUTHOR WITH AN INTRODUCTION By HON. JAMES RANKIN YOUNG Member of Congress and formerly Clerk of the United State,s Reflate Profusely Embellished with . Sxiperh, Engravings NATIONAL PUBLISHING CO. 2?>9, 24L 2« SoiTH Amkkican St. ^ rmi.ADKI.l'HlA r \ '> ;-) 1 - THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. Two Cofits Received OCT. 3 1901 CC^HIfiMT ENTRY CLASS ^XXc. N.. COf Y 3. ENTERED ACCOROINO TO ACT OF CONGRESS, IN THE VEAS 1901, Br D. Z. HOWELL IN THE OFFICE OF FHF 1IB1\RIAN OF CONGRESS, AT WASHINGTON, DC U S « lOPYRI&MT. U1 CLINEDtSST, V^A6Ml^GTON PRESIDENT Mckinley in his library at the white house r PREFACE. HE news of the appalling tragedy that ended the life of our beloved President was received with pro- found horror and indignation throughout the civ- ilized world. R was instantly followed with a great outbreak of popular wrath and execration. N® American Statesman or President ever filled the hearts of the people more fully than he did. The martyrdom of Lincoln and Garfield won for them a pecu- liar veneration and their names are now consecrated in the memory of their countrymen. President McKinley gained the highest place in public esteem, admiration and love, and his name and memory are doubly consecrated by his untimely death. Brilliant as a Statesman and wise as a ruler, President McKinley was more than this. He was loved for his warm and generous nature. His patriotism was so broad and bold that it won the applause of his political opponents. Even they believed in the man. They honored his opinions and his honesty even though they differed from him. He was followed with the de- votion and enthusiasm of the army that bore the eagle of France when Napoleon marched to his world-renowned victories. As the mighty ocean is stirred by the resistless cyclone, so the hearts of i the American people have been moved by the infamous crime that laid our third martyred President in the grave. The complete and graphic stor}- of President McKinley's marvelous career is written in this volume. His life and public services are a part of our country's most thrilling historj^ and these are vividly detailed in this work which is worth}^ of its illustrious subject. No grander record of dazzling achievements j -'Can be placed under the name of au}^ man of modern times. Not merely in intellect, eloquence and far-seeing statesmanship — not i7ierely as a great political leader and advocate of our national industries, welfare and great prosperit}-, but as a man of noble PREFACE. virtues aud exalted character, President McKinley stood upon the highest pedestal. He fell from the very pinnacle of human fame. From his boyhood to his entrance into the army, from his noble stand for his country to the close of the Civil War, from his obscure beginning as a public man to the grand successes that pointed to him as a fit representative of his State in Con- gress, from his proud triumphs under the dome of our National Capitol to the Governorship of his State, and Presidency of the United States, the reader follows him with ever-increasing interest and admiration. He was the master statesman of his age, the magnetic leader and gallant defender of American rights, the idol of his nation, unsurpassed in eloquence, invincible in debate — the man who was greater than any party and who will rank in history with Washington, Lincoln, Grant and Garfield. This memorial volume contains the complete and fascinating storj' of his life and depicts in glowing colors his marvelous career. In Congress he was considered an authority on every subject upon which he expressed an opinion. Clear in his grasp of public questions, eloquent in advocating the principles he pro- fessed, considerate and lenient toward his opponents, affable in all his intercourse with others, and manifesting always a certain dignity, strength and sincerity that impressed all who knew him, he was for years one of the most conspicuous figures in the halls of Congress. For William McKinley to become President of the United States was only a natural step from the commanding position he had gained. The story of President McKinley's life is much like that of nearly all our renowned statesmen and rulers. He was born in humble life. He had that contact with Mother Earth which falls to the lot of the farmer's son. While his advantages for edu- cation were not the best, he made such diligent use of his time and opportunities that he became distinguished as a scholar, and espe- cially as a student of political economy. He is an admirable example for young men. Let them emulate his diligence, his lawful ambition, his devotion to duty, aud enthusiasm as a worker INTRODUCTION. BY HON. JAMES RANKIN YOUNG, Member of Congress and Late Clerk of the United States Senate. Probably there is no one fact in the history of the Republic, of which Americans are prouder than that all their Presidents were exceptionally good men — men who filled the great office with credit to themselves and honor to the Nation. They were espe- cially noted for their earnest love of country, their rigid integrity and the simplicity of their lives. Simplicity was the ruling point in view when our fathers founded the Government, and the Presidents, in the performance of their duties, never seemed to have lost sight of the fact. Sim- plicity is known to be the leading characteristic of all great men, probably it would be better to say men who combine that which is good with that which is great. We saw it as a shining mark in Washington ; it was the ruling spirit with Jefferson, it made Jackson more famous than did his deeds of heroism and aggres- siveness, it was personified in Lincoln and Grant, but with no desire to retract from the others, I am free to say that the perfect model of simplicity was found in McKinley. It was his life and staff. It permeated every fibre of his make up. It came with him at his birth. It clung to him through life — as the youth at school, as the soldier in the field, in his profession as a lawyer, as the servant of the public in the trusted positions in which they placed him. You had but to look at the benign expression ever present in his countenance to see that gentleness of nature was his leading characteristic. Probably no better idea of just what the character of man our late President was can be found than in what was said of him vi INTRODUCTION. by ni}' brother, the late John Russell Touug, who was his constant companion in his home at Canton, during the week when the Republican National Convention was held at St. Louis, June, 1896. "While," sa3's Mr. Young, writing from a table adjoining that occupied b}- Mr. McKinley, "the Major," as the late Presi- dent was then called, " is in touch with whatever is going on in St. Louis, and as much in command of his forces in attendance at the Convention there, as Napoleon when he saw the gray morning skies brighten over the frosty plains of Austerlitz, there is in what he says a spirit of generosit}^ and magnanimit}'. Here is a gentleman with opinions, and by no means reserved in their expression, running over men, events, happenings, possibilities, and ever just and true. " He states a case or an estimate of a man, not as you would like it to be, but as it is, seeking alwa3'S to find the best side and exhibit that. There is no throwing a man over a precipice with a phrase as Conkling would have done, nor some withering ques- tion of invective as so often fell from the lips of Blaine, but rather Uncle Toby's wa}', that the world is big enough for us all, and let us adjust ourselves without jostling. Behind this you have a granite wall of part}' stalwartism, reverence, a reverence for the Union, adoration for the men who saved the Union." Continuing Mr. Young says: — " Because of the doings in the St. Louis Convention Canton lives in a state of uneasy hope and '^''^m expectation. Mr. McKinley is apparently the only placid man in I town. He takes the concentration of the eyes of the world upon * him with entire composure. He has been under fire before, has ridden by the side of Sheridan and Hancock in the great war, and is not to be disturbed by a mere political cannonade. You find him at the trains greeting friends with words of welcome or fare- well, or jogging about the town or driving over shaded lanes and pointing out to some companions the growth and beauty of Canton, or the centre of a group of political parties who have come to adore the rising sun. " What they see is a resolute, quiet, courteous, kindly man, with sun beaming eyes, thoughtful, considerate. It has been my INTRODUCTION. vii privilege to ride with him and learn all that is involved in his beloved Canton, to sit with him on his spacions piazza and look out upon the calm hushed town while we talked of men and events." Speaking further on Mr. Young makes allusion to the beau- iful homelife of Mr. McKinley and his dearly beloved wife. "The McKinley homestead," he says, '^ is an ideal American home, as its master is an ideal American citizen. Taste, comfort, good books, attractive decorations, the touch of the woman's hand every- where, for how could there have been an Eden unless Eve had made it so. An atmosphere of gentleness and repose. In spite of the excitement because of the doings at the convention — nobody seemed to be in a hurry ; not even Governor McKinley, who, with his shoulders thrown against his easy chair, talks and listens — listens rather than talks — his fine eyes beaming through the smoke of a cigar. The stillest, cosiest, sunniest place in the world, the very birds picking crumbs on the window ledge, as if in a doze, yet the heart of a great nation beating and throbbing towards this modest home in Canton. " As the news comes over the wires from the convention Mr. McKinley sits in his modest home — the portraits of Washington, Lincoln and Grant above him — and goes from pile to pile of cor- respondence as though the theme of his letters were orders for iron or snuff and not a diadem richer than ever rested upon an imperial brow — a thoroughly self-contained man, who says pre- cisely what he means to sa}- ; never taken at a disadvantage, eminently serious, whether listening or talking his mind upon the one thing that concerns him. You divine in him a capacity for doing business, of hearing what has to be said and closing the conversation. When all that is useful has been said, wit, humor, imagination are not apparent qualities. This man has something to do and must do it. " You see in him a man of patience and courtesy. If you are not answered as to your wants you carry away the impression that he is more grieved over your disappointment than you could possibly be. This is something like Henry Cla}^ He has a quiet, prompt, narrative faculty. We talked much of the war. X CONTENTS. CHAPTER VII. PAGE Important State Papers and Speeches of President 3;IcKinley — Message to Congress on the War in Cuba — Addresses at Peace Jubilees 147 CHAPTER VIII. Glowing Tribute to Our Lamented President — Speech on Being Notified of His Second Nomination — Masterh' Statement of the Political History of Our Countr}' . . . 168 CHAPTER IX. Story of the Assassination of President McKinley — Graphic Picture of the Tragic Act — The Assassin Caught and Roughl}' Handled — Public Indignation and Horror , . 189 CHAPTER X. Additional Account of the Assassination — Two Shots in Quick Succession — Instant Lynching Threatened — Surgeons Summoned — Horror at the Dastardl}- Deed — The Nation Stunned by the Terrible News . 202 CHAPTER XT. Mrs. McKinley Hears the Appalling News — The Nation Bowed with Grief — Europe Aghast at the Diabolical Crime 221 CHAPTER XII. Strong Hopes at First of the President's Recover^'- — Days of Anxious Suspense — Some Account of the Assassin — Arrest of Notorious Anarchists 234 CHAPTER XIII. Last Hours of the President — "It is God's Way, His Will be Done" — Anxious Multitudes Await the Sorrowful Tidings — Universal Grief and Sympathy- 249 CONTENTS. xi CHAPTER XIV. PAGE Additional Account of President McKinley's Death— Hope Ending in Despair— Medical Skill Exhausted— Cause of the Final Relapse 272 CHAPTER XV. Obsequies of Our Martyr'ed President— Extraordinay Demon- strations of Public Sorrow— Body Lying in State at Buffalo— Immense Throngs of People Passing the Bier — Short and Simple Funeral Services 294 CHAPTER XVI. Great Outpouring of People to Honor the Martyred President —Tokens of Grief— New President and Members of the Cabinet at the Bier — Alemorable Scene 3^^ CHAPTER XVIL Funeral Cortege Reaches Washington— A Nation's Tribute of Respect and Love— Services in the Capitol— Memorial Address 330 CHAPTER XVIIL Eloquent Eulogy on the Dead President— Floral Offerings- Great Crush to View the Remains— Distinguished Per- sons Present 34^ CHAPTER XIX. Last Funeral Rites at Canton— Imposing Demonstrations- Scenes at the Church— President Roosevelt and Other Distinguished Mourners 3^4 CHAPTER XX. Magnificent Tributes to Mr. McKinlc}^ — Eloquent Eulogies from Celebrities — Grief and Indignation — The Presi- dent's Virtues and Character Extolled 391 I XII CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXL page Additional Tributes to President jMcKinley — Messages from Crowned Heads — Canada Observes the Da}- of Obsequies — All Business Suspended Throughout Our Country . . J15 CHAPTER XXn. Personal Traits of 'Mr. IMcKinle}- — X'ever Swerved from the Path of Duty — Anecdotes and Incidents — His Kind Heart — Affection for Old Friends 426 CHAPTER XXni. Origin and Rise of Anarchism — Its Theor}- and Practice — Aims to Overthrow All Lawful Government — Assassina- tions of Lincoln, Garfield and McKinle}^ 438 CHAPTER XXIV. Trial and Conviction of the Assassin — Remarkable Scenes in Court — Counsel Laments the President's Death — Sentence of Death Pronounced 460 CHAPTER XXV. Our New President — Hon. Theodore Roosevelt Hurries to Buffalo on Receiving News of T^Ir. -McKinley's Death — Sworn in as President with Impressive Ceremony — Pathetic Scene— His First Official Act 467 CHAPTER XXVI. The Hero of San Juan— President Roosevelt's Active Life — Ancestry and Education — His Strong Personality— A Man of Deep Convictions and Great Courage 4S1 CHAPTER XXVII. President Roosevelt in the Battle of San Juan — Story of Brave Exploits — Narrow Escape — Ballad of "Teddy's Terrors." 49^ -A. .^..M^: •I. J < u. a z < UJ o < a. U- O >• < UJ a: UJ I H O z z CD 5 CO q: 5 u S z 5 2 I CO CO Ji ° ; o E 2 u) S - o m ^ >r LU g Q- o — Z c o CO g 1 Q < 3 Z £ = < UJ S S ^ X LLl i PRhiJIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT SENATOR HENRY CABOT LODGE OF M ASSACHUSETTf CZOLGOSZ THE DASTARDLY ASSASSIN EMMA GOLDMAN HER INFAMOUS TEACHINGS INSPIRED CZOLGOSZ TO ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT McKINLEY r 'W\ A > ■^V'"^'. V. ELECTRIC TOWER AT THE PAN AMERICAN EXPuSITION ^' ^ ^ BUILDING OF ETHNOLOGY AT BUFFALO THE WIDOW OF OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT FROM HER LATEST PHOTOGRAPH COL^ iPyRIGHTt898, BY GEORGE G. BOCKWOOO, ^. Y. ;e:dore roosevelt f^^^pfl TEMPLE OF MUSIC AT THE PAN AMERICAN EXPOSITION IN THIS BUILDING PRESIDENT McKINLEY WAS ASSASSINATED WHILE HOLDING A PUBLIC RECEPTION UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT BUILDING AT BUFFALO liTrafi- CHAPTER I. Birth and Education of President McKinley— His Brilliant Career in the Army and Promotion for Bravery — Dis- tinguished as a Lawyer, Congressman and Governor- Champion of the Rights of Labor. A CROWDED public reception in tlie Temple of Music at the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo. President McKinley shaking hands with the throng. Suddenly the sharp crack of a pistol shot, repeated in an instant. The President twice wounded by a desperate assassin. Horror, commotion and indignation on every side. Such is the short and appalling story of that fatal Friday afternoon, the sixth of September, 1901. Our honored President, who held so strong a place in the hearts of the whole American people was stricken by the dastardly hand of a coward and mur- derer. The shot was winged with death. He was in the apparent enjoyment of health, honor and every token of happiness. He was applauded by the vast throng that crowded around him at the Exposition Grounds. In the twinkling of an eve a ghastly change came over the whole scene. Men were petrified by the infamous deed ; others were maddened to desper- ation. We shall relate the story of Mr. McKinley' s life, with the earnest endeavor to make these pages worthy of the illustrious President, whose tragic death has stirred the hearts of the whole American people to their lowest depths. Seldom in the public life of the statesmen of this republic has the wisdom of pertinacious, continuous application to one broad issue of national policy as a road to highest preferment been so completely approved as in the career of President William McKinley. Twice his conspicuous championship of protection and home markets for American workmen almost stampeded conventions to his nomination, vvh'^n acceptance 3 23 :^4 EARLY LIKK OF PRESIDENT McKlNLEV. would have beeu violative of tlie high stand, and of personal honor, which has marked his public and private life. Quiet, dignified, modest, considerate of others, ever ready to postpone his own ambitions in favor of those of veterans of longer service, faithful to friends, unwavering in integrity, tactful in silencing opposition, but unyielding in matters of principle, strong in his sympathy with the toilers, unchanged by success, abounding in hope under defeat, of unspotted private life, he won his wa}' to the top as one of the best examples of courageous, persevering, vigorous manhood that the nation has ever produced. IN TOUCH WITH PLAIN PEOPLE. More than any other who has reached his proud pre- eminence, save only Abraham Lincoln, his touch was closest with those " plain people " upon whom the martj^red Lincoln relied with such unhesitating confidence. While yet a 3'outh he marched in the ranks, a private soldier, and saw four years of the bloody struggle which made the country all free. In poverty he wrought to acquire his profession. These ^-ears of self-denial brought with them the self-reliance and self-control which resulted in his leadership on the floor of Congress at an age when no other American, save Henr}' Clay, had ever achieved similar prominence. He bore his part in great debates in a manner quiet, self- possessed and dignified. His incisive logic, caustic raillery at antagonists, and sarcastic comments on the shortcomings of his own party, gave him a mastery in debate which won the admira- tion even of those who opposed him. Mr. iMcKinley's personality like his career was the fruit of a peculiarly logical and sj'stem- atic character. Where others knew superficially he knew thoroughly. This thoroughness and skill in handling a slender majority of twent3'-two enabled him to pass that tariff bill which bears his name, which found less favor when enacted than it has enjoyed since its revision. He afterward stood as the em- bodiment and apostle of that principle. It is not easy always to anah'zc the causes of a popular KARLY LIFE OF PRESIDENT McKlNLEY. 35 favorite's liold upon the masses. High principle, personal mag- netism, galhintry, boldness even to rashness, great skill in debate or abilit}^ as a platform orator — all these ma}^ in turn be cited as reasons why a man should be liked or respected. But to awake the love and warmest admiration of a people require qualities which well nigh defy analysis. It has been Mr. McKinley's good fortune to be able to offer a very large class of his fellow-citizens just what they seemed to need. He aroused and attracted their sympathies, and this tre- mendous logical fact is what brought about the overwhelming ground-swell which swept other aspirants off their feet, and landed him an easy winner over men of larger public service and greater brilliance in many of the attributes of statesmanship. "All things come to him who waits," and William McKinley's self-denial received its great reward. CAME FROM A STURDY PARENTAGE. Mr. McKinley had a long expectation of life if the longevity of his parents can be taken as an indication. His father, Wil- liam McKinley, Sr., died in 1893, at the ripe age of 85, and his mother, Airs. Nancy McKinley, died in 1899, at Canton, the proud recipient of the filial attentions of her distinguished son. Airs. Nancy AIcKinley's father was of German birth, and her mother was of Scotch descent. William McKinley senior's grandfather was a Scotch-Irishman, and his mother was an Englishwoman. Air. AIcKinley, Sr., was born in Alercer County, Pa., but his family moved to New Lisbon, Columbiana County, O., in 1809, where for many years he was manager of a blast furnace. It was in New Lisbon that he met his wife, whom he married in 1838. Two sons, David and James, were born there, but owing to lack of educational facilities the father established his family in a little house in Niies, Trumbull County. It was in this house that William AIcKinley was born, February 26, 1843. It is worth remark that a considerable number of prominent Ameri- cans were natives of counties of Ohio, in the near vicinity of Niles, 36 EARLY LIFE OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. Cuyahoga, thirty miles away, was the birthplace of James A. Garfield. Senator Allison, of Iowa, lived only thirty miles from Canton, and Senator Manderson, of Nebraska, lived and married only fifteen miles from that city. Ex-Senator Thomas Collier Piatt kept store at one time in Massillon, onh^ eight miles awaj^, and Senator Quay's home at Beaver is only sixt}- miles off. Rutherford B. Hayes was a native of Delaware Count}-, near by, and Senator Sherman and General William T. Sherman were born and reared at Lancaster, O., less than a hundred miles away. Several of Mr. McKinlej^'s brothers and sisters died in infanc}'. His oldest brother, David, was a resident of San Fran- cisco, where he discharged the dut}- of Hawaiian Consul to the United States. James, the next older brother, died about 1S90. Abner, a 3'ounger brother has been engaged in business in New York. William McKinley entered the village school in Poland, to which his family had removed when only five 3'ears old. He remained in the schools of that town until in his seventeenth year, when he made enough money by teaching in a near by dis- trict public school to pay his matriculation fees in Alleghen}^ College. CALL TO ARMS FOUND HIM READY. He remained at the college only a few weeks when the call to arms for the Civil War came, and the pale-faced, grej^-eyed, earnest and patriotic young student flung aside his books and decided to shoulder a musket for the preservation of the Union. This step was taken only after earnest conference with his parents. Owing to his youth and physical immaturity tli y were loath to consent to interruption of his studies and the incident exposure to the hardship of campaigning. But the enthusiastic patriotisui of the youth kindled like emotion in the Scotch-Irish blood of his parents and bore down their oppositiou, for they saw tliat in spite of his youth there was plenty of fighting stuff in him. And so his education in books ended, and that broader education of stirring events and the ways of men began. EARLY LIFE OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. 37 Young McKinle}' entered the Union army a mere stripling, / ithout influence or powerful friends, with only a heart brimful of patriotism and love for his flag. He joined a company of volun- teers from his own neighborhood, which, after the fashion of the time, took the pretentious name of "The Poland Guards." The company had already selected its officers. The captain, a youth named Zimmerman, was chosen because of a brief service in a Penns3^1vania militia company, in which he had learned the facings and a few other rudiments of the school of the soldier. He was the only man in the company who had any military training whatever. Another 3'Oung fellow named Race was first lieutenant, and J. L. Botsford, second lieutenant. This company was mustered into the volunteer service at Columbus by General John C. Fre- mont in June, 1861, and was attached to the Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer Infantry, of which William S. Rosecranz was colonel and Rutherford B. Hayes major. HARDSHIPS OF A SOLDIER'S LIFE. The regiment saw service first in General George B. AlcClellan's campaign in the Kanawha, which wrested West Virginia from the parent State and added another star to the sisterhood of States. It was a campaign of few battles, hard marches and plenty of experience in the hardships of soldiering. Of the fourteen months which McKinley served in the ranks he once said : " I always look back with pleasure on those fourteen months of soldiering. The}- taught me a great deal. I was onh- a school-boy when I entered the ranks, and that year was the Jormative period of my life, during which I learned much of men / and affairs. I have always been glad that I entered the service/ as a private." Promotion came to him after Antietam. During that battle he was acting commissar}^ for his company, and in the heat of the fight he took cooked rations to the front to feed his hungry comrades who had been in battle line for twenty four hours. The fighters fell back in squads to refresh themselves, and were 38 EARLY LIFE OF PRESIDENT McKINi^^Y. loud in praises of McKinley's thoughtfulness. He obtained furlough a few days after the battle. On his wa}' home he passed through Columbus and paid his respects to Governor Tod, who surprised the j'oung volunteer b}' presenting him with a second lieutenant's commission. General Hayes, who had been wounded at the battle, was home and recommended the promotion. This was September 24, 1862. February 7, 1863, he was promoted to first lieutenant, and on July 25, 1864, captain. This latter promotion was supplemented by his appointment as adjutant-general of his brigade, and he remained upon the staff until mustered out in Jul}-, 1865. It was as assistant adjutant-general that he went through / Sheridan's famous campaigns in the Shenandoah Valle\'. While / on his way to Winchester Sheridan found young McKinle}', then only 21 \'ears old, rallying the panic-stricken troops at Cedar Creek, and at Berr3^ville the young officer's horse was killed under him, " For gallant and meritorious services at the battle of the Opiquan, Cedar Creek and Fisher's Hill," reads his com- mission as brevet-major, and it is signed " A. Lincoln." ADMIRED BY YOUNG MEN. Thus William McKinle}-, at a time of his life when most young men are at school or preparing for professional life, had experience in over four years of active warfare and had con- tributed as many ^'•ears of his life to active military service of his countr^' as any veteran of the Civil War. This is one of the potent holds he had upon the young nicn of the countr\- who steadily held him in view as a paragon of youlhful courage and ])atriotism. The war over, McKinley found hiuLsclf at 22, a man without a profession and means to live on. Military life still had many fascinations for liini, and aconnnission in the regular arnn- was within the reach of the influence he was now able to exert. That would at least provide him with a living, and the temptation was strong. His sister, Miss Anna McKinley, a woman of fine judg- ment and strong character, had already established herself as a EARLY LIFE OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. 39 school teacher in Canton, O., and she proved to be the pioneer of the McKinley family in Stark County. It was largely due to her forcible arguments that the 3-oung soldier laid off his uniform and devoted himself to study of law. This period of three years between the time he left the mili- tary service, in 1865, and the da}^ he left the Law School, at Albany, N. Y., in 1868, is one of which few facts are known. The man Avho knows all about the difficulties and struggles with lean purse and long ambition that marked those years has never taken an}- one into his confidence concerning them. He had the advantage of the law library of Judge Glidden, in whose office he was entered as a law student. That able jurist took great interest in his pupil and gave him freely of his knowledge. When the young man was at last admitted to the bar Judge Glidden gave him his first case. This is alwa3's a memorable event in the life of a young lawyer. WON HIS FIRST CASE. It came about thus : McKinley had found a hole in the wall outside of which he stuck up his shingle as a lawyer. A fortnight passed and so did all clients. Then Judge Glidden handed the half-discouraged young attorne}- a bundle of papers with the remark : — '' Mac, here are the papers in a case which is coming up to-morrow. I have got to go out of town and you must try it." "I have never tried a case j^et, you know, Judge !" McKinley replied. "Well, begin on this one then," Glidden answered. McKin- ley began work at once, and after studying the case all night went to court next day and won the suit. Glidden called at his office a few days afterward and handed McKinley $25, which he refused to take. " It is too much, Judge, for one day's pay," the conscientious young attorne}' said. "Nonsense, Mac," said the veteran. "Don't let that worry 3^ou. I charged them $100 and can easily afford to give vou a quarter of it." 40 EARLY LIFE OF PRESIDENT McKINLEV. Ill a case which came to him soon afterward McKinlev won one of liis most substantial earlier triumphs. He was pitted against John AlcSweeii}-, one of the most brilliant lawyers at tlie Ohio bar. It was a suit for damages for malpractice against a surgeon, who, it was claimed, had set a broken leg so unskilfulh' that the patient was made bow-legged. AlcSween}- brought his client into court, and after he had told his story he bared his leg to show how far it was out of line. McKinley, for the defense, demanded thiit the plaintiff bare the other leg for comparison. The court upheld this demand, in spite of McSweeny's vigorous objection. To the confusion of the plaintiff and his counsel, and the merriment of court and jury, that leg was found to be the worse bowed of the two. His trousers had concealed his natural deformity. PARTNERSHIP WITH A LEADING LAWYER. " My client seems to have done better by this man than did nature itself," said Counsellor McKinley, " and I move that the suit be dismissed with recommendation that he have his right leg broken and set b}' the defendant in this case." The plaintiff was laughed out of court. Soon after this success Judge Belden, a leading lawj^er of Canton, formed a partnership with the young attorney which lasted until tlie Judge's death, in 1S70. He had alread}' won. his way so that the people in that yesLV elected him Prosecuting Attorney of Stark County, which office he filled for several 3'ears. Practice now flowed in to him, and he speedily won repute as an excellent advocate. He is credited with making some of the best jury arguments ever heard at that bar. When elected to Congress he was a recognized leader of the Stark Count}' bar and had one of the best general practices at that bar. Another case in whicli he especially distinguished himself was tliatof anuniljcrof iiiiuers prosecuted for riot, whom he defended in an appeal tc^ tlie jury whicli is remembered to this day as a triumph of eloquence over hard fact. It was the first opportunity of his career to test his deep s^-inpatli}- with wage-workers, and his use COPYRIGHT, BY CLINEDENST, WASHINGTON MRS. WILLIAM McKINLEY COPYRlCMl, B» CLl.'.cUl: PRESIDENT Mckinley examining state papers THE WHTE HOUSE WASHINGTON SENATOR M. A. HANNA CHAIRMAN OF THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE I T > z o < z O D z ^ O rr EARLY LIFE OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. 41 of it gave him a hold upon their gratitude that time only strengthened. James G. Blaine, in his " Twenty Years of Congress," wrote : " William McKinley, Jr., enteted from the Canton district. He enlisted in an Ohio regiment when only i8 years old, and won the rank of major by meritorious services. The interests of his constituents and his own bent of mind led him to the study of industrial questions, and he was soon recognized in the House as one of the most thorough statisticians, and one of the ablest defenders of the doctrine of protection." SYMPATHY WITH TOILERS. The Plumed Knight touched with his trenchant pen the very needle's eye of character which placed McKinley where he stood. Sympathy with the toilers brought him to the study of industrial questions, to which he gave the same thorough analysis and intense application that he gave to his law cases. In this respect he was like Garfield, having given like thorough study to political subjects. It is said that Rutherford B. Hayes took occasion once to advise McKinley, who seemed destined for public preferment, to confine his political studies as far as possible to some partic- ular subject, to master that so as to be recognized as its most learned expounder. "There is the tariff and protection," he is said to have advised. " It affords just the field for such endeavor as I have described. In the near future it is likely to become one of the leading issues upon which the voters of this nation will divide probably for many years." This conversation may have occurred, but the fact remains that the natural bent of McKinley's mind and the tendency to sympathize with the toilers had early turned his intellect toward that precise question. That was his theme when very early in his legal career he took the stump and discussed political ques- tions in his own and neighboring counties, to which his reputation as an attractive speaker early penetrated. Major McKinlej' was only 34 years old when, in 1877. the people of the Canton district elected him to represent them in 42 EARLY LIFE OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. Congress. YLenry Cla\^ and James G. Blaine are the most conspicuous statesmen who began Congressional careers at an early age. It was a Democratic House, and the new member began his service at the foot of the unimportant Law Revision Committee. His first term passed with no public speech of note to his credit, but Speaker Samuel J. Randall had noticed the studious application of the 3'oung Ohioan and his shrewdness in committee work. Hence, at the outset of his second term McKinle}- was placed on the Judici- ary Committee next to Thomas Brackett Reed. His ambition and mental prompt- ings led him to pre- fer the Ways and Means Committee, but he was disap- pointed at that time. HON. WILLIAM McKINLEY. However, early in the session the bill of Fernando Wood gave him his chance, and he riddled that measure with a grasp of fact and merciless logic that marked him as one of the masters of protection knowledge. McKinley's Congressional prominence may be said to have fairly begun with the retirement of Garfield from the Ways and Means Committee after his election to the Presidency in 1880. McKinley was appointed to the vacancy, and from then until he retired from Congress in 1891, after ten years of service that would have been continuous except for tluit portion oi' the Forty-eighth Congress when the Democrats unseated him, he remained upon that most important committee. His work was so strong and in- cisive that the Democrats, fearing his abilities, three times sought EARLY LIFE OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. 43 his second session debate on the tariff-revision bill to throw him ont of Congress by gerrymandering his district. Twice placed in districts so fixed that the Democratic majority seemed assured, he nevertheless was elected by substantial majorities. In 1890 an international contest was brought into the narrow limits of his Congressional district. The order had gone forth from Democratic free-trade headquarters that the peerless cham- pion of protection must be beaten at any cost. So his district was patched up until it showed a nominal Democratic plurality of 3,100 votes. Most men would have shirked such a contest and retired upon laurels already won. WENT BOLDLY INTO THE FIGHT. Not so McKinley. His Scotch-Irish blood was up, and he threw himself into the fight with an impetuosity that he had never before exhibited. He actually carried three of the four counties of his district, but was beaten by a slender plurality of 302 votes. He had pulled down the Democratic majority 2800 votes, and what his enemies sought to make his Waterloo proved to be a McKinley triumph and turned Republican thought in the country toward him as the leader of the greater struggle of 1896. It, however, closed his Congressional career. McKinley in Washington was a worker persistent, methodi- cal and indefatigable. He was never found in the haunts of con- vivial men. That side of life which fascinates and has destro^^cd the usefulness of many brilliant men had no fascination for him. His work-day was spent in committee or in the House, and the business of the day over, he went straight to his home and his invalid wife. Tom Murray, who for years was manager of the House restaurant, says that for \-ears he watched his daily coming for a bowl of crackers and milk, which consumed, he returned to his work and wrought while his colleagues regaled upon terrapin and champagne. And yet the hard-working, non-convivial member from Canton was popular with his fellow-members on both sides of the House. He led a bare majority of twenty-two through all 44 EARLY LIFE OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. the perils of conflicting interests. He, too, found time to champion the Federal Elections bill, and to draw to its support many men from widely separated territory, and representing man}'^ diverse local interests. It was iMcKinlcA-'s Congressional record that made him illustrious. Beginning at the foot of the ladder in committee appointment, he forged steadil}' to the front. Leadership was won, not conceded. It was his presentment of the great tariff bill that crowded the House of Representatives on that ever- memorable Ma}^ 7, 1890, when he reported it and opened a debate which has become historical. His contrast between protection and free trade, which closed that famous forensic utterance, paints at once a picture and a prophecy. INDEPENDENCE AND PROSPERITY. *' We have now," he said, " enjoyed twenty-nine 3^ears con- tinuouslv of protective tariff laws — the longest uninterrupted period in which that polic}^ has prevailed since the formation of the Federal Government — and wq find ourselves at the end of that period in a condition of independence and prosperity the like of which has no parallel in the recorded history of the world. In all that goes to make a nation great and strong and inde- pendent we have made extraordinary strides. We have a surplus revenue and a spotless credit. "To reverse this S3'stem means to stop the progress «. •; ,his Republic. It means to turn the masses from ambition, c< arage and hope to dependence, degradation and despair. Talk about depression ! We would have it then in its fulness. Everything would indeed be cheap, but how cosily when measured by the degradation that would ensue ! When merchandise is cheapest, men are poorest, and the most distressing experiences of our country — aye, of all history — have been when everything was lowest and cheapest, measured in gold, and everj^thing was highest and dearest, measured by labor." When Major IMcKinley, in 1S90, lost his gerr3-mandered district b}^ the narrow margin of 302 votes, there was no doubt EARLY LIFE OF PRESIDENT McKlNLEY. 45 in the minds of Ohio Republicans as to who should and must be their candidate for Governor. It was no consolation purse that he was to race for. It was simply and solely that the fortune of hostile legislative control had placed within reach as candidate for the Chief Executive of the State a man of spotless honor, whose many services made him the most popular man in the Commonwealth. The room in the northwest corner of the State House in Columbus is brimful of histor}- . A Secretar}' of the Treasury, a Chief Justice of the United States and a President sat there as the Chief Executive of the State before being called to higher preferment. Nearly every man who has occupied the chief chair therein has been or still is a vital force in the political or business history of the nation. No other State has ever contributed as many Governors to the National Executive in chair or council. A FAITHFUL PUBLIC OFFICER. Governor McKinley's career of four years in the Executive Chair of Ohio was exemplification of the fact that the most inter- esting period of a statesman's public service is not necessarily that in which he enjoys the greatest degree of public prominence. That office claimed, almost monopolized, his attention, and local interests were never in the remotest degree subordinated to wider political necessities. But this lessened neither the number nor loyalty of his friends in all parts of the country. His solicitude for the toilers' was marked. His sympathy with the eight-hour movement was early manifested. He was a conspicuous champion of arbitration in the settlement of labor difficulties. These convictions appeared in his recommendations of legislation to protect workingmen in hazardous occupations, to secure them more considerate treatment as well as more safety in the pursuit of tlieir avocations. It was upon his recommendation that the Ohio law was passed requiring that all street cars should be furnished with vestibules to protect the motormen and con- ductors from inclement weather. But it was along the line of arbitration — authorized but not 46 EARLY LIFE OF I'RESIDJINF McKlNLEV. coiiipulsorv whicli he regarded as the true si)liiti(>ii of labor trou- bles — that his best work was done. During his first term the State Board of Arbitration was created upon the Massachusetts plan, but he made its workings the subject of his personal super- vision during all his administration. During the existence of the Board, twent3'-eight strikes, some of them involving 2000 men, were investigated, and in fifteen cases the Board found a common basis upon which both parties could agree. SENDS RELIEF TO MINERS IN DISTRESS. No account of Governor McKinley's connection with labor problems woitldbe complete without mention of the tireless energy he displayed in securing relief for the 2000 miners of the Hocking Valley mining district, who, early in 1895, were reported out of work and destitute. The news reached him at midnight, but by 5 A. M., on his own responsibility, a car, loaded with provisions, worth $1000, was dispatched to the afflicted district. Appeals made subsequently to the Boards of Trade or Chambers of Com- merce of the great cities of the State increased this initial bene- faction to $32,796 worth of clothing and provisions. Governor ]McKin!ey\s two terms as the State's Executive were on the whole smooth and harmonious, but he was repeatedly called upon to solve perplexing problems in the relations of capital and labor. In 1894 the State Government received no fewer than fifteen calls for State troops to aid in enforcing the law. No such demand had been made since the Civil War, but Governor Mc- Kinle}', obeying the dictates of his judgment, answered with such popular acceptation that even those labor organizations which are most radical in opposing any action in labor troubles on the part of the State militia were forced to admit the wisdom of his course. CHAPTER II. A Man of Noble Ideals and Unselfish Aims — His Domestic Fidelity — A Governor of Rare Sagacity — His Suc- cessful Administration as President. NO events in the history of President McKinley commended him more to the confidence and respect of his fellow-citizens than his honorable course in two national conventions of his party, when, had he shown a momentary departure in steadfast loyalty in support of the men he had been instructed to vote for, he might have himself been the nominee. Since 1876 he had borne a prominent part in Republican national conventions. He was a member of the Committee on Resolutions of the convention of 1880, when the man who led the Ohio delegation, pledged to the candidacy of Senator John Sherman, and who placed that veteran statesman in nomination in a speech that was one of the masterpieces of his public utterances, was himself made the nominee. This was James A. Garfield. Again, in 1884, he was the chosen member of the Committee on Resolutions who drafted the party platform with such skill that a newspaper raised his name to its column head with the words, "Let the man who wrote the platform of '84 be our standard-bearer for 1888." Perhaps McKinley himself realized in 1888 that he then hardl}' measured up to the standard of the tried and true vet- erans in the public service whose names were to go before that convention. Certainly no one could have declared such fact more unhesitatingl}^ or earnestly than he did. It was an occa- sion never to be forgotten, and it demonstrated even then that Mr. McKinley was a Presidential possibilit}/ who could afford to bide his time and need not crowd veterans in public favor out of a nomination which for him could have no charm unless fairly won. The balloting for President had reached the fourth call when 48 A MAN OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY. a Connecticut delegate cast his vote for McKinley. As soon as the vote was announced McKinley rose in his seat and lifted his band for recognition of the Chair. Before he could utter half a dozen words a great shout, " McKinle}- " went up from all over the convention. Unshaken b}- this evidence of popular esteem, he said : MANLY SPEECH IN CONVENTION. " >Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Convention : I am here as one of the chosen representatives of m}^ State ; I am here b}- resolution of its Republican convention, passed without one dissenting voice, commanding me to cast m\' vote for John Sherman and to use ever}- worthy endeavor for his nomination. I accepted this trust because lU}- heart ana judgment were in accord with the letter and spirit and purpose of that resolution- It has pleased certain delegates to cast their votes for me. I am not insensible of the honor they would do me, but in the presence of the dut}' resting upon me, I cannot remain silent with honor ; I cannot consistentU' with the credit of the State whose creden- tials I bear, and which has trusted me ; I cannot with honorable fidelity to John Sherman, who has trusted me in his cause and with his confidence ; I cannot consistently with my own viev;s of my personal integrity consent, or seem to consent, to permit my name to be used as a candidate before the convention. " I would not restrict myself if I could find it in mv heart to do, but I cannot peimit that to be done which could even be ground for any one t.o suspect that I wavered in nu' lo3-alt3^ to Ohio or my devotion to the chief of her choice and the chief of mine. I do not request — I demand — that no delegates who would not cast reflection upon me shall cast a ballot for me'' When McKinlej', who spoke in tones whose earnestness and sincerity could not be doubted, concluded his speech his audience applauded him to the echo. It was so characteristic of the man that his name was not mentioned by any as a candidate. He had gained another popular victor}'. Four years later at Minneapolis McKinley again had oppor- tunity to show that he valued honor above even nomination to A MAN OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY. 4d the highest office in the Republic. He was the chairman of the convention. When Ohio was reached on the first ballot for President the leader of the delegation announced its full vote for AVilliam McKinley. This was the signal for an outburst of applause from floor and gallery, as spontaneous as it was vocif- erous. Hurried consultations were held by many State dele- gations, and amid the cheers and applause which still continued one leader after another arose to the change of his State to McKinley. The Major, evidently deeply affected by the demon- stration, but firm and composed, rose in his place and said : — '' I challenge the vote of Ohio." DETERMINED TO VOTE FOR HIM. " The gentleman is not a member of the delegation at pres- ent," said Governor Foraker, who was chairman of the Ohio rep- resentatives. "I am a delegate from that State," cried McKinley, in tones that could be heard above the confusion and uproar, "audi demand that my vote be counted." " Your alternative voted for you," Governor Foraker per- sisted. The vote of the delegation was polled nevertheless, and the solitary vote which was cast for Harrison, was Major McKinley's. Harrison was nominated, and Chairman McKinlejr, calling Colonel Elliott F. Shepard to the chair, moved to make the nomi- nation unanimous. " Your turn will come in '96," shouted one of the 182 delc' gates, who, despite his protest, voted for him in that convention. This prophec}^ was fulfilled. Two things commended Mr. McKinley mightly to the aver- asre man — he could fis^ht and he loved his wife. While these at first thought seem to be virtues common enough, yet he who has them has not far to go to make him a man complete. He also loved children with the pathetic love of the man whose name will live only in history, for the two children of his early married life died, and his wife was a confirmed invalid. 50 A MAN OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY. It was early in his struggles with the law in Canton that William McKinley met Ida Saxton, a beauty, the daughter of the richest banker in the town, and a girl after his own heart. He has never got over the surprise and joy which filled his soul, when, having made up his mind to put his future happiness to touch, he asked Ida Saxton to be his wife and she said yes. It is said that her father confirmed this when along with his parental blessing he said : " You are the only man of all that have sought her that I would have given her to." It was in 1871, after he had won his first success at the bar and had been successful as Prosecuting Attorney. They went to housekeeping in the same house to which he returned after his long service in Congress and his two terms as Governor. In that pleasant little villa his two children were born. One lived to be nearly four years old, while the other died in early infancy. LARGE HEART AND WARM NATURE. It was soon after the birth of the second daughter that the fact became apparent that Mrs. McKinley would be a lifelong invalid. Much could be written of the tenderness of the strong and virile man to his invalid wife, but the idle gossip which has already been written upon that subject has hurt where it was thought to comfort. Newspapers have thoughtlessly dwelt upon this affliction, singing praises of his constanc}' and devotion when even kind words carried with them a penetrating sting. It is enough to say that this husband and wife have never been parted except during exigent work in campaigning. During his service as Congressman in Washington she was alwa3's with him, embroidering the slippers which constituted her principal employment in his absence until the number which solaced the sufferers in hospitals is said to amount to nearly four thousand. PVom Congressional duty to his wife and back to duty was the round of his Washington life. While Governor of Ohio four rooms in the Chittenden House in Columbus were their houie. .An early breakfast and he was qQ to his executive duties. It was remarked that he always left A MAN OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY. 51 his hotel by a side entrance, and when well across the street he turned and lifted his hat, while a handkerchief fluttered for an instant from the window of his home. Then the Governor, with a pleased smile, walked jauntil}' off toward the State House. This was repeated every evening, showing that loving watch was kept at that window. Occasionally, weather and health permitting, Mrs. McKinley indulged in a carriage ride, her husband always accompanying her. Always on Sunday the Governor took an early train for Canton, and going to his mother's house, accom- panied her to the First M. E. Church of which he was a member. He was superintendent of its Sunday-school until public duty took him to Washington. HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE. Major McKinley was five feet seven inches in height and as straight as Michael Angelo's statue of David. He undoubtedly looked like the great Napoleon, although he said more than once that he did not like to be reminded of the resemblance. He had the same grave, dignified mouth, the same high, broad and full forehead and the same heavy lower jaw. He was a better looking man than was Napoleon, and his bright, dark eyes shone out under brows which were less heavy than those of Bonaparte, and his frown was by no means so terrible as that of the Little Cor- poral. He appreciated, however, the value of dignity, always dressed in a double-breasted frock coat and crowned his classic head with a tall silk hat. Personall}^ Major McKinley was a charming man to meet. His presence was prepossessing, though in conversation he rarel}' developed brilliancy or ready wit. Dignity and repose, rather than force and action, appeared as his strong characteristics to the man who met him casually. Yet his campaigns showed that when time for action came he could go through labor that wears out a corps of experienced reporters, and come out of the immense strain of six weeks' constant canvass with little loss of flesh and comparatively few signs of fatigue. The Gubernatioual char- paign of 1893 was notable in this respect. 52 A MAN 01- HONOR AND INTEGRITV. With the chances favoring him and business depression pre- vailing, niuny a man would have trusted something to luck and worked less' persistently and energetically than under other circumstances. But that was not McKinley's way. He realized that his boom for the Presidency depended very largely upon the size of his majority, and worked like a Trojan. Those who followed him in the famous Congressional campaign of 1S90 against John G. Warwick, and again in 1891, when he canvassed the State against Campbell with such signal success, and were a third time with him in 1893 say that he worked as never before. In the speeches he made one notable characteristic was always prominent. He did not make enemies. No one ever heard McKinley abuse a political opponent from the stump. Few men have ever heard him speak with disrespect or malignity of one in private life. Only among his close confidants, and they were care full v chosen and not numerous, did he allow himself to speak his mind fully. ELECTED AND INAUGURATED. After a verv exciting campaign in 1S96, Mr. McKinley was elected President, and was inaugurated with most imposing cere- monies in March, 1S97. His administration was characterized by wise and successful statesmanship, and as the period for a new election drew near it became evident that he would be again the unanimous choice of his party to be their standard-bearer in the campaign of 1900. An extraordinary session of Congress was called by President McKinley two days after he took the oath of office on the steps of the Capitol. It met in pursuance to his proclamation at noon on March 15. The special message transmitted by him to both Houses on the opening day was brief. It explained the deficien- cies in the revenues, reviewed the bond issues of the last adminis- tratiDU, and urged Congress promptly to correct the then existing condition by passing a tariff bill that would supply ample revenues for the support of the Government and the liquidation of the public debt. A MAN OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY. o3 No other subject of legislation was mentioned in tlie message, and the tariff bill was the all-absorbing feature of the session. The Republican members of the Ways and Means Committee of the preceding House had been at work throughout the short session, which ended March 4, giving hearings and preparing the bill which was to be submitted at the extra session. Three days after the session opened the Tariff bill was reported to the House by the Ways and Means Committee, and thirteen days later, March 31, 1897, ^^ passed the House. It went to the Senate, was referred to the Committee on Finance, and the Republican members of that committee spent a month and three days in its consideration and in preparing the amend- uients, which were submitted to the Senate Ma}^ 4. Its consider- ation was begun in the Senate Ma\- 7, and exactly- two months later, July 7, it passed the Senate with 872 amendments. TARIFF BILL PROMPTLY SIGNED. The bill then went to conference, where, after a ten days' struggle, on July 17, a complete agreement was reached by which the Senate receded from 118 amendments and the House from 511. The others, 243 in number, were compromised. The conference report was adopted by the House Jul}?" 19, at the conclusion of twelve hours of continuous debate. The report was taken up in the Senate July 20, and adopted Saturday, July 24. The Tariff bill was signed by the President the same day- In August President McKinle}' promulgated amendments to the civil service rules which elicited enthusiastic praise from civil service reformers. The order considered of most importance provided "that no removal shall be made from any position subject to competitive examination except for just cause and upon written charges filed with the head of the department or other appointing officer, and of which the accused shall have full notice and an opportunity to make defense." Through the Hon. Stewart L. Woodford, American Minister to Spain, our Cabinet at Washington addressed a note in 54 A MAN OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY. September to the Spanish gove/umcnt concerning the war in Cuba, urging that the most strenuous efforts be made to bring it to an end, and offering mediation between the contending parties. Spain\s reply, which was received in November, was considered satisfactory and not likely to lead to any rupture between the two countries. In February, 1898, an incident occurred which created universal comment. A letter was written by the Spanish Minister at Washington, Senor De Lome, reflecting seriously upon President McKinley, in connection with the policy our administration was pursuing toward the government of Spain with regard to the insurrection in Cuba. This letter was written by De Lome to a friend, but failed in some way to reach its destination, and was made public. Public indignation was expressed at this perfidy of the Spanish Minister, and he was compelled to resign. INSURRECTION IN CUBA. The struggle in Cuba for independence continued to be the one absorbing topic that occupied the attention of Congress. General Weyler ordered all the inhabitants of Cuba who were suspected of sympathizing with the insurgents into the town, where they were left to obtain the necessaries of life as best they could. This act, which was pronounced inhuman by the Ameri- can people, resulted in the death of tens of thousands of men, women and children by starvation. Meanwhile, accurate reports of the appalling situation in Cuba were brought by several mem- bers of Congress who visited the island with a view to ascertain- ing the exact facts. These reports so inflamed the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives that a number of resolutions were introduced demand- ing that belligerent rights should be granted to the Cubans, and further that the United States should intervene with force of arms to end the war in Cuba, and secure the independence of the island. These resolutions, which were referred to the Committee on Foroip^n Rol;^ti(>ns, were indii'ative of the temper of Congress. A MAN OK HONOR AND INTEGRITY. 55 A profound sensation was created by the destruction of the United States battleship " Maine " in the harbor of Havana. The " Maine" was lying in the harbor, having been sent to Cuba on a friendly visit. On the evening of February 15, a terrific explosion took place on board the ship, by which 266 sailors and officers lost their lives and the vessel was wrecked. The cause of the explo- sion was not apparent. The wounded sailors of the *' Maine" were unable to explain it. The explosion shook the whole city of Havana, and the windows were broken in mau}^ of the houses. The wounded sailors stated that the explosion took place while they were asleep, so that they could give no particulars as to the cause. The Government at Washington and the whole country were horrified at the destruction of one of our largest cruisers and the loss of so many of our brave sailors- The excitement throughout the country was intense. The chief interest in the " Maine " dis- aster now centered upon the cause of the explosion that so quickly sent her to the bottom of Havana habor. MESSAGE TO CONGRESS. A Naval Board of Inquiry went to Havana and proceeded promptly to investigate the causes of the explosion that destroyed the battleship. Upon receiving the report of the Board of Inquiry, President McKinley transmitted it to Congress, and with it a message which he closed as follows : " In view of these facts and of these considerations I ask the Congress to authorize and empower the President to take measures to secure a full and final termination of the hostilities between the Government of Spain and the people of Cuba, and to secure in the island the establishment of a stable government capable of maintaining order and observing its international obligations, en- suring peace and tranquillity and the security of its citizens as well as our own, and to use the military and naval forces of the United States as may be necessary for these purposes. '' And in the interest of humanity and to aid in preserving r>ii A MAN OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY. the lives of the starving people of that island. I recommend that the distribution of food and supplies be continued, and thai an appropriation be made out of the public treasury to supplement the charily of our citizens. "The issue is now with Congress. It is a solemn responsi- bility. I have exhausted every effort to relieve the intolerable- condition of affairs which is at our doors. Prepared to execute every i)blii,'ation imposed upon me by the Constitution and the law. I await your action." Congress debated a week over the recommendations con- tained in the President's message, and on April i8, both Houses united in passing a series of resolutions calling for the interven- tion of the United States to compel Spain to withdraw her forces from Cuba, and thus permit the authorities at Washington to provide the island with a free and independent government. The demaud contained in the resolution was sent to the Spanish Mijiister at Washington on April 20, who at once called for his passports and left f )r Canada. AMKRICAN MINISTER LEAVES MADRID. On the same date the ultimatum of our Government was sent to United States Minister Woodford, at Madrid, who was curtly handed his passports before he had an opportunity of for- mallv presenting the document. These transactions involved a virtual declaration of war, although Congress did not formally declare that war actually existed until April 25, dating the time back to the 21st. The North Atlantic Squadron was immediately ordered to blockade the Cuban ports, and on April 22 proceeded to carry out the order. On tlie same date the United States gunboat " Nash- ville " captured the vS])anish merchantman " Buena \'entura " in the Gulf of Mexico. In this capture the first gun of the war was filed. The next day President McKinley promulgated a resolution calling for 125,000 volunteers. On the same day, Morro Castle, commanding the harbor of Havana, tired on the United vStates fligship " New York " l>ut without doing any damage. Subse- A MAN OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY. 57 qiient events comprised the capture of a number of Spanish vessels by x\dmiral Sampson's squadron. Stirring news from our Asiatic fleet was soon received. On ;May I, Admiral Dewey practically destroyed the Spanish squad- ron in the harbor of Manila, Philippine Islands, capturing nine vessels and inflicting a loss of 400 killed and 600 v/ounded. The capture of the Spanish fleet at Santiago, on July 3, and the vic- tories of the American army in Cuba, resulting in the surrender of all the Spanish troops in the province of Santiago, prepared the way for Mr McKinley to sign a peace protocol in August and a treaty of peace with Spain in December. With a firm hand he conducted the difficult and delicate diplomacy and pushed on the war that freed Cuba, brought the Philippine Islands under the authority and government of the United States, and restored peace to the combatants. WAR COULD NOT BE AVERTED. As to his policy in view of the necessary legislation for our new possessions, and his purpose to govern them in such a way as to advance their welfare and to secure for them the largest libert}^, he declared in an eloquent speech before the Ohio Societ}' in New York that every obligation of our Government would be fulfilled. *' After thirty-three years," he said, '' of unbroken peace came an unavoidable war. Happily, the conclusion was quickly reached, without a suspicion of unworth}^ motive or practice or purpose on our part, and with fadeless honor to our arms. I can- not forget the quick response of the people to the countr3''s need and the quarter of a million men who freely offered their lives to their country's service. It was an:impressive spectacle of national strength. It demonstrated our mighty reserve power and taught us that large standing armies are unnecessary when every citizen is a ' minute man ' ready to join the ranks for national defence. "Out of these recent events have come to the United States grave trials and responsibilities. As it was the nation's war, so are its results the nation's problems. Its solution rests upon us all. It is too serious to stifle. It is too earnest for 58 A MAN OK HONOR AND INTEGRITY. repose. No phrase or catchword can conceal the sacred obligation it involves. No nse of epithets, no aspersion of motive by those \vh<. differ will contribute to that sober judgment so essential to ri>^ht conclusions. "No political outcry can abrogate our treaty of peace with Spain or absolve us from its solemn engagements. It is the people's question and its determination is written out in their enlightened verdict. We must choose between manly doing and base desertion. It will never be the latter. It must be soberly settled in justice and good conscience, and it will be. Righteous^ ness which exalteth a nation must control in its solution. DECLARATION AGAINST IMPERIALISM. " There can be no imperialism. Those who fear it are against it. Those who have faith in the Republic are against it. So that there is universal abhorrence for it and unanimous oppo- sition to it. Our only difference is that those who do not agree with us have no confidence in the virtue or capacity- or high pur- pose or good faith of this free people as a -civilizing agenc\% while we believe that the century- of free goverment which the American people have enjoyed has not rendered them irresolute and faithless, but has fitted them for the great task of lifting up and assisting to better condition and larger liberty those distant people who have, through the issue of battle, become our wards. " Let us fear not. There is no occasion for faint hearts, no excuse for regrets. Nations do not grow in strength and the cause of liberty and law by the doing of easy things. The harder the task the greater will be the result, the benefit and the honor. To doubt our power to accomplish it is to lose faith in the soundness and strength of our popular institutions. The liberators will never become the oppressors. A self-governed people will never permit despotism in any government which the}- foster and defend. "Gentlemen, we have the new care and cannot shift it. And. lin-aking up the camp of ease and isolation, let us bravely and hopcfull\- and ^olx rl\- continue the march of faithful service and A MAN OF HONOR AND INTEGRITY. 59 falter not until the work is done. It is not possible that seventy- five millions of American freemen are unable to establish liberty and justice and good government in our new possessions. The burden is our opportunity. The opportunity is greater than the burden. May God give us strength to bear the one and wisdom so as to embrace the other as to carry to our distant acquisi- tions the guarantees of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Beyond the administration of affairs connected with our war with Spain and the Filipino insurgents, and the appointment of officials to govern Hawaii, Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philip- pines, the chief measure of public importance during Mr. McKinley's administration was the enactment, at his recom- mendation, of the new currency law, whereby the gold standard has been established and our currency' laws are made to cor- respond with those of the most enlightened nations of the earth. DECISIVE DEMAND FROM TURKEY. A claim w^as made against Turkey by our Government for damages inflicted upon Americans during the massacres in Armenia. This claim amounted to $90,000, and the Turkish government, with its customary dilatory tactics, evaded the payment of it. It was Mr. McKinley's determined purpose to collect the amount due for Turkish depredations. Accordingly he made a demand for payment. A month passed and no notice was taken of the communication from our State Department. On the 23d of May, 1900, Mr. McKinley authorized another demand to be made upon Turkey, and in terms implying that the next communication would be an ultimatum conveyed by a battleship. The whole amount was afterward collected. These public acts indicate the heroic qualities Mr. McKinley exhibited during his administration. With a high purpose to serve his country, with consummate tact and wisdom in conduct- ing public affairs, with exalted patriotism and a noble resolve to promote the welfare of the people in all parts of our broad land, he discharged the responsible duties of his high office to the entire satisfaction of his party. ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE GENEALOGY OF THE McKINLEY FAMILY. The following genealogical sketch of President McKinley, was prepared by the Rev. A Stapleton, of Carlisle, Pa. " It should be a matter of regret to all true historians that the campaign histories of President McKinley were erroneous in several important genealogical details. The data herein given may be relied on as correct, as they are the result of researches in the court records and other authorities still extant. ''The ancestors of President McKinley belonged to that sturdy race of people called the Scotch-Irish, so called because in 1607 King James I. located a large number of Scots in the north- ern part of Ireland on lands from which the Irish had been evicted. These settlements were gradually augmented by immi- gration until eventually the Scotch-Irish element predominated in this region. They were stanch Presbyterians in faith and in course of time developed traits and peculiarities so marked as to almost stamp them a- a distinct race. SUFFERED MANY HARDSHIPS. In course of time this noble people were overtaken by many hardships, such as the successive failure of crops, besides very unsatisfactory civil and religious conditions. Their only source of relief was in immigration to America, in which they were encouraged by agents of the American colonies. After 1715 the immigration became very extensive, the chief port ol arrival being New Castle, on the Delaware, below Philadelphia. "The Scotch-Irish being citizens of the- British realm their arrival is not a matter of record like that of the Germans, Swiss, I)uteh, etc., who are designated as foreigners in the Colonial records, and were required to subscribe to an oath of allegiance u])()n arrival, besides a subsequent naturalization. Hence it f )llows that citizens of the realm are more difficult to identify than foreigners bv the historian. Our only recourse is in tax lists, laud warrants, c a- < , Iti ui -J I I- z UJ "^ =!h CHARLES EMORY SMITH POSTMASTER GENERAL DR. P. M. RIXEY I 11 p-;ys.cian to f- res dent Mckinley and fami' DR. ROSWELL P. PARK SURGEON IN ATTENDANCE UPON PRESIDENT McKINLEY I- z O CO CC C/) a. uj z z -J y CO < z tr t^ < Q. 2l cr Q. < o z I- D Z Q CO CO CC LU m o 5 > CO < I- co z CO "^ > - UJ 2 L^ SECRET SERVICE MEN FOSTER AND IRELAND WHO CAPTURED PRESIDENT MCKINLEY'S ASSASSIN UJ Z X '^ h9 IT) (J HI z oc - Q. > < UJ < CD GC ^^'^ LYMAN J. GAGE-SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEV. fi,S fought and prayed aiul loved freedom; men on whose grave, stead- fast natures the world's opposition wrought about the same im- pression as does the wave on the rock. On his mother's side, Mr. ^IcKinley was descended from a race which has contributed mora;" and mental fiber to the American race cciually willi the Scotch-Irish— the Teutonic. The first :\IcKinley in the new world settled near York, Pa., and David McKinley, the President's great-grandfather, was one of those who sprang to arms at the summons of '76. He was among the first '' expansitmists" of this country — moving his family, like so many other R'-volutionary veterans after peace with England had been declared, to the then "continuous wilds" of Ohio, and there helping to found a State. STRUGGLE TO GAIN AN EDUCATION. The patriot's grandson, William ^IcKinley, Sr., was one of the pioneers in the iron industry' at Niles, O., which he estab- lished at Fairfield, O., in 1827, when he was twenty years old, and the husband of Nancy Campbell Allison, then a young woman of eiehteen. When the elder McKinlevs moved to Niles it cannot be said that the ironmaster's home represented anything more than the frugal, thrifty households of the neighboring fanners. The iron industry in the '30s in rural Ohio had none of the return for labor or capital that are common to-day. So the early years of the twentieth President of the United States,if not spent exactly in poverty, at least represented that strug- gle to gain an education and position and home comforts that made the American character and the American spirit one of ceaseless endeavor and unresting ambitions. The seventh son in a family of nine as a small child had, therefore, none of the surroundings that are supposed to weaken one for the conflicts of life. On the contrary, from the very first there was everything to inure one to hardship and to suggest with peculiar force the American idea that every one had his future in his own hands, in his own efforts. As was natural in the Western Reserve, the elder McKinleys had the pioneers' passion for education, and by the time William m CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. "had gone for a few years to the public school at Niles his parents decided to remove to Poland, in Mahoning County, where the educational opportunities were better. In leaving Niles the McKinleys departed a locality famous as the birthplace of celeb- rities. Less than one hundred miles away, at Lancaster, the two Shermans, soldier and Senator, were born and raised ; thirty miles away, at Cuyahoga, President Garfield, the second martyr, first saw the light ; in Delaware, not far distant, was born another President, Rutherford B. Hayes. Poland was a New England town in every sense but a geo- graphical one. The New England spirit of discussion, of ambi- tion, of religious fervor and intense political feeling, actuated the democratic little colony, whose richest man could not draw his check for $10,000. No doubt, this plunge into an atmosphere of pugnacious denominationalism, bitter pro- and anti-slavery debate, temperance agitation and discussion of the new startling doctrine of woman's rights — inculcated by Lucretia IVIott through the strong Quaker element in the town — was a strong factor in young McKinley's development. He joined in everything but play, for which he evinced indifference when a book was to be had. He joined, at the age of sixteen, the Methodist Church, of which he always remained a staunch member. OWED MUCH TO HIS MOTHER. Though he did not follow her specific leanings in the matter of sect, it was from his mother that he absorbed his religious inspirations, and he was nearer to her in traits and character than to his father. He resembled her strongly in face, in manner and in many mental peculiarities. She was an Allison, of Scotch Covenanter stock. There were Allisons among the victims of Claverhouse's dragoons, and there were other Allisons who, after long imprisonment for conscience sake, left their homes in the Lowlands and sought religious freedom in the American colonies. Nancy Allison had the characteristics of her race, and her life in Ohio developed her natural gifts of management, thrift and earnestness. She was profoundly religious, and at the same CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. 6? time intensely practical, vShe imparted the stamp of her vigorous character to all her offspring. There was no black sheep in her flock. The children grew up to be serious, competent, indepen- dent men and women, and the President was but typical of the stock. EARNEST AND SUCCESSFUL STUDENT. His early education was received at the Poland Acadeni}-, where the children of the well-to-do, although this meant very little in those days, were sent. It was meagre enough, and to keep him there was not accomplished withoiit sacrifice on his part as well as the famil3^''s. However, by studj-ing and teaching others as well as himself, and having the bar in view, he wajs able, in iS6o, to enter the junior class at Allegheny College, at Meadville, Pa., at seventeen, having earned his matriculation fees by teaching in neighboring village schools. Here he plunged into study with such stern earnestness that his health broke down before he had completed his first year's course. Returning, he found the family in financial straits, owing to his father's failure in business. So far from finishing his educa- tion, it became his duty to help provide for the family, and he manfull}' undertook it, accepting a position as teacher at $25 a month, and later became a clerk in the Poland post office, his first slight touch with the Federal Government to whose defense he was to fl}' next 3^ear and in whose broader service ^^. was to lead a nation of 76,000,000 a generation later. In his study 3^ears McKinle}^ was ver}^ fond of mathematics, but for Latin he cared little, although he always passed his examinations creditabh\ In the colleges and academies at that time mathematics, grammar and the dead languages constituted pretty much the whole stock of instruction. He showed no fond- ness for the debates of the literary societies or the orations of the regular Saturday school exercises, but he was known as a good essa}' writer and was a forceful reasoner rather than a mere rhetorician. But he was not destined to remain the village school master long, for the "irrepressible conflict" soon became a fact and on June 11, 1861, William ^^cKiuley became a private in 68 CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. Company E, of the Tweuty-tliird Ohio Volunteer Infantry. The Twenty-third Ohio was mustered into service by General Fremont in June, 1861. William S. Rosecrans was its first colonel and the future President Hayes its first major, and Stanley Matthews, aftenvard United States Senator and Justice of the Supreme Court, its first lieutenant-colonel. With the Twenty-third Ohio young McKinley saw some of the hardest fighting of the Civil War, and gained a distinguished record with which every one is familiar. Under ^McClellan he served in the Kanawha campaign, to which West Virginia owes its existence as a separate State. His first commission, that of lieutenant, came to him after the battle of Antietam, during which, in his character of commissary, he imposed on himself the task, which to a more self-seeking nature would have been dis- tasteful, of cooking rations for the more fortunate comrades who were fighting at the front, but it is a matter of record that young IMcKinley did not stay in the rear, but served his fellows with coffee and rations on the firing line itselfi ON STAFF OF GENERAL HAYES. This seemed to him so simple and natural a thing to do, it was but his duty, that he was much surprised to receive a com- mission a fev/ days later, on a recommendation signed by General Hayes, who spoke in the highest esteem of him and made him a member of his staif, a first lieutenancy coming a few months later, on February 7, 1863, while his captaincy was won on July 25, 1864, for gallantry at the battle of Kernstown, near Win- chester, Va. His career kept on being onward and upward. He served on the staffs of General George Cook and General Winsfield S. Han- cock, voted for Lincoln in the field, and, in 1865, was assigned as Acting Assistant Adjutant General on the staff of General Samuel S. Carroll, commanding the veteran reserve corps at Washington, and it was while he was in Washington that he was commissioned by President Lincoln as Major by brevet in the Volunteer United States Army '' for gallant and meritorious services at the battles Career of president McKInley. en of Opcquan, Cedar Creek aud Fisher' s Hill." At Cedar Creek, General Sheridan, on his way to Winchester had noticed him, a boy of 21 rallying the demoralized troops with the intrepidity of a seasoned soldier and the anthority of a man. He remained with the regiment nntil it was mnstered ont, and some idea of his grit and constitntiou is given when it is known that dnring all his four j'-ears' service he had never been absent once from his com- mand on sick leave. Some idea of the impression the future President made on his associates during his militar}- career is given in the words of President Ha3'es, who, on one occasion, in talking of ]\IcKinley's splendid characteristics, said : TRIBUTE FROM PRESIDENT HAYES. "When I first made his acquaintance he was a boy just past the age of eighteen. He, with me, entered on a new, strange life, a soldier's life in the time of actual war. It was soon found that he had unusual character for the business of war. Young as he was, we soon found him, in executive ability, a man of unusual and unsurpassed capacity. When battles were fought or ser\-ice was to be performed in warlike things he always took his place. The night was never too dark, the weather never too cold for prompt and efficient performance of his dut}-. When I became commander of the regiment he soon came to me on my staff, and I learned to know him like a book and love him like a brother. He naturally progressed, for his talent aud capacity could not be unknown. ''The bloodiest da}' of the war, the day on which more men were killed and wounded than on any other day of the war, was the seventeenth of September, 1S62, in the battle of Antietam. That battle began at daylight. Without breakfast, without coffee, the men went into the fight and continued until after the sun went down. Earh' in the afternoon they were famished and thirsty. The commissary department of the brigade was under Sergeant McKinley's administration and a better choice could not have been made, for when the issue came he performed a notable deed of fo eAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEV. daring at the crisis of the battle, when it was uncertain which way victory would turn. For fitting up two wagons with necessary supplies he drove them through a storm of shells and bullets to the assistance of his hungr\^ and thirsty fellow soldiers. " The mules of one wagon were disabled, but McKinle}^ drove the other safel}^ through and was received mth hearty cheers, and from his hands every man in the regiment was served with hot coffee and warm meats, a thing that had never occurred under similar circumstances in any other army in the world. He passed under the fire and delivered with his own hands those things so essential for the men for whom he was laboring." PROMPT TO ACT IN EMERGENCIES. When, in later 3^ears, Major McKinley's qualities as a manager of important undertakings were called into question by somebody, the reply was made by one familiar wdth his record : "A man, who, before he had attained the age of twenty- one, kept up the supplies of the arni}^ for General Crook in active service in the field is not lacking in business ability." That his action in an emergency and under .great stress of circum- stances is prompt and wise is shown by an incident occurring ^dlVring Sheridan's great battle at Opequan, when Captain Mc- JKinley, an aid-de-camp on the staff of General Sheridan, brought 1 a verbal order to General Duval, commanding the second division, to move his command quickly to a position on the right of the Sixth Corps, the First Division having previousl}^ been ordered ,to that position. General Duval, ou receiving the order, asked: "By what route shall I move my command? " Captain McKinley, knowing no more about the country- than did General Duval, and without definite orders, replied : "I would move up this creek." General Duval replied : " I will not budge without definite orders." In reply Captain AIcKinley said : " This is a time of great emergenc}', general. I order 3'ou, b}^ command of General CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKtNLEY. n\ Crook, to move 3'onr coiiiinrind up this ravine to a position on the right of the army/' , General Duval obe^-ed and moved on the route indicated b}'' the 3'oung aid-de-camp, attained the position, charged the eueni}^ and drove them in confusion from their works, as the result of the responsibility taken by Captain AIcKinley in this critical moment. Of his personal courage in battle, a historian writing of the battle of Kernstown, near Winchester, of July 24, 1864, says : v-^' When it became necessary to fall back, it was discovered that one of the regiments was still at the point where it was posted at the beginning of the battle. General Hayes, turning to Lieutenant McKinley, directed him to go and bring away this regiment if it had hol already fallen back. IMcKiuley turned his horse, and, keenly spurring it, pushed at a forced gallop obliquely toward the I advancing enemy. A sad look came over General Ha3'es's face, as he saw this gallant youth push rapidly forward to almost cer- tain death. None of us expected to see him again as we watched him push his horse through the open fields, over fences, over I ditches, while a well-directed fire from the eneni}^ was pouring j upon him, with shells exploding around, about and over him. MASTERLY COURAGE IN DANGER. " Once he was completely enveloped in the smoke of an \ exploding shell, and we thought he had gone down, but out 01 this smoke emerged a wiry little brown horse with McKinle}' still firml}' seated, as erect as a hussar. He reached the regiment and ' gave the order to fall back. The colonel in reph' said : ' I am ready to go wherever 3'ou shall lead, but, lieutenant, I believe I ought to give these fellows a volley or two before I go.' IMcKin- ley's reply was : ' Then up and at them as quickly as possible,' and on orders the regiment arose, gave the enemy a crushing vol- \ ley, followed with a rattling fire, and then slowl}- retreated under "McKinley's lead toward Winchester. "As IMcKinley drew up by the side of Hayes after bringing the regiment to the brigade. General Haves said : .IcKinley, I never expected to see you in life again.' " 72 CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKlNLEY. ^ According to the official roster of the Twenty-first Ohio the full list of the engagements in which McKinley took part run as follows : Carnifex Ferr}^, September lo, 1861 ; Clark's Hollow, May I, 1862 ; Princeton, W. Va., May 15, 1862 ; South Mountain, Md., September 14, 1862 ; Antietani, September 17, 1862 ; Clo^'d's Mountain, Va., May 9, 1864 ; New River Bridge, Va., May 10, 1864 ; Buffalo Gap, W. Va., June 6, 1864 ; Lexington, W. Va., June, 10, 1864 ; Buchanan, W. Va., June 14, 1864 ; Otter Creek, Va., June 16, 1864 ; Buford's Gap, Va., July 21, 1864 ; Winchester, Va., July 24, 1864; Berryville, Va., September 3, 1864; Opequan, Va., September 19, 1864; Fisher's Hill, Va., September 22, 1864 ; Cedar Creek, Va., October 10, 1864. DESTINED TO ENTER PUBLIC LIFE. After being mustered out and resisting an inclination to join the regular arm\', 3'oung McKinlc}^ studied law in the office of Charles E. (afterward Judge) Glidden, and attended lectures at the Albany Law School. In 1867 he was admitted to the Bar. At that moment in American history, above all others, to be a law3'er was inevitably to enter public life. Those about him instinctiveh' saw that among men who could dream here was a man who could exe- cute. Poland, a mere village of some few hundred people, was plainly not the place for the "rising" young lawyer, and acting on his own convictions and the advice of his elder sister, Annie, a teacher who had helped him before when money affairs became tightened, in 1867 he moved to Canton, then a flourishing town, his father and mother following him. The wisdom of the choice now became apparent. Canton was a lively town, the center of a region that was making rapid ad- vances through its manufacturing interests, and, moreover, it gave his energies the needed political outlet, for almost immediatel}^ after his admission as a lawyer and his removal to the larger field of Canton for practice came the Ohio gubernatorial campaign of 1867, whose most bitterly contested feature was a constitutional amendment conceding negro suffrage. In defense of the rights of the colored man McKinle}- made his first political speech, and the CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKIXLEV. 73 Republicans carried the election although the amendment itself was lost. By this time he had begun to feel at home in his profession, and his success before his neighbors was such that in 1S69, although Stark County was usually Democratic, he was elected to his first public office as prosecuting attorney, and from that time on until he was elected President, in 1896, INIajor IMcKinley never lost his hold on public life or the affections of the people, first of his county, then of his district, then of his State and then of the country. The methods followed in 1S69 in his campaign were those of his after life. He was assiduous in his campaign- ing and persuasive, not antagonistic, in his arguments. A REMARKABLE SPEECH. Men who heard his first speech say that it was strong and logical, and insist that they then foresaw a great career in public life for the 3'oung lawj'cr. However that may have been, it is certain that McKinley was at once welcomed b}^ the Republican county leaders as a valuable recruit, and was given numerous appointments in that campaign, and in the Presidential campaign of 1 868, to speak at town halls and schoolhouses throughout the county, and so, when his own campaign of 1869 came along, he was not without political experience. It was while he was prosecuting attorne}" that the romance of famiU- life, which had hitherto been left by him chiefly as a loved and loving son, took a new turn, and the courtship and marriage of ]\Iiss Ida Saxton made him the devoted husband whose later sacrifices for a beloved wife consecrated the marriasre tie and the devotion of a lifetime before his people as has been the case with few men in public life. It is said the courtship of the attorne}' of twenty-eight was very characteristic. He was a Methodist Sunday-school teacher, and Aliss Saxton conducted a Bible class in a Presbyterian Church. At a certain street corner each Sunday the}- met, and used to chat about their work. For months this continued ; then one afternoon he said to her: ''This separation each Sunda}- I don't like at all — 3'ou going one way U CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEV. and I anotlier. Suppose after this we always go tlie same way, what do you think ? " "I think so, too," was the quick repl}^ Mrs. IMcKinley, or rather Miss Saxton, had been quite the belle of Canton. She was a granddaughter of the veteran Ohio journalist, John Saxton, and a daughter of James A. Saxton, a jDanker, capitalist and man of affairs. Miss Saxton had, therefore, unusual opportunities for Canton. She was well educated and after her gradnation from Brook Hall Seminar}^, at Media, Pa., the father sent her to Europe with her sister to give her a broader view of the world and fit her for the earnest duties of life. The older sister had married and gone to Cleveland to live and the father hoped that Ida would form no early love attachment and would remain in his home to brighten his life. GIRLS SHOULD BE TAUGHT INDEPENDENCE. It is said that he systematically discouraged the addresses of all young men and that for the purpose ol" giving his daughter a serious bent he persuaded her on her return from the foreign tour to go into his bank as his assistant. There Ida was installed as cashier. He had won a comfortable fortune, ^nt his theorj^ about girls was that they should be taught a business that would make them independent of marriage and enable them to be self-support- ing in case the parents should leave Ithem without sufficient property for their support. But the stalwart young lawyer had his way, the father con- sented and the marriage, which took place on January 25, 187 1, was a happy one, but the early loss of the two children that came to bless it, one in 187 1 and the other in 1873, followed b}' the life- long invalidism of his wife, was one of the early crosses that only seemed to give greater firmness to the character, greater kindness to the heart. For fiv^e years he took up the duties of private life and became one of the best campaigners of the State, he himself holding no office, but it was then that in discussing public ques- tions he began to concentrate his attention on what he believed to be the most important of national problems, the tariff. CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. 75 Soni and bred in a niaiiufactiiring town, he had felt the pulse of industrial prosperity, noted how it flagged or quickened accord- ing as the depressing influence of cheap foreign competition was /.ipplied or removed. The inexorable logic of idle workmen, fire- less hearths and hungry children, forced him to take a position from which he never deviated, and it came to be understood that "Protection for American industries and McKinlej'" were s^uiony- mous terms. In 1S76 he stepped from the local platform on the wider rostrum of Congressional life. Ke had long familiarized himself with the conditions in the Eighteenth Ohio District and his first campaign in the 3'ear when his neighbor and friend, General Ha3'es, became President, was one that presented few difficulties for himself He won by a handsome majority, and despite all the changes of form in his district, it having been gerrymandered a number of times, he Avas re-elected seven consecutive times, though it is true his majorit}- in one case, the campaign of 18S2, was onl\' 8. It was after this that all his nominations were by acclamation. FIRST SPEECH IN THE HOUSE. His first speech before Congress was in opposition to Fernando Wood's non-protective bill, introduced into the House in 1S7S. Naturally, active and strong opposition was aroused b}- so able and uncompromising a foe to free trade and the remedv of gerrA-mandering was resorted to. In 1878 there was a re-arrange- ment of his Congressional district, which placed Stark County in safely opposition compau}-. General Aquila Wiley, a popular man, with a brilliant war record, was nominated against him. That ]\IcKinle3-'s force dominated something more than districts was shown by the fact that, despite the gerrymandering, he was returned with 15,489 votes against 14,255 for ^\'ile^^ On his return to Congress he became more and more a foe to the fiscal polic}' of his opponents and his high value to his party was recognized when he succeeded Garfield as a member of the Wa^'s and Means Committee in 1881, thus becoming one of " Pig-Iron" Kellev's chief lieutenants. 76 CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. Again and again etforts to defeat him failed, and his attacks in the House on the "Morrison Tariff" in 1884 gave him a national reputation, and his leadership in the tariff debate was continued by his fight against the " Mills Bill " in 1888, as the head of the Republican minority. It was in this year (1888) that he was elected to Congress for the seventh consecutive, but, as it proved, last time, and it was in this year also that the first sugges- tion of his name for the Presidency was made. It was the Chicaofo convention that nominated Harrison. The delegates, convinced that Sherman was a political impossibility, started a stampede for McKinley, which was only quelled by the emphatic refusal of the Ohio statesman to betra}^ the constituency who had sent him to the convention to nominate Sherman. Memorable in the history of political campaigning are the words with which he concluded a speech in which gracious appreciation of an honor was finally mingled with earnest recall to a duty : "I demand that no delegate who would not cast reflection upon me shall vote for me." GAINED THE GOOD WILL OF ALL. It was such sterling political qualities as these that gave the statesman a hold on all who came in contact with him in any way. Events were moving fast to make him a national figure. In Con- gress for the last time, the death of William D. Kelly, in January, 1890 made McKinley the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee and leader of his party in the House. He was not unprepared for such a position, as his first speech in Congress had been on the tariff issue, and since 1881 his whole attention had been devoted to a study of the subject, so that he was the master of the fact and theory. During these years of debate he had won from friends and opponents a reputation as a singu- larly clear and logical debator, who had a great talent for mar- shaling facts in order like a column of troops, and threwing them against the vital point in a controversy. He had a pleasing voice of good, strong quality, he never rambled, he told no anecdotes, he indulged in no sophomorio CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. 77 fliglits of oratory ; lie went straight to the marrow of his theme by processes of argument and illustration so clear, simple and direct that he won respect and admiration from both sides of the House. One of his leading opponents used to say that he had to brace himself mentalh' not to be carried away by the strong undercurrent of AIcKinley's irresistibly persuasive talk. As a result of these years of study and experience he laid before Congress and carried through two important measuies — — the customs administration bill and the famous AlcKinley tariff bill — the " IMcKinle}' bill," by virtue of its eminence, the latter not onlv giving him fame with his countrymen, but a notoriety in Europe of the most far-reaching character. The ]\IcKinley bill became a law on October 6, 1890, and unfortunately on his head and on his bill fell all the odium of the hard times which were due to other policies of other men, and as a result of a third gerrjnnandering of his district and a reaction against his party he was defeated for Congress in November, but not until he had wrested three out of four counties of his district from the Demo- crats and was beaten by only 302 votes, having reduced tlie euem3''s probable majority bj^ 2800. PROTECTION TO AMERICAN HOMES. The law of 1890 was enacted for the American people and the American home. Whatever mistakes were made in it were all made in favor of the occupations and the firesides of the American people. It didn't take away a single da3?-'s work from a solitary workingman. It gave work and wages to all, such as they had never had before. It did it by establishing new and great industries in this country, which increased the demand for the skill and handiwork of our laborers ever^'where. It had no friends in Europe. It gave their industries no stimulus. It gave no emplovmcnt to their labor at the expense of our own. During more than two years of the administration of Presi- dent Harrison, and down to its end, it raised all the revenue necessarv to pay the vast expenditures of the Government, including the interest on the public debt and the pensions. It 78 CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. never encroached npon the gold reserve, which in the past had always been sacredly preserved for the redemption of outstanding paper obligations of the Government. During all of its operations, down to the change and reversal of its policy by the election of 1892, no man can assert in that the industries affected by it wages M-ere too high, although they were higher than ever before in this or any other country. If any such can be found, I beg that they be named. I challenge the enemies of the law of 1S90 to name a single industry of that kind. Further, I assert that in the industries affected by that law, which the law fostered, no American consumer suffered by the increased cost of any home products that he bought. He never bought them so low before, nor did he ever enjoy the benefit of so much op2n, free, home competition. Neither producer nor consumer, employer or employee, suffered b}" that law. LARGEST VOTE EVER CAST FOR GOVERNOR. What the people of Ohio thought of the matter was proved by their makiug him Governor the n^xt year, he polling the largest vote ever cast for Governor, and in 1893, when renomi- nated to that of&ce, his plurality was the largest ever given a gubernatorial candidate in time of peace. It was while he was Governor that he was a delegate to the Minneapolis convention that renominated Harrison, where he again displayed his sense of honor and stood b}^ the President. He was chairman of the convention and an attempt was made to railroad him in over the heads of both Harrison and Blaine, but he steadfastly declined the nomination, though the vote on the first ballot stood, Har- rison, 535 ; Blaine, 182 ; McKinley, 182 : Reed, 4 ; Robert Lincoln, i. But the very sacrifices he made for his friends, his rugged honor and honorable frankness, coupled with his known policies, made him the leader of his party as a man and as an exponent of its economic theories of government and their application and administration. Consequentl}^, on June 18, 1896, at the Repub- lican National Convention held at St. Loniv^., McKinley was I CAREER OF PRESIDENT Mc KIN LEY. 79 proposed for Uie Presidency for tlic third time. The situation was not that of i88S or 1892, the held was open to him and he was nominated on the first ballot, receiving 661 ,' j votes, the nearest to him. Reed, securing but 84)2, and was elected in November, receiving 7,104,799 votes at the pulls, a plurality of 601,854 over Bryan, and in the electoral college 271 votes to Bryan's 176. The nomination and election of iS96came to Major McKinley when he was 53 years old, experienced in pul)lic life through his splendid Congressional drill of fourteen years, from 1877 to 189 1, and his executive training as Governor of Ohio from 1892 to 1896. Moreover, as one of the few rare and natural campaigners, the President had come in touch with the people in a way that put him thoroughlv in touch with American hopes, feelings, aspirations. He knew what the people believed in and he felt convinced that he knew the policies, fiscal, economic, administrative, that meant their welfare and permanent rehabilitation of the industries of the entire countrv. In all his career he had never gotten out of touch with the plain people, those who make up the brain and brawn of the nation, and it was as their choice that he went into the White House in 1897. A CRITICAL PERIOD. No President ever entered upon his duties at a more critical moment. The country had passed through a severe industrial and financial crisis, the unwise legislation of Democratic theorists with the threat of their monetar}- vagaries had paralyzed manu- factures, halted trade, put an embargo on commerce and shrunk credit to such an extent that the complex business needs of the country were absolutel}- powerless despite the vast natural resources and the energy of the people. During the campaign the President had not hesitated to predict returning prosperity if the economic policy of the Democrats be reversed and the country rest its finances on the gold standard. On election the way he met the gigantic issues which awaited him on his induction into office on March 4, 1897, and the supreme k 80 CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. skill witli which he sailed the Ship of State through very stormy waters won the admiration of the whole country. Immediately convening Congress in extraordinary session, he recommended a consideration of the tariff problem. The Dingley law was passed, and business prospects brightend instantly. Under the low Wilson bill tariff financial failures in the country during the first six months of 1896 alone numbered 7,602, with liabilities amounting to $105,535,936. The first six months of 1900 under " McKinley times" showed the smallest number of failures known in a like period of time within eighteen years, the decrease in liabilities alone from the first half of 1896 being $45,471,728. SOUND CURRENCY BASIS. The President's plan to provide a more stable currenc}^ basis, as set forth in his first and second annual addresses, was that " w^hen any of the United States notes are presented for redemp- tion in gold and are redeemed in gold, such notes shall be kept and set apart and only paid out in exchange for gold," but though the Dingley bill became law on July 24, 1897, it was not until March 14, 1900, that the financial reforms of the McKinley administration were completed in the passage of the " Gold Standard Act." The President's messages, after prosperit}^ had been assured by the tariff measure, so that the President indeed proved that the campaign phrase dubbing William McKinley the " advance agent of prosperity " had been no idle boast, were marked b}^ a broad grasp of the practical problems in hand which took on more and more of an international character as the difficulties with Spain over Cuba increased and the Bastern situation owing to the weakness of China took on a threatening attitude. In his message to the special session of 1897, which enacted the Dingley law, the President had dwelt Avholly on the tariff, but in his regular message to Congress, in December, 1897, he asked for the full consideration of the currency question, and he re- peated this recommendation in 1898, holding before Congress the CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKlNLEY. 81 necessity of putting the finances of the countiy on the soundest possible basis. As a result of this confidence was restored throughout the country, business revived, and some of the fiscal effects of McKinley's first administration were mai-\'elous. The total money in circulation on July i, 1S96, was $1,509,725,206. Four years later under AIcKinley that had increased to $2,062,425,496, and on February i, 1901, the total money in circulation was $2,190,780,213. Instead of the amount of money in circulation decreasing, the per capita increased from $21.15 Tuly I, 1896, to $26.50 July i, 1900, and to $28.38 February i, 1901. Thus the per capita circulation of money in the United States has increased over 26 per cent., the total money in circula- tion over 33 per cent., and the gold in circulation over 62 per cent. IMMENSE CASH BALANCE. Instead of a bankrupt Treasury, there was a cash balance under the old form at the beginning of his second administration of nearly $300,000,000. Under the new form, with $150,000,000 set aside as a reserve fund, there was an available cash balance of nearly $150,000,000. In the refunding of the public debt, $9,000,000 was saved, and in addition $7,000,000 annually on interest. But it was not so much the successful issue of the financial affairs, as near as they were to the pockets of every one, that lifted the President and his administration to a level never before occupied by a group of american statesmen, but the brilliant achievements in the field of foreign affairs, which found the United States at the beginning of the President's administration a self-contained continental power, isolated and ignored in many of the counsels of the world powers, and left it at the close of his first administration, after the issue of the war with Spain, one ot the four leading powers, in whose hands are the destinies of the globe. The first remote hint of a possible conflict with Spain and the first action in Congress on the Cuban question came from the Presidential appeal for the relief of the destitution of Cuba, Con- gress appropriating $50,000 on May 17, 1S97. Less than a yeai 82 CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. later, as the situatiou iu Cuba failed to improve, Congress passed the famous $50,000,000 appropriation on March 8, 1898, to be used at the President's discretion " for the national defense," and, although the President was opposed to hurrying into a war until all other avenues for bringing Spain to her senses were closed, war rapidly became the only possible solution. On March 23, the President sent to Spain an ultimatum con- cerning ^he intolerable situation in Cuba, and on April 11, after the report of the ^onrt of Inquiry on the destruction of the "Maine" had fixed the origin of the explosion on an outside cause, the President -sent a firm but iignifiod message to Congress, advising intervention for the sake of humanity, but advising against a recognition of the Cuban Government. CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS. On April 23, the President issued a call for 125,000 volunteers, and in a message to Congress on April 25, the President recom- mended the passage of a joint resolution declaring that war with Spain existed. The acts of w^ar then came fast and thick. Dewey's victory at Manila on Alay i, was followed by the defeat of Cervera at Santiago July 3, Hawaii was annexed on Jul}^ 7, and on August 9, Spain formall}^ accepted the President's terms of peace, the armistice following on August 12, and the final treaty of peace being signed on December 10, 1898, by which the United States became possessed of Porto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, a colonial domain rivaling England's at a cost of $20,000,000, and the President's polic}^ of expansion was fully entered in upon with the evident approval of the people. The war, however, not onl}^ added to the bounds and respon- sibilities of the United States, but was largely responsible under the influence of the President in his intercourse with public men of the opposition in promoting an era of good feeling. The com- plete obliteration of sectional lines had been secured and the President found as his first term came to an end that he was more truly than for many years past the President of a united country. The influence of his example, the power of his position and i CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. 83 all the force of his ability were coiistaiith- given to this end, and his gratification at the fulfillment of so noble an inspiration found voice at Atlanta in these words — " Reunited — one countr}^ again and one countr}- forever ! Proclaim it from the press and pulpit ; teach it in the schools ; write it across the skies ! The world sees and feels it ; it cheers ever}- heart North and South, and brightens the life of every American home ! Let nothing ever strain it again ! At peace with all the world and with each other, what can stand in the j^athway of our progress and prosperity-. " Later, upon the field of Antietam, where he had distinguished himself as commissarv sergeant when a lad of nineteen, the Presi- dent spoke again upon this subject, and said : "Standing here to- day, one reflection only has crowded my mind — the difference between this scene and that of thirtj^-eight years ago. Then the men who wore the blue and the men who wore the grey greeted each other with shot and shell, and visited death upon their re- spective ranks. We meet, after all these intervening A'cars, with but one sentiment — that of loyalty to the Government of the United States, love of our flag and our free institutions, and de- termined, men of the North and men of the South, to make any sacrifice for the honor and perpetuit}- of the American nation." HIS SUCCESSFUL POLICY. The President thus stood for reconciliation and harmonv the land over, and in carrying out his policies he was able by his persuasive powers and the sheer force of character to rally the opposition to his side, so that his policy during and after the war became the policv of Congress, and what, with the new islands left to his care, Cuba also in his charge as a ward by treaty, the closing 3-ears of his first administration were very busy ones for the President, who, however, never flinched at his work nor vacillated in his determination to promote the good of the people under his charge, even though the misguided revolutionists in the Philippines forced the United States during 1S99, 1900 and 1901 to take stern measures for the securing of law, order, peace and prosperity for the Philippine Islands as a whole. 84 CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. Sucli was the confidence in tlie President and his wise man- agement of national affairs that not only was he triumphantly renominated by the Philadelphia convention on June 21, 1900, but was triumphantly re-elected, November 6, with a larger plurality than in 1896, and with 292 votes in the electoral college to Bryan's 155. McKinley carried twenty -eight States, repre- senting the wealth and resources and the centres of power in the country to seventeen for Bryan, and the popular vote for him was 7,206,677. This support of the people for the President as a public man, and their personal regard for him, evinced so often on his tours through the country, the last and not the least exhibition being that made during the tour of last Spring, abandoned at San Fran- cisco on account of Mrs. McKinley, were but faint reflections of the closei support and regard of his frie-nds. BECAME A NOTABLE FIGURE. " When he was pressing the passage of the famous tariff bill which was known by his name, his frankness was only matched by his amiability," wrote one man. "So when the bill had been passed, McKinley was the most notable figure in Washington and he was respected alike by those who had fought with and those who had fought against him. There probably never was a -measure passed in Washington of so much importance as this with so little hard feeling and so few hard words. There was no mistaking McKinley' s intention. He \vas always entirely frank and open and aboveboard. He tried no devious ways ; he had no concealed traps to spring. And so those who fought him hardest became his well-wishers as a man, whatever they thought of his policies." This frankness and his true self were never better exhibited than in the announcement made after his return from his Cali- fornia tour with regard to a third term. Almost from the bedside of his helpless wife he wrote : " I regret that the suggestion of a third term has been made. I doubt whether I am called upon to give it notice. But there are CAREER or PRESIDEx\T McklNLEV. 85 now questions of the greatest importance before tlie Adniiiiistra- tion and the country, and their just consideration should not be prejudiced in the public mind by even the suspicion of the thought of a third term. In view, therefore, of the reiteration of the suggestion of it, I will say now, once for all, expres.'^ingalong settled conviction, that I not only am not and will not be a candi- l| date for a third term, but would not accept a nomination for it, if it were tendered me. " i\Iy only ambition is to serve through my second term to the acceptance of my countr3-men, whose generous confidence I [[ so deeply appreciate, and then with them to do my duty in the ranks of private citizenship. " WILLIAM M'KINLEY." Executive Alansion, \\\ashington, June ii, 1901. A MAN OF HARD COMMON SENSE. This letter has the true McKiuley ring. It exhibits the President's common sense — one of his saving graces that added to his high value in public life. " His predominant character- istics," wrote an admirer on the eve of his re-election in 1900, **his most predominant characteristics which bind great bodies of men to him with rivets of steel ; which have lifted him from the position of a private soldier to that of Chief Magistrate of the nation, which have stistained him and carried him through the many great crises confronting him, and have given him the trust and confidence of the American people — are his moral strength and his unflinching cotirage to do the right as he sees it, irrespec- tive of temporary consequences. His natural gentleness and his tendenc}' to ignore small and non-essential differences, his willing- ness to oblige even his enemies and his utter lack of viudictive- ness — all these, when the times of crisis have come, and the eves of the people have turned to him, alone have given him added strenorth to achieve cjreat results in •;:)ublic affairs." His domestic virtues were not only revealed in his tender devotion to his wife, so signalh' exhibited last ]\Iay at San Francisco, btit in his respect for his father, who died in November g6 CARE£R of president MciCINLEV. 1892, and for his motlier, Nancy Allison McKinley, who enjoyed the supreme felicity of all American mothers of seeing her son in the White House, dying at Canton, O., December 12, 1897. The invalidism of ^Irs. McKinky threw a peculiarly pathetic aspect over their mutual affection. Their relations were singu larly tender and touching, Mrs. McKinley seldom allowing her state of health to keep her from her husband's side whenever called, and he, even when so harassed by State problems as to be unable to snatch time for sleep, writing to her every night when absent, obeying the slightest call to her side when they were together. FELLOW FEELING FOR WORKINGMAN. His intense brotherly feeling for the workingman was one of his dominant characteristics, and manifested itself in more practical forms than this. When Governor of Ohio in 1895, he received at midnight the news that 2000 miners in the Hocking Valley district were M'ithout food or employment. By five o'clock the next morning $1000 worth of provisions were loaded on a car and despatched to the scene of distress, on the personal respon- sibility of the Governor. Later, contributions from the leading cities of the State brought the relief fund up to $32,796, but the " Governor's car" was the first to arrive. A side of Mr. IMcKinley's nature, of which onl}- his more iutimate friends caught glimpses, Avas his deep religious faith. In early life, during his student days at the Poland Academy, he had joined the IMethodist Church, of which he always remained a loA'al member, active in church work until national issues began to fill his hands. " Man\^ of us thought he M'ould become a minister," said Rev. Dr. Morton, his first pastor, in a recent reminiscent talk. Although sensitively shrinking from making a prarde or profit of his religion, he Avas always ready to defend Christians and Christianit}^ when the voice of the scoffer was raised against them. As an orator the President was supreme, belonging to that highest rank of public speakers who cultivate the matter of theii discourse and leave the manner to nature. He never dealt iu CAREER OF I'RKSlDKNT McKlNLEY. S7 sensations, never plaA'ed on pathos, had no need to be a racontenr, he prepared what he had to sa}- with tlie ntniost care, and said it in the most earnest and nnaffected M'ay he conld, bnt with snre effect. When the celebrated I\Iills bill came np before the House, D. C. Haskill, who served with ]\IcKinley on the Wa3's and Means Committee, asked especially for the honor of closing the debate. The arrangement was made, therefore, that Haskill spoke last and McKinley next to the last. When McKinley had ended his re- marks, Haskill pressed forward, wrung his hand cordial h- and exclaimed : " Alajor, I shall speak last ; bnt 3'ou, sir, have closed the debate." HIS REMARKABLE VOICE. In speaking, the President had a voice of wonderful carrying power, but it was the impress of conviction rather than his voice that had its effect on his audiences. His attitude in the matter ol principles is aptly illustrated b}^ an anecdote of one of his congres- sional campaigns, that of 18S2, in Ohio, when the Democratic tidal wave had left him with a very slender majorit3\ Referring to this one day Congressman Springer said rather sneeringly : " Your constituents do not seem to support you, ]Mr. jMcKinlc}-." Mr. ]\IcKinle3^'s quick answer was wortlu' of a Roman tribune. " My fidelit3' to m3^ constituents," he said, " is not measured b3' the sup- port the3' give me. I have convictions I would not surrender if 10,000 majorit3' were entered against me." A townsman in speaking of ]\IcKinle3''s brief but telling words uttered in the Chicago convention of 188S, on the issue raised b3^ the use of his name as a candidate for the Presidenc3', the closing sentence of which speech, revealing as it does, the speaker's high sense of honor, as has already been quoted, said : "]\Iajor, that answer of 3-ours was a literary gem." " Well," answered the Ohio delegate with great simplicit3-, " I got up at 5 o'clock this morning and M-alked the streets of Chicago until I got just what I wanted." This speech, which throws so admirable a light on the Presi- dent's character, was as follows : — " I am here as one of the chosen representatives of m3- State. 88 CAREER OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY. I am liere by resolution of the Republican State Convention, passed without a single dissenting vote, commanding me to cast my vote for Jobn Sherman for President and to use every worthy endeavor for his nomination. I accepted the trust because my heart and my judgment were in accord with the letter and spirit and purpose of that resolution. It has pleased certain delegates to cast their votes for me for President. I am not insensible to the honor the}" would do me, but in the presence of the duty resting upon me, I cannot remain silent with honor. "I cannot, consistently with the wish of the State whose cre- dentials I bear and which has trusted me ; I cannot with honor- able fidelity to John Sherman ; I cannot, consistently with m}^ own views of personal integrity, consent, or seem to conset, to per- mit my name to be used as a candidate before this convention. I would not respect m3^self if I should find it in my heart to do so, or permit to be done that which would ever be ground for any one to suspect that I wavered in my loyalty to Ohio or my devotion to the chief of her choice and the chief of mine. I do not request, I demand, that no delegate who would not cast reflection upon me shall cast a ballot for me." CAMPAIGN ACHIEVEMENTS. In number alone the McKinley speeches are impressive as betokening a magnificent reserve store of vitalit}', ten addresses a day consecutively for a month being among his campaign achievements in the old times. But they were always feats of strength in the intellectual even more than the physical sense, many of them having already passed into the classics of politico- social literature, while his State papers have not only had a pro- found effect on the thought of the day, but are for the future as well. One who knew him well described him as follows : — " Quiet, dignified, modest, considerate of others ; ever mindful of the long service of the leaders of his party, true as steel to his friends ; unhesitating at the call of duty, no matter what the personal sacrifice ; unwavering in his integrit\', full of tact in i CAREER or PRESIDENT McKINLEV. 89 overcoming opposition, yet unyielding on vital principles ; with a heart full of synipath}- for those who toil, a disposition unspoiled b}' success, and a private life equall}^ spotless and self-sacrificing, William McKinley stood before the American people as one of the finest types of courageous, persevering, vigorous and develop- ing uianliood that this Republic ever produced. IVIore than any other President since Lincoln, perhaps, he was in touch with those whom Abraham Lincoln loved to call the plain people of this countr}'. A greater encomium could not be written and the people will treasure it as the President's name and fame become splendid memories ; for though Washingson's name is ever first in the people's thoughts, Lincoln's ever immanent as the glorious martyr to a great cause, the name of ^McKinle}' crj-stalizes an epoch, the most signal in the history of the Republic, surpassing in its achievements, under his administration, the most brilliant efforts of the past and dazzling in its possibilities for the future of the people, and of the Goverment for the people and by the ])eople, whose preservation in all perpetuitj'- of its free institutions was his fondest wish and to whose service he gave a lifetime of high endeavor. CHAPTER VI. Additional Account of President McKinley's Life— Illus- trious Ancestry — A Young Patriot in the Army — First Term in the White House and Re-election. [The following sketch of President McKinley's career was prepared by Mr. George R. Prowell for a semi-of&cial publication. The data were furnished by Private Secretary Cortelyou, and the article — of course, with the exception of the concluding paragraphs — was revised by the President himself.] WILLIAM McKINLEY, twenty-fifth President of the United States, w^as born in Niles, Ohio, January 29, 1843 ; son of William and Nancy Campbell (Allison) McKinley, grandson of James and Polly (Rose) McKinley and of Abner and Ann (Camp- bell) Allison, and great-grandson of David and Sarah (Gray) McKinley and of i\ndrew Rose, an ironmaster of Bucks county, Pa., w^ho was sent home from the Revolutionary War to make cannon and bullets for the army. David's father, John McKinley, came to America from Der- vock. County Antrim, Ireland, in 1743, when twelve 3^ears of age, and the relatives with whom he came located in Chanceford township, York county, Pa. David was born there May 16, 1755, served for twenty-one months in the Revolution in the Pennsyl- vania line, and after peace was restored, became an iron manu- facturer in Westmoreland county, where he was married, December 17, 1780, to Sarah Gra}-. He removed to Pine towmship, Mercer county, in 1795, and in 1815 to Columbiana count}^, Ohio, where he died in 1840. His seventh child, William, w^as born in Pine township, in 1807, was married in 1829, and engaged in iron manufacturing at Niles, Trumbull county, Ohio, w^here his son, William, was born. On his removal, in 1852, to Poland, William, Jr., attended the Union Seminary mitil i860, when he entered the junior class 90 CrAKD MlLiTARV AND CIVIL RECOkD. &i of Alleglieii}' College, Meadville, Pa., but before closing his class ^•ear, was obliged to leave on account of a severe illness; He then taught a district school, and was clerk in the Poland post office. On June ii, iS6i, he enlisted as a private in Compau}- K, Twenty-third Ohio Volunteer lufantry, served in Western Vir- ginia, and saw his first battle at Carnifex Ferry, September lo, iS6i. On April 15, 1S62, he was promoted commissar}- sergeant, and served as such in the battle of Antietam with such conspic- uous gallantr}'' as to win for him promotion, September 24, 1862, to the rank of second lieutenant. On February 7, 1863, he was made first lieutenant, and on July 25, 1864, was raised to the rank of captain. He served on the staffs of Generals Hayes, Crook, Hancock, Sheridan and Carroll; was brevetted major ]\Iarch 13, 1865, for gallantr}' at Opequan, Cedar Creek and Fisher's Hill, and was serving as acting assistant adjutant general in the First Division, First Army Corps, when he was mustered out, July 26, 1865. LA\V STUDENT AT YOUNGSTOWN. He returned home, and studied law at Youngstown, Ohio, and at the Albany Law School, and was admitted to the Ohio Bar at Warren, in i\larch, 1867, and settled in practice in Canton, Ohio. He was elected by the Republicans of Stark count}- Prose- cuting Attorne}^ and served 1870-71, but was defeated for re-elec- tion. He was married January 25, 187 1, to Ida, daughter of James A. and Catherine (Dewalt) Saxton, of Canton, Ohio. He was a Representative from the Seventeenth District of Ohio in the Fort3'-fifth Congress, defeating Leslie L. Lanboru, 1877-79 ; from the Sixteenth District in the Forty-sixth Congress, defeating General Aquilla Wile}^ 1879-81, and from the Seven- teenth District in the Fort3'-seventh Congress, defeating Lero}- D. Thoman, 1881-83. His part}- claimed that he was elected from the Eighteenth District to the Forty-eighth Congress in 1882 by a majority of eight votes, and he was given the certificate of election but his seat was successfully contested by Jonathan H. Wallace, of Columbiana county, who was seated in June, 1SS4. 92 GRAr^D MILlTAkV AND CIVIL RECORt). Mr. McKinle}' was elected from the Twentietli District to tlie I^oi ty-nintli Congress, defeating David R, Paige, 1885-87, and from the Eighteenth District to the Fiftieth and Fift\--first Con- gresses, against Wallace H. Phelps and George P. Ikert, respec- tively, serving 1887-91, and was defeated in the Sixteenth District for Representative to the Fifty-second Congress in 1890 by John G. Warwick, of Massillon, Democrat, by 302 votes. The changes in the Congressional districts were due to political expedients used by the party in power, and Mr. McKinley, while always a resident of Stark county, was in this way obliged to meet the conditions caused by the combination of contiguous counties in the efforts of the opposition to defeat him. APPOINTED ON JUDICIARY COMMITTEE. He was appointed by Speaker Randall in 1877 to a place on the Judiciary Committee, and he succeeded Representative James A. Garfied on the Ways and Means Committee in December, 1880. In the Forty-sixth Congress he was appointed on the House Com- mittee of Visitors to the United States Military Academy, and in 1881 he was Chairman of the committee having in charge the Garfield memorial exercises in the House. In Congress he sup- ported a high protective tariff, making a notable speech on the subject April 6, 1882, and his speech on the Morrison Tariff bill, April 30, 1884, was said to be the most effective argument made against it. On April 16, 1890, as Chairman of the Committee on Waj'S and Means as successor to Judge Kelley, he introduced the gen- eral tariff measure afterwards known by his name, and his speech before the House, May 7, 1890, fully established his powers as an orator. The bill passed the House May 21, and the Senate, after a protracted debate, September 11, and became a law October 6, 1890. His notable congressional speeches not already men- tioned include that on arbitration as a solution of labor troubles, April 2, 1886 ; his reply. May 18, 1888, to Representative Samuel J. Randall's argument in favor of the Mills Tariff Bill, of which millions of copies were circulated by the manufacturing interests i GRAND MILITARY AND CIML RECORD. 92 of the country ; his speech of December 17, 1SS9, introducing the Customs Administration hill to simplify the laws relating to the collection of revenue, and his forceful address sustaining the Civil Service law, April 24, 1890. On the organization of the Fifty-third Congress, December 3, 1S89, he was a candidate for Speaker, but was defeated on the third ballot in the Republican caucus by Thomas B. Reed. In 1S80 he was chairman of the Republican State convention, and was chosen by the Republican National convention at Chicago, in June, 1880, as the Ohio member of the Republican National Committee. In this capacity, during the canvass of Garfield and Arthur, he spoke with General Garfield in the principal Northern and Western States. ENTRANCE INTO NATIONAL POLITICS. In national politics his service began with his election as adele- gate-at-large to the Republican National Convention that met at Chicago June 3, 1884, and he was made a member of the Committee on Resolutions, and supported the candidacy of James G. Blaine. During the canvass of that year he spoke with the Republican candidate on his celebrated Western tour, and aftenvard in Western Virginia and New York. In the Republican National Convention that met at Chicago June 19, 1888, he was Chairman of the Committee on Resolutions, and he supported the candidacy of John Sherman, although there was a strong effort to have him consent to the use of his own name as a candidate. In the Republican National Convention that met at Minne- apolis June 7, 1892, he was a delegate-at-large from Ohio, and permanent Chairman of the Convention. He received 182 votes at this Convention for the Presidential nomination, but refused to consider the action of his friends, and left the chair to move to make the nomination of President Harrison unanimous, and he was Chairman of the Committee to notify the President of his nomination. He was Governor of Ohio, 1892-96, defeating Governor James B. Campbell in 1891 by 21,500 plurality, and as Governor his 94 GRAND MILITARY AND CIVIL RECORD. sympatliies were with the laboring men in their contests with capitalists, and he recommended to the Legislature additional pro- tection to the employes of railroads. His Democratic opponent for Governor in 1893 was Lawrence T. Neal, and the issues of the canvass were entirely national. JMcKinley opposed both free trade and free silver, and he was elected by over 80,000 plurality. Dur- ing his second administration of the State government he was obliged to call out 3,000 members of the National Guard to sup- press threatened labor riots, and he w^as able to prevent what appeared to be inevitable mob violence, attended by lynching. HELPS THE STARVING MINERS. He also personally supervised the distribution of funds and provisions to the starving miners in the Hocking Valley. He took an active part in the Presidential campaign in 1892, travelling over 16,000 miles and averaging seven speeches per da}' for a period of over eight weeks, during which time it was estimated that he addressed over 2,000,000 voters. During the Presidential canvass of 1896 he remained in Canton, and received between June 19 and November 2, over 750,000 visitors, who journeyed from all parts of the Union to make his personal acquaintance and listen to his short speeches delivered from his piazza, speaking in this informal wa}^ over 300 different times. When the Republican National Convention met in St. Louis, June 16, 1896, his name was again before the Convention, and on the first ballot, made June 18, he received 6615^ votes to 35^ for Thomas B. Reed, of Maine ; 6o}i for Matthew S. Quay, of Penn- sylvania ; 58 for Levi P. Morton, of New York, and 343^ for William B. Allison, of Iowa. He was elected President of the United States November 3, 1896, the McKinley and Hobart Electors receiving 7,104,779 votes to 6,402,925 for the Bryan and Sewell Electors, and the minority candidates. Levering and John- son, Prohibition, receivii^g 132,000 votes ; Palmer and Buckner, National Democrat, 133,148 votes ; IMatchett and Maguire, Social Labor, 36,274 votes, and Bentley and Southgate, Nationalist, 13,669 votes. I GRAND MILITARY AND CIVIL RLCOUD. »5 William McKinley was fonnally amioiinced by the Electoral College as the choice of that body for President of the United States by a vote of 271 to 176 for W. J. Bryan, and he was inang- urated March 4, 1S97, Chief Justice Fuller administering the oath of ofice. He at once announced his Cabinet, as follows : John Sherman, of Ohio, Secretary of State ; Lyman J. Gage, of Illinois, Secretary of the Treasury ; Russell A. Alger, of Mich- igan, Secretai-y of War ; Cornelius N. Bliss, of New York, Secretary of ':he Interior ; John D. Long, of Alassachusetts, Secretary of die Navy ; James Wilson, of Iowa, Secretary of Agriculture ; Junes A. Gary, of IMaryland, Postmaster General, and Joseph iMcK^enna, of California, Attorney General. On December 17, 1807, Attorney General McKenna resigned, to accept the position of Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, aul President IvIcKinley appointed John W. Griggs, of New Jersey-, Attorney General, January, 21, 1897. PASSAGE OF DINGLEY TARIFF BILL, He called an extra session of Congress to assemble IMarch 15, 1897, and the Dingley Tariff bill was passed and became a law. On May 17, he sent tc Congress a special message asking for an appropriation for the jid of suffering American citizens in Cuba and secured $50,000 for that purpose. The Administra- tion was represented at foreign courts as follows : Ambassador to Great Britain, John Hay, of Ohio, succeeded in 1899 by Joseph H.Choate, of New York ; to F-ance, Horace Porter, of New York ; to Austria and Austria-Hungary, Charlemagne Tower, of Penn- sylvania, succeeded in 1899 by Addison C. Harris, of Indiana ; United States :Miuister to Rvssia, Ethan A. Hitchcock, of Missouri, raised to Ambassador ii 1898, and succeeded in 1S99 by Charlemagne Tower ; Ambassador to Germany, Andrew D. White, of New York; Ambassador ^o Icaly, William F. Draper, of Massachusetts, succeeded in 1901 by George \'on L. Meyer, of ^lassachusetts ; Ambassador to Spain, Stewart L. Woodford, of New York, who served until official relations were broken off in I April, 1S98 ; he was succeeded by Bellamy St^rer, of Ohio. 96 GRAND MILITARY AND CIVIL RECORD. ^ The changes in President McKinley's Cabinet were the resignation of John Sherman from the State Department, April 27, 1898, and the promotion of William R. Da}^, Assistant Secre- tary of State, who resigned September 16, 1898, and was suc- ceeded by John Hay, recalled from the Court of St. Ja.mes ; the resignation of General Russel A. Alger from the War Depart- ment, August I, 1899, and the appointment of Elihu Root, of New York, as his successor ; the resignation of Cornelius N. Bliss from the Interior Department, December 22, 1898, to be succeeded by Ethan A. Hitchcock, recalled from St. Petersburg ; the resignation of James A. Gary from the Postoffice Department and the appointment of Charles Emory Smith, of Pennsylvania, to that office, and the resignation of John W. Griggs from the office of Attorney General in March, 1901, to be succeeded by Philander Chase Knox, of Pennsylvania. SYMPATHY FOR CUBAN PATRIOTS. The treatment of the Cuban patriots struggling for freedom aroused the s\^mpathy of the people of tHe United States and the demands of the United States Minister at Madrid for more humane treatment were disregarded. The destruction of the United States cruiser " Maine " in Havana harbor, Februar}^ 15, 1898, resulting in the death of 264 United States officers and men and the wounding of 69 others, Aggravated the condition of affairs, and on March 7, 1898, Congress authorized the raising of two new regiments of artillery ; vo/ted $50,000,000 for national defences, placing the amount in tiie hands of the President for disposal at his discretion, and/ authorized the contingent increase of the army to 100,000 i|ien. On April 13, 1898, Congress/gave the President full authority to act in the matter of the difficjulties with Spain, and on the i6th passed a resolution acknowledging Cuban independence. The President signed the joint resolutions declaring the people of Cuba free, and directing the President to use the land and naval forces of the United States to compel Spain to withdraw from the island. At noon, April 21, 1898, war was declared against Spain, H Z UJ Q CO Ui cc o CC UJ I I- O 5 PRESIDENT Mckinley FROM HIS LATEST PHOTOGRAPH ORANGE TREES IN THE WHITE HOUSE CONSERVATORY I i *l GRAND MILITARY AND CIVIL RECORD. 97 nnd on the 23d a call for 125,000 volunteers was issued. On April 30, Congress authorized an issue of $500,000,000 in bonds, which issue was speedily taken up by popular subscription. In his proclamation of April 26, 1898, the President adopted the essential principles as laid down b}^ the declaration of Paris, 1856, although neither the United States nor Spain was a party to the agreement between the nations as to the rights of neutrals in naval warfare. The victory of the United States navy in destro3ang the Spanish fleet at IManilla on Ma}' i, 1898, followed by the still more decisive victor}- over the Spanish fleet at Santiago, Cuba, July 3,1898 , marked the beginning and end of the war, the other incidents of the campaign of historic import being the battle of El Cane}' and San Juan, where, on July 1-2, 1898, the United States army lost 230 killed, 1284 wounded and 79 missing, and gained a decisive victory over the Spanish troops. On July 26, the French Alinister at Washington made known the desire of Spain to negotiate for peace, and President McKinley named the conditions that the United States would insist upon as a basis of negotiations. CONDITIONS OF PEACE. These included the evacuation of Cuba, the ceding of Porto Rico and other Spanish Islands in the West Indies, and that the citv, bay and harbor of Manila should be continued in the posses- sion of the United States pending the conclusion of the treaty. A protocol was signed on August 12 by Secretary Day and the French Ambassador. ^I. Cambon, and October i following was named as the time for the meeting to arrange the terms of peace. On August 26 the President appointed William R. Day, Cushman K. Davis, William P. Frye, Whitelaw Reid and Edward D. White Peace Commissioners, and on September 9, George Gray was sub- stituted for Mr. Justice White. Thev met in Paris October i, and adjourned December, 10, 1898. The treaty as signed on the latter date provided that Spain relinquish all claim of sovereignty over and title to Cuba, the surrender of all other of the West India islands held by Spain and the Island of Guam, in the Ladrone group, and the 98 GRAND MILITARY AND CIVIL RECORD. cession of the Philippines to tne United States. The United States agreed to pay to Spain the snm of $20,000,000, to repatriate all Spanish soldiers at its expense and various minor provisions. On January 4, 1899, the President transmitted the treaty to the Senate, which body referred it to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and it was ratified December 6, 1899. OUTBREAK OF WAR IN THE PHILIPPINES. Meantime hostilities had broken out in the Philippine Islands between the natives and the United States troops, and the President appointed Admiral George Dewey, General Hlwell S. Otis, J. G. Schurman, President of Cornell University ; Dean C. Worcester, of the Faculty of the University of Michigan, and Charles Denby, former United States Minister to China, a Com- mission to study the situation there and advise as to its settle- ment. The President also appointed a delegation to represent the United States at the Peace Conference called b}^ the Czar of Russia in 1898 to meet at the Hague in May, 1899. The delega- tion was made up of the United States Ambassador to Germany, Andrew D. White; the United States Minister to Holland, Stanford Nevil ; the President of Columbia University, Seth Low ; Captain A. T. Mahan, U. S. N. (retired), and Captain William Crozier, U. S. N., with Frederick W. Holls as Secretary and counsel. When the Republican National Convention met at Phil- adelphia, June 25, 1900, President McKinley received every one of the 930 votes of the delegates for renomination as the party can- didate for President, and Theodore Roosevelt, of New York, received 929 votes for the candidacy for Vice President, the single vote missing being the delegate vote of the candidate. In the election of November 6, 1900, the Republican Electors received 7,206,677 popular votes, to 6,374,397 for the Bryan and Stevenson Electors, the popular votes for the minority candidates standing as follows : WooUey and Metcalf, Prohibiton, 208.555 ; Barker and Donnelly, Anti-Fusion People's, 50,337 ; Debs and Harriman, Social Democrat, 84,003 ; Maloney and Remmell, Socialist Labor, 1 GRAND MILirARV AND CIVIL RIXORD. M 39,537 ; Leonard and Woolcy, Ihiiu-d Christian, io6(^, and Ellis and Nichols, Union Reform, 5698. The electoral vote stood 292 for McKinley and Roosevelt and 155 for Bryan and Stevenson. The snccessfiil Republican candidates were inaugurated March 4, 1901, and the President made no immediate changes in his Cabinet. He visited California with his wife and members of his cabinet in 1901, and intended to make the tour extend to the principal cities of the Pacific slope, but the serious illness of Mrs. McKinley forced him to return to Washington after reaching San Francisco. VISIT TO PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION. On September 4, 1901, he visited the Pan-American Exposi- tion, at Buffalo, N. Y., and made a notable speech in M-hich he outlined the policy to be pursued b}^ the Administration in main- taining and increasing the commercial prosperity of the nation, and on September 6 he held a public reception in the Temple of Music, to which the citizens of Buffalo and visitors to the Expo- sition gathered in great numbers. In the course of the reception, about 4 o'clock P. M., one of the visitors, while shaking his hand, shot him twice, one ball striking the breast bone and one entering the stomach. The would-be assassin was at once captured and proved to be Leon Czolgosz, an avowed Anarchist. President McKinley was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, the Union Veteran Legion and other military organizations. He received the honorary degree of LL. D. from Western Reserve University and McKendree College in 1897, ^T^om the University of Chicago and Yale University in 1898, from Smith College in 1899, being the second person and the first man to receive an honorarv degree from that institution, and from the University of California in 1901, and that of D. C. L. from Mt. Holyoke in 1S99. He was invited to visit Harvard University- in June, 1901, and the Corporation voted him the honorary' degree of LL.D., to be bestowed on the occasion, but the serious illness of Mrs. 100 GRAND MILITARY AND CIVIL RECORD. McKinle}' prevented his presence. The notable speeches deliv- ered by Mr. McKinle}-, and not already mentioned, include the address in Canton, O., before the Ohio State Grange, December 13, 1887, on "The American Farmer," in which he opposed the holding of American lands by aliens, and urged the farmers to be true to the principles of protection ; the address at the Home Market Club, in Boston, February 9, 1888, in which he persuaded the New England representatives to abandon the policy of "free raw material ;" the speech at the Lincoln banquet, in Toledo, O., February 12, 1891, in which he answered President Cleveland's address on "American Citizenship," delivered on the occasion of the seventieth anniversary of the birthday of Allen G. Thurman, at Columbus, O., November 13, 1890, and the oration delivered on Februar}^ 22, 1894, before the Union League Club, Chicago, 111., on the life and public services of George Washington. GLOWING TRIBUTE TO M'KINLEY. One of our prominent journals pays the following worthy tribute to the late President : "When the sun went down on Thursday evening the popular belief was as confident as it was general that the President had crossed the danger line to the side of safety, and there was a universal feeling of felicitation engendered by the medical bulletins, which gave assurances of not only the illustrious patient's recovery, but of his speedy convalescence and early return to his accustomed vigor. ■ " The first announcement of the change in the President's previously favorable condition was made by his medical advisers in their bulletin at 8.30 P. M.., Thursday, although the previous one, which was issued at 3 P. M., stating his pulse to be 126, gave the better informed few reasons for apprehension. The 8.30 * bulletin was received at too late an hour on Thursdaj^ to reach the general public, who did not hear of the relapse which the patient had suffered until they read the next morning's papers. " The shock caused by this intelligence to the country was not less, and, we believe, it was even greater, than that which i GRAND MILITARY AND CIVIL RECORD. 101 told of the attempted assassination of the 6th instant. Although the medical bulletins had been invariably favorable, it was observed, and will be now remembered, that none of them, hopeful as all were, gave positive assurances that the President would recover from his wounds. But the trend of every statement made by his physicians was in the direction which the country wished it to be, and as the days went by and the indications improved it came to be commonly believed that all danger of an untoward result had passed, and that the President would soon be again at his post of duty. "It was that confident belief so generally entertained which rendered Thursday night's report of the President's changed con- dition so serious a shock and distress to his countrymen. Since he was stricken down the popular mind has been better informed as to IMr. McKinley's real character, and as this more accurate knowledge respecting him spread abroad, the sympathy of his countrymen became the greater and more profound. CROWDS WAITING FOR BULLETINS. " The truth of this was made apparent yesterday, from early morning till a very late hour of the night, by the crowds which assembled in front of the newspaper ofiices and at all points where the latest news from the President's bedside could be obtained. The public anxiety, concern and sorrow were more generally exhib- ited 3'esterday than at an}' previous time since the assassin's shots were fired. The feeling shown suggested that each and all of the President's countrymen felt that they were about to suffer a per- sonal sorrow and were confronted by a personal calamity. " The people perceive now more clearly than the}- ever before did the simple worth and exalted patriotism of their President. Awed by the shadow of death in which he has lain during the past week, partisan detraction, rancor and misrepresentation were silent, and from all parts of his country, from the organs of all parties and factions, earnest tribute has been paid to the Presi- dent's virtues, his life and character. '' Our high appreciation of the kindly, friendly nature of Presi- 102 GRAND MILITARY AND CIVIL RECORD. dent McKinley, his elevated spirit of patriotism, his v.isli to be right and do right, to temper justice with mercy, was expressed in this place immediately after the assassin's murderons attack npon his life. There is but little to add to that tribute of respect and admiration for the nation's Chief Magistrate, who, having served it so faithfull}^ in that great office, received his fatal wound at his post in the discharge of a dut}'', " That they appreciated his devotion to their interests and welfare has been clearly and most gratifyingly shown from the very hour that he was stricken down, and seldom has popular admiration and the affectionate regard of a people for their ruler been more commonly or convincingly exhibited than were the admiration and regard shown yesterday by the American people for their honored ruler. A NATIONAL CALAMITY. " The demise of a President of the United States is always a sad and deplorable event, but when death comes to him at the handof the assassin the event becomes sadder and more deplorable. The blow struck at his life is struck at the very vitals of free gov- ernment, which makes the ruler the people's first and best found choice, and which makes each sovereign citizen his personal de- fender. When a blow is struck at the life of the nation's Chief Magistrate the whole people feel the hurt of it and suffer the grief and pain of its consequences. "President McKinley lies dead, and the whole nation mourns the death of a ruler, who became, the longer he ruled, more honored and esteemed by his countrymen, who wisely chose him to rule over them. He died as he lived, in high faith in God, submissive to His awful will, reverently saying with his departing breath : * God's will, not ours, be done.' "The Old World and the New, from sea to sea, Utter one voice of sympathy and shame I A deed accurst ! Strokes have been struck before By the assassin's hand, whereof men doubt „ If more of horror or disgrace they bore ; 1 But thy foul crime, like Cain's, stands darkly out." I GRAND MILITARY AND CIVIL RECORD. iu» Another leading journal thus eulogizes Mr. McKinley : *' The President is dead. No words can add and none can speak the loss to a land which for the third time in onr day stands hv the bier of a President slain. Death lifts all to a new light and a new place in the hearts of men. Nor less with the great man gone. He had all that can come to the sons of men. He fought for his land in his 3'outh. He earl}^ won its wide praise. He shared through all his mid and active years in its greater work. Twice he was called to be its head, " This without — and within in that hid life which to all men, high or low, is more than all else on earth, he was blessed. Early loved and early wed, through long years, with all they brought of joy and grief, and the daily strain of illness for the woman who to-day faces life's greatest sorrow, he wore the stain- less flower of perfect and undivided love. He died as men both brave and good can — his face turned fearless to the great future in which he saw and knew the divine love which had guided all his days. THE WORLD MADE RICHER. "The annals of men through all time are the richer for this high record of a stainless life and his land is left poor by the loss of its first and foremost son. Round the world runs the shadow of eclipsing grief as flags drop and the nations feel a common sor- row which knows bounds as little as his name and fame. All things pass. He with them. But there remains one more memory of a good man grown great, dead at the post of dut}-, to breathe hope and give strength to all who, like him, make their land the heart's first desire and know that its first high service is the good life and pure. He joins the triad of niart3'red Presidents. One slain by rebellion, one b}- partisan rancor and one by the baser passions of corroding env}- and a hand raised against all law, all rule and all government. '' The spirit of rebellion was buried with Lincoln. The grave of Garfield is the perpetual reminder of the risks of partj- hate. It will be the duty of those who live and, in all posts and places, in all ranks and work, serve the land he loved and made greater, 104 GRAND MILITARY AND CIVIL RECORD. to see to it that his death is the end of the creed and speech which cost the nation its President. There must be an end in his grave of all the envy, malice and hatred of the advance, progress and success of men, which is the seed and root of anarchy, and which daily seeks to set citizen against citizen." When the news of Lincoln's assassination was filling with fear and apprehension a nation just saved from disruption and it seemed as if the foundation of society had vanished and the pillars of order had fallen it remained for General Garfield to call the people back to first principles. The memorable speech he made in New York city on that April morning in 1865, when Lincoln lay dead from an assassin's bu'iiet, will never be forgotten. Said he to the throng as it surged about him, smitten with sorrow, anger and fear : " God reigns and the Government at Washington still lives." GARFIELD'S IMMORTAL ^A^ORDS. It was the irony of fate that the man who uttered these words should himself be the chief actor in another tragedy that, for a moment, almost paralyzed the nation again, and that his words should again help to recall it to its senses. " God reigned and the Government at Washington still lived." A third time the nation is called upon to meet a similar crisis. A President beloved beyond the lot of most men lies dead by the hand of the assassin, and the nation is a third time almost paralyzed by grief and anger. But great and irreparable as the loss of William McKinley is, it is well now to remember the words of General Garfield : " God reigns and the Government at Washington still lives." No man who knows where history has ranked and placed other Presidents can doubt that McKinley will stand among those few chiefs of the nation whose life and death close and open an epoch. Assassination will give his death the hallowed associa- tion of maityrdom, but this alone would not suf&ce for his future place if he had not been called in his administration as President to see the end of one era and the beginning of another. \ GRAND MILITARY AND CIVIL RECORD. 105 History will remember and record what his day and time have often forgotten, that, as with onr two greatest Presidents, his life was made and molded, not by his personal career, but by the nation's development Washington began life a mere back- woods partisan leader in Indian warfare and ended his public life the President of a new nation, its face turned toward the conquest of a continent. Lincoln, the rail-splitter, was early but one of the pioneers who first filled the West with freemen and later led these freemen to leave no man a slave in the land for which he died. So William McKinley had his early and youthful share in the sanguinary civil war, establishing a free industrial system. When this task was over he shared also in that patient internal development of national resources of protection, education, and honest money, which ended in the overflowing foreign trade of the past six years, and that miracle and marvel of expansion when the Republic first set its victorious feet on lands beyond CROWN OF HIS LIFE WORK. The loft}' speech delivered the day before he was shot, the unconscious blessing and prophecy of a leader of his people spoken as the shadow of death drew near on the dial, was the crown, cul- mination and completion of his life work. He was barely a voter when he laid down the military commission of the nation to accept the first civil commission of his neighbors. By his early training, b}' temperament, b}^ the industries of his district and the political geography which put him on the dividing line between the East and the West, he was set apart to the work of directing, defending, conserving and consolidating the nation's growth and progress in the appointed path of national development. On all questions and issues he, beyond his contemporaries, united a knowledge of the convictions of the East and the needs and demands of the West. On protection he stood alike for the manufacturer and the farmer. On the currenc}- he labored steadily to prevent a division between the sound uiouey vote East and West which would have periled all, and whatever criticism of his course 106 GRAND MILITARY AND ClVIL RECORD. the hour may have bred, history a.nd the issue have alike justified his policy and position. In all these things and at everj?- juncture he displayed the saving sense of success. The day never came when he was not more clearlj^ and closel}- aware than any contemporar}^ of the de- sires, the purpose and the wish of the great body of his fellow- citizens. He knew them. They trusted him. His confidence in free institutions and in the prescient sagacit}' of the American voter never wavered. No man in our day was so near the people. No man so reflected the cheerful optimism, the good-humored courage, the hopeful opportunism and the resolute determination and industry of the average American as he. This personal en- dowment, experience and insight gave him a power, clearer in the last ten years than ever before, of speaking level to the compre- hension, direct to the hearts and straight to the conviction of his fellow-countrymen. No man in our recent day has so influenced their opinion. READY FOR EVERY GREAT DEMAND. When the great service of his life and the crowning crisis of is career came and war had brought new duties and unforeseen responsibilities he was ready. He knew the secret heart and inner purpose of the land he ruled and the people he loved. Resolutely, without haste but without hesitation, he led the uation to its new place among the nations of the earth. He accepted the responsibility of momentous advance in the world relations of the United States. He neither spurned precedent nor was he spurred by novelt3^ He saw, as history wdll see, in the greater acts of his administration, the unfolding of a past which made the present necessary and inevitable. In this great, unforeseen and successful task the purity of his character, his visible loyalty to American ideals, his power in winning opposition, his sincerity, the charm of his personalit}- and his unaffected regard and love for all his fellow-citizens, enabled him to carry the people with him and with his view of national duty, without regard to section or party. GRAND MILITARY AND CIVIL RECORD. 107 He had borne liis sliare of detraction. He had known what it WrfS to be wilfnll}^ tradnced and to face partisan rancor. To all his fcllow-citizen.s, the last fcmd tribnte laid on his bier was the precious consciousness that he had outlived and overlived all this. He died loved by all, and knowing that he was loved bj- all that the Union which he had fought as a boy to save he, more than an}'' other President, had made a " more perfect Union " of tlie hearts of the American people. CHAPTER V. Incidents in President McKinley's Career — Gallant Exploits on the Field of Battle— Daring Feat at Antietam — Always True to His Pledge. '"PHB boy, who afterward became President, was originally in- * tended for the ministry, and it was said that his mother confi- dently looked forward to his becoming a bishop. Probably he would have realized her ambition had not fate willed that he should become a lawyer. He received his first education at the public schools of Niles. When he was nine years old the family removed to Poland, Ohio, a place noted in the State for its educa- tional advantages. Here William was placed in Union Seminary, where he pur- sued his studies until he was seventeen, when he entered the junior class, and could easily have graduated the next year, but that unremitting application to study undermined his health, and he was forced to return home. At these institutions he had been especially proficient in mathematics and the languages, and was acknowledged to be the best debater in the literary societies. He had early manifested strong religious traits, had joined the Methodist Church at the age of sixteen and had been notably diligent in Scriptural study. As soon as he sufficiently recovered his health he became a teacher in the public schools in the Kerr district, near Poland. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was a clerk in the Poland post office. At a war meeting convened in the Sparrow tavern he was one of a number of boys who was so fired by the patriotic enthusiasm of the occasion that they promptly stepped forward and enrolled their names as intended volunteers in the Union army. Proceeding with them to Columbus, William McKinley en- listed as a private in Company H, of the Twenty-third Ohio 108 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF McKINLEY. 109 Volunteer Infantry, June ii, iS6i. This company ^va.s destined to become one of the most famous in the war. Its field and staff included William S. Rosecran i, Rutherford B. Hayes, Stanley Matthews and others who aftei .vard achieved eminence in military or civil life. It was engaged 'a nineteen battles and of its total rank and file of 2,095 men, i^ 9 were killed in battle and 107 died of wounds or disease. Des ite the hardships, privations and perils to which he was expos d, his constitution gained in health and strength during his foui years' service. He participated in all the early engagements i' West Virginia. i His first promotion, to commissary sergeant, occurred April IS, 1862. As Rutherford 6. Hayes afterward said: "We soon found thai in business and executive ability he was of rare capacity, of unusual and unsurpassing capacity, for a boy of his age. W^hen battles were fought, or a service was to be performed in warlike things, he ahvays took his place. When I became commander of the regiment, he soon came to be on m}^ staff, and he remained on my staff for one or two years, so that I did, literally and in fact, know him like a book and love him like a brother." HOT WORK AT ANTIETAM. The company was with McClellan when the}^ drove the enemy out of Frederick, Md., and, on September 14th and 17th, engaged them at South Alountain and at Antietam. In the latter battle Sergeant McKinley, in charge of the commissary depart- ment of his brigade, performed a notable deed of daring at the crisis of the battle, when it was uncertain which way victory would turn. McKinley fitted two wagons with necessary sup- plies and drove them through a storm of shells and bullets to the assistance of his hungry and thirsty fellow soldiers. The mules of one wagon were disabled, but McKinley drove the other safely through and was received with hearty cheers. "From Sergeant McKinley's hand," said President Hayes, "every man in the regiment was served with hot coffee and warm meats, a thing which had never occurred under similar circumstances in any other army in the world." 110 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF McKINLEY. For this feat he was promoted to lieutenant, September 24, 1862. A greater exploit was that which he performed at the battle of Kernstown, near Winchester, Jul 3^ 24, 1864, when he rode his horse, on a forlorn hope, through a fierce Confederate fire, to carry Hayes' orders to Colonel William Brown, and thus extri- cated that officer's command, the Thirteenth West Virginia, from a perilous position. On Jul}^ 25th following he was promoted to be captain, and on March 14, 1865, received from the President a document which he valued above all the other papers in his possession. This was a commission as major by brevet in the Volunteer United States Army " for gallant and meritorious services at the battles of Opequan, Cedar Creek and Fisher's Hill," signed "A. Lincoln." This was just a month before the assassination of the latter. On June 26, 1865, he was mustered out with his regiment, and re- turned to Poland, with the record of having been present and active in every engagement in which his regiment had partici- pated, and in performing with valor and judgment every duty assigned to him. ADMITTED TO THE BAR. He at once began the study of the law, first in the office of Glidden & Wilson, at Youngstown, Ohio, and afterward at the Law School in Albany, N. Y. In March, 1867, he was admitted to the bar at Warren, Ohio. He settled at Canton, which ever afterward was his home, and soon attracted attention as a lawyer of diligence, sobriety and eloquence. Though the count v was strongly Democratic, and he was an uncompromis- ing Republican, he was elected one term as prosecuting attorney. He threw himself into every political campaign with all the energy of his nature, and his services were so highly valued that he spoke more frequently in his county and district than even the principal candidates on the ticket. When Rutherford B. Hayes ran for the Governorship of Ohio, against the Greenback candi- date, Allen, AIcKinley was an eloquent and passionate advocate "f honest mone}^ and resumptior IXCIDKNTS L\ THE I. UK OF McKINIJ-.V. Ill Meanwhile, in 187 1, lie had married Aliss Ida Saxton, a leading belle of Poland, Ohio. It was a love inntch in its incep- tion ; it remained a tender and beantifnl id}-! to ihc very end. Indeed, no public man was ever a nobler exponent of all the domestic virtues than McKinley. His mother worshipped him, his wife x,^^lized him. It was in 1876 that he announced himself a candidate for Congress. The sitting Representative, L. D. Woodworth, with Judge Frease, and other prominent Republicans, three of them from his own count}', were his opponents for the nomination. The Stark County delegates to the Congressional Conven- tion were elected by a popular vote. ]McKinley carried every township in the county but one, and that had but a single delegate. In the other counties he was almost equally success- ful, and the primaries gave him a majority of the delegates in the district. He was nominated on the first ballot over all the other candidates. OLD POLITICIANS ASTONISHED. This sudden rise into prominence and popularity naturally gave the old politicians a shock. Here was a new and unknown factor in the politics of the district. He had been accorded an opportunit}' which to them had seemed hopeless, had accepted and won recoirnition. It was soon discovered that he had not only come into the politics of the district, but that he had come to sta}'. For fourteen years after this event he represented the district of which Stark count}^ was a part ; not the same district, for the Democrats did not relish the prominent part he was playing in Congress, and gerrymandered him three times, the last time (in 1890) successfull}'. The first attempt to change his district was made as earl}- as 187S by the Democrats, who, by gerrymandering the county, put him into a district that had 1,800 Democratic majorit}'. McKin- ley carried it b}'' 1,300 votes. In 18S2 he had another narrow escape. It will be recalled that 1882 was a bad year for Republicans. The New York State Convention resented President Arthur usiu>r 112 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF McKINLEY. his influence to nominate liis Secretary of the Treasury, Judge Folger, for the Governorship of that State. The partj^ was also torn up in Pennsylvania. Grover Cleveland was elected Gover- nor over Judge Folger b}^ a tremendous majority, and General Beaver was defeated in Pennsylvania by a then comparatively tnknown man, Governor Pattison. That year McKinley's origi- nal district had been restored, and he was seeking a " third term," something not accorded its Representatives. He had strong opposition for the nomination, some of it rankling until the elec- tion, and that, with the popular discontent temporarily prevailing, brought his majority down to eight votes. Mr. McKinley's congressional career was marked by indus- try and executive ability. He early showed that he was a pro- nounced protectionist of an extreme sort. In the theories of Alexander Hamilton and Henr}- Cla}^, which to those statesmen seemed fitted only to temporary conditions, Mr. McKinley in those days seemed to read a permanent polic}' in which American prosperity was indissolubly involved. UNDERSTOOD THE SUBJECT. He had faithfully pursued a course of study in political economy which had stored his retentive memor}^ with facts and figures bearing upon the protectionist side of the question. These bare bones he reclothed with palpitating flesh, in a spirit of truly altruistic and partistic pride, and in the firm belief that he was benefitting alike his fellow citizens and their common country. His utter sincerit}^ the charm and dignity of his manner, the apparent logical weight of his arguments and the simplicity with which they were worded captured his audiences not only on the stump, but in Congress. His unfailing courtesy won him friends even among those whom he could not convert. A signal instance happened on May i8, 1888, when he yielded his place on the floor of the House to allow the moribund Samuel J. Randall to conclude a speech inter- rupted by the call of time. When, as a member of the Republican National Presidential INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF MrKlNLl.V. 113 Convention of 1SS4, he- was placed on the Coniiiiittcc of Platform, it was he that was selected to draft the tariff planks. He went to the Convention as a Blaine man. Foraker fonght desperately for Sherman. After the third ballot had been taken, and the hall was in confnsion, with the Sherman forces clamoring for adjonrn- ment, ^IcKinlev arose, and in a short speech rallied the Blaine men, beat the effort to snspend and so helped materially in the selecting of his candidate on the next ballot. He emerged from this convention with a national repntation. in the convention fonr 3'ears later he was a marked man. He was now pledged to Sherman. Bnt, as in 18S4, it soon developed that the nomination for Sherman was impossible. A compromise candidate seemed inevitable. LOUD CHEERS FOR M'KINLEY. There were whispers of dislo3'alty even in the Ohio delega- tion. Rumor was busy with McKinley's name. The night before the balloting began he made the round of States' head- quarters and earnestly pleaded, even with tears in his eyes, that none of the delegates should vote for him. Next day, on the sixth ballot, a Cincinnati delegate disregarded this plea. He cast his vote for ^IcKinley. There were resounding cheers throughout the hall. The next State on the roll cast sixteen votes for McKinley. The cheers were renewed with greater volume. It looked as if the scene of Garfield's nomination in 18S0 were to be repeated, and that the convention would be stampeded for McKinley. Instantly Mr. ^McKinley leaped to his feet. He made an impassioned appeal. He reminded the con- vention that he was pledged to John Sherman. " I do not request, I demand," he concluded, '' that no delegate who would not cast reflection upon me shall cast a ballot for me.'' He was too evidently in earnest not to be accepted at his word. That speech turned the tide to Harrison, who was selected on the seventh ballot. Some one told him afterward that he had done as noble a thing as ever had been known in politics. 114 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF McKINLEY. " Is it, then, so honorable," was Mr. McKinley's comment, *' to refrain from a dishonorable deed ? " • At the organization of the Fifty-first Congress Mr. McKinley was a candidate for Speaker, but, though strongly supported, he was defeated in caucus by Thomas B. Reed. Appointed Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, he became the leader of the House under circumstances of peculiar difficulty, for his party had only a nominal majority, and the opposition assumed a policy of obstruction. It was during this Congress that he made his most notable speeches on the tariff question, and, on April i6, 1890, he introduced the general tariff measure which has since borne his name. The bill passed the House, and after protracted and stormy debates and repeated amendments was signed by the President, October 6, 1890. CRY FOR TARIFF REFORM. This was just before the general elections, when the Repub- licans were defeated, as had been generally expected. The McKinley bill, which had proved unpopular with the country at large, was held to be one of the elements of the Republican defeat. Cleveland's announced policy of tariff reform had chimed in with the popular mood. Mr. McKinley's own district, which had been fiercely contested, was carried against him. Thereupon a popular movement arose in Ohio for his nomination as Governor. It gathered such strength that the Republican convention in June of the next year nominated him by acclamation. He was elected and, in 1893, was re-elected. Even before the National Convention of 1892 McKinley had expressed himself in favor of the renomination of President Har- rison. He went there a Harrison delegate. Again he was elected chairman and again an attempt was made to nominate him over Harrison and Blaine. He pursued the same course as in the prior convention. By a masterful speech from the platform he arrested the movement in his favor and turned the tide toward the man to whom he was pledged. In the campaign which followed he was one of the most unwearied and effective of the orators who stumped the country for Harrison. INCIDENTS IN THE LIKE OE McKINLEY. lir, It was no fault of his that the fight was lost, save that the unpopularity of the " McKiuley bill " was one of the factors which made for defeat. In the State elections of 1S94 he made a remarkable record as a campaign speaker. He not only stumped his own State, but made a tour through the West, and in a series of speeches through Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, IMinnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, ludiana and Michigan was greeted b}- enormous crowds. He began his speeches at dawn, and often spoke a dozen times a day from the car of his special train, from the adjacent platforms, or in the largest halls in the chief cities along his route. On undertaking the journey he had agreed to make forty-six speeches. He made, in fact, 371 speeches in 300 towns. It was estimated that he had travelled over sixteen thousand miles and addressed over two million persons. At every point visited his party achieved enor- mous success at the ensuing elections, the popular branch of Con- gress, largel}^ through his impetus, being carried by more than two-thirds majority. THOUGHT OF THE COUNTRY FIXED ON HIM. On the expiration of his term as Governor he retired to his home at Canton. He was universally looked upon as the Repub- lican banner bearer in the next Presidential campaign. As the time drew nigh for the convention to meet, State after State and district after district declared for him. The Democratic party had been torn by the rise of the free silver heresy, which demanded the free coinaq-e of silver at 16 to i as the necessary condition to the return of financial prosperit}' in the country. The Republican party was to a much lesser degree affected by it. Nevertheless, Mr. ]\IcKinley chose to observe the policy of silence. Though frequently importuned for his views on the silver question, it was not until the Republican National Cor.- vention, on June 18, 1896, had, on the first ballot, nominated him for the Presidency, on a gold platform, that he openly avowed himself the leader of the sound money forces. Ou July 10 following the threatened split in the Democratic I 116 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF McKlNLEY. party was precipitated b}^ the nomination at the Democratic National Convention, held at Chicago, of William J. Bryan, on a platform advocating the free coinage of silver. A large number of the most prominent Democrats in the country, and especially in the Eastern States, supported by a number of the most influen- tial Democratic papers and voters, all of whom were in favor of the gold standard, refused to accept the nomination of Bryan. A majority went over to McKinley, but an influential minority gathered together under the name of the National Democratic Party, held a convention at Indianapolis on September 2 and 3, and nominated as their standard bearers General John M. Palmer, of Illinois, and Simon B. Buckner, of Kentucky. It was generally understood that this convention and nomi- nation were simply to enable the anti-silver Democrats who were opposed to the Chicago platform, and nevertheless could not make up their minds to vote for a Republican President, the chance to express their disapproval at the polls. The movement undoubtedly was of assistance to McKinley. A CAMPAIGN FIERCELY FOUGHT. The McKinley-Bryan campaign of 1896 was one of the most fiercely contested in the history of the Presidential elections. It was fought on the battleground of principle. There was none of the "mud throwing" which tarnished the record of other furious party engagements. Both candidates were acknowledged to be of unsullied personal character. The silver question was practically the only issue before the country, but the interests it involved were so tremendous, the revolution it caused in political demarcations so unusual, that the emotions and passions of the voters were stirred to fever heat. The result proved overwelmingly in favor of McKinley. He was elected to the Presidency by an electoral majority of 95 votes and a popular plurality of 601,854. It was Mr. McKinley' s good or bad fortune to assume the helm of government at a momentous, and what seemed like a perilous crisis in the national life ; it ^vas his good fortune to INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF McKINI.EY. 117 g-iiidc the S>h\\) of State to a peaceful li:i\eii. It is loo early ivw, it must be left to the historiau of the future, to decide accurately how far the triumph was due to the sagacity- of the helmsman, how far to the euormous advantages which were inherent in tlie vessel he managed. Two things are certain. First, the result of the war with Spain startled all civilized nations and announced that here in the Western hemisphere had arisen a new power with whom those nations must reckon in future. Second, the conduct of Mr. McKinley before, during and after the war, and the policies he had inaugurated toward our new possessions met with the approval of a large majority of his fellow^ citizens. TRIBUTE FROM AMBASSADOR YOUNG. When William McKinle}^ was first named for the Presidency by the Republican National Convention in St. Louis on June i8, 1896, he was at his home in Canton, Ohio. W^itli him was John Rus- sell Young, our late Ambassador to China, who wrote the follow- ing story of the man who w^as destined to become one of the countrj^'s mart}' rs, and of his home life : "It has been my privilege to take part in a ceremou}' that should live in histor}' with the recent coronation of the Czar, of which so much has been written wath brilliancy and color. In Moscow all the nations participated in the tendering of the crown to the monarch of an empire; the pageant is known to 3'ou all. In Canton I have this afternoon witnessed the tender of a crown even more lustrous than that of the Czar, involving, as seems to be the will of Providence, the President of the United States. " The sun rested heavil}- on Canton all day. The town was in an uneasy, restless condition. The one thought w^as McKinlev. The Major, from being an established and prosperous industry, had become a mania. The people walked about in a state of repression. There was no politics in their concern, for at Canton McKinle}' is not a political issue. A bright-eyed newsdealer develops a stately esteem for the Major, whose nomination among so many other things would be such a blessing to the town. I 118 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF McKINLEY. "■ It must be a trial to have the eyes of the worid turned upon you, and this, to modest Canton, resting here upon the smiling, sheltered plains, with her all too marvelous industries and such an amount of as yet unexplained progress over which to rejoice, to suddenly become the centre of the world's eyes is a sore trial. And you went about the wholesome, contented and well shaded town, whose streets would put many an older town to blush, feel- ing that the air was charged with C3'clonic influences and not knowing what the day might bring forth. The Major was in his pretty little home, twirling his eye-glasses and receiving friends with exquisite courtesy. Not a taciturn, but assuredly not a talk- ative man. "The only change in him that I could note upon this day of his destiny was that he seemed a little better dressed than usual, a kind of wedding-day touch in his raiment. A soft breeze swept around the piazza and the sun kept watch and ward ; now and then a fervent Cantonese would stop and pause and look at his home in wonder. Occasionally one more daring would approach the piazza to say that he was on the road ; that he had come from Akron, Alliance or Cleveland, and that the boys were only able by medical advice to hold themselves in, but as soon as the news came Ohio would glow with carmine and fire. THE OLD COMRADE. " Now and then a veteran would hobble up, and if a little hazy in speech and gait, what matter ? He only wanted to ex- plain that he belonged to such a regiment, and if he did not have a bullet he had a ballot and would send it home as in the old days. This is the home to which the Governor brought his bride. Here his children came to him, and from here God took them awa}^, for he is a childless man. Therefore it is a home with sacred memories. " One could not but recall the Moscow coronation as he stepped into the modest library. You notice that perhaps the roller desk is closed, In one corner is a long-distance telephone. A bright-e3^ed youth, with a flush of auburn hair, whom every one calls 'Sam,' has the telephone in charge. The person at the I i INCIDENTS IN THK LIKE OK McKINLEV. 119 Dther curl of the wire is apparently a cousin, as Sam's outside coin- iiinnications have a domestic bearini;-. It is the room of the busy man with many books — the kind of books, as you note by their character, which a busy man cares to have near him ; the library of the student who means to know what he must know in five minutes. "It is a small company, mainl}' old friends, classmates, fel- low soldiers, in a state of tremor and anxiety as they come to wit- ness this crowning honor to a comrade. Just across the hall several ladies have assembled, and you hear the soft echoes of merry talk. Mrs. McKinley has a few friends to share with her the emotions and joys of the day. About one, the venerable mother arrived, jus*- in time for the luncheon, and as she pauses to greet friends 3'ou note the radiant, soft, almost triumphant smile which shows the compensation and peace that rests upon her soul. CALMLY AWAITING THE NEWS. " The cynosure of seventy millions of Americans sits in an easy chair, holding his eyeglasses, apparently the most uncon- cerned person in the room. The piazza is crowded with the neighbors and newspaper gentlemen. The convention is on and messages come to him over the telegraph and the telephone. 'Sam,' at his telephone, is anxious that the telegraph shall not beat him, and is pleased when the secretary reads fiom the yel- low slip what he had announced a minute before. The news reports are brought in on typewritten sheets and read aloud. Occasionally there comes a private telegram, which the Major puts on a file and goes on twirling his glasses. ''Apart from the wedding-day look of his clothesand just a little closer compression of his lips and a touch of pallor on the fore- head, the Alajor shows no care. He looks after his guests, quick to every suggestion of hospitality. You must have a chair, or, if you care to follow the ballots, he will hand you a form, or perhaps a glass of water would be refreshing — a quick, observant eye as to the details of hospitality. "There are pauses, not much talk, rather the eyeglass twirl, 120 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF McKINLEY. bits of innocent, but especially valuable, conversation thrown in now and then, but rather a tendency to silence, all thoughts bent on St. Louis and every ear listening to the telegraph tick. "The news came minute b}^ minute. Every stage of the St. Louis pageant was made clear. We heard the fight over the platform, retirement of the silver men, and finally the order to call the roll of the States. We hear of the speeches. Lodge is now on his feet. Depew has taken the floor for Alorton. He has called the receding silver delegates erring sisters, at which there is a smile over the room. Allison has been presented, and then Foraker comes, bringing with him the McKinley crash. Some of us walked over to the telephone and heard the roar of the multitude hundreds of miles away, the noise, the shouting, the music and the singing of the songs. PROLONGED ENTHUSIASM. *' 'Sam', at the telephone was rather impatient over this enthusiasm — his one affair that the convention should nominate McKinley. The tedium was broken by ripples of talk, remem- brances of famous scenes in other conventions, when Lincoln defeated Seward, the tremendous struggle between Blaine and Grant and the similar incidents in Minneapolis. It was remem- bered that the usual duration of these convention blizzards was about half an hour, and watches were taken out to note how long the hurly-burly would last. "There is an end to everything, even a convention blizzard, and in time we heard, with a sigh of relief, that the storm had p-one down, and that the States were to be called. "There were pauses when some of the votes were challenged, but little conversation. I asked the Governor during the pause when New York was being called whether votes thus far had reached his estimate. ' Rather exceeds it,' he answered, when one of the company who had been keeping the tally ventured the pre- diction that when the votes of Ohio were reached there would be votes suf&cient to nominate the Governor. Another dwelt upon the poetic fitness of the nomination being made b}- ]\IcKinley's INCIDENTS IN THE Lll'x. Ol- McKINLEY. 121 own State, There were observations arising out of the incident, but the (iovernor said nothirig, looking over the list and awaiting the announcement that the ballot was proceeding. Finally Ohio cast her fortj^-six votes, Pennsylvania following, and it was done, " There was just a faint touch of color on the face of McKin- ley as some friends spoke a word of congratulation to him on this the moment of his career. He talked of some personal matters of minor import ; showed no emotion and expressed no feeling, bui when Pennsylvania was passed calnil}' took up his convention form and continued to note the vote, "But in the meantime the gun was fired, the bells were rung and Canton knew that the bolt had at last come out of the heavens, and all of the town turned out. So I came from the Governor's house. The streets swarmed with people — men, women, children, all rushing in a double-quick to the McKinle}- home, everybody smiling and many cheering. The croM'd was so large that it was necessary to w^alk in the street. FLAGS, DRUMS AND LOUD CHEERS. *' Steam whistles were blowing, the houses blossomed with flags, drums w^ere beating, every breast bloomed with a McKinley favor, the stores were closed, clubs began to march, the members shouting and cr3'ing ' IVIcKinley comes.' It is a beautiful sum- mer night as I write, and the town is in revelry, cannon firing, fireworks, horns blowing, the air filled with smoke and noise. Canton will long remember this day. St. Louis has crowned her eminent citizen a czar, and enthusiasm in ever}^ form, question- able or otherwise, rules the hour," In commenting on the death of the President, a prominent newspaper supplies ns with the following very appreciative esti- mate of his character : " Life's work well done ; Life's race well run ; Life's crown well won ; Now comes rest. " Both the expected and the unexpected have happened. The 122 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF McKINLEY. expectation of recovery was born of onr hope, of the almost cer- tainty that so dire a calamity could not blight a period of such prosperity. And yet when that shot was fired, which was ' heard round the world,' the whole nation trembled for the safety of its President, and the heartbeats of the people were mingled with sobs of unrestrained sorrow. " Mr. McKinley in his official capacity represented more that is dear to human progress than any other personage or any potentate on the planet. He, morever, illustrated in his own career the grandeur of those multiform and inspiring opportu- nities which the genius of our government offers to every child cradled within the limits of our domain. His early poverty did not stand in the wsiy of his later preferment. He expanded the circle of his narrow circumstances by the faithful performance of every duty that fell to his lot, until at last it embraced the good will and confidence of a whole people, who gladly thrust upon him the high honors and responsibilities of their Chief Execu- tive. Whether as a school teacher in his youth, or as a private in the Civil War, where he won promotion by earnest fidelity as well as by deeds of daring, or later on in the Governor's chair or on the floor of Congress, he showed, the qualities which men first learn to envy and then to admire. TRUE TO GOD AND COUNTRY. *'He had but one rule, to be true to his God, his country and his own ideal of a noble character, and if as a consequence he won renown it was because he deserved it. We may have differed with him as to his political theories, we may have thrown the whole strength of logic and argument into the opposition, but at this moment, when death has opened the door across whose mysterious threshold he has passed into eternity and into history, we think of him not as a partisan but as a man, and gladly give the meed of praise which is his due. " There is no politics in the chamber wherein rests the bier. When death has made good its claim on mortality we are in no mood to speak of aught else than the character, the motives, the INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF McKINLEY. 123 virtues of the departed, and under this inipnlsc tlic whole Anieriean people bow their heads in the prescuce of a uatioual bereavement. "Mr. IMcKinley was a hard and successful fighter for his part}', a brave soldier when volunteers were sought for a dangerous expedition, a most intrepid debater when his personal convictions were involved, and so honorable that on at least two occasions, w'hen the nomination for the Presidency was within easy reach, he turned the tide from himself in favor of the candidate to whom he had pledged his personal influence. That he had the ambition of office is not to be denied, but that he would not accept office unless he could do so with an unsullied conscience is a fact of which his friends and the whole nation may well be proud, while his political opponents and rivals admire the fidelity which it is hard to imitate. CHARACTER BUILT ON PRINCIPLE. "Mr. McKinle}' lias shown by his life that there are but few things which last — a character which is built on moral principle, an ambition which seeks the good of the countrv and a religion which can rob the passage from the present to the future of all regrets." The day following Mr. McKinley's death, another journal paid him this well-merited tribute : " Even as a wave of astonishment accompanied the tide of horror that was spread over the land b}- the assassin's blow^ at the life of the President, so there is now a shock of surprise mingled with the grief which bows the American people. The news from the stricken Chief Magistrate's bedside from almost the first had been so steadil}' encouraging, that fear of a fatal result was all but banished. Dread gave place not merely to hope, but to nearly perfect confidence in his recovery. " The doctors were unanimous in signing the cheerful re- ports issued up to midnight on Thursday, and relatives and personal friends, who were kept privately informed of the condi- tions, exceeded the official bulletins in their assurances to the 124 INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF McKINLEY. public that the President would live. The republic was prepar- ing for a heartfelt th an gks giving such as has not occurred since Lee surrendered at Appomatox. The suddenness of the blow makes it all the harder to bear. Rejoicing has been bO swiftly turned into mourning that the revulsion of feeling stuns the nation. " He is gone, and for the people, whose freely chosen chief servant he was, there remains in this hour only grief that cannot be given expression with tongue or pen, since language fails, in the presence of a tragedy so causeless, so pathetic, so hideous. Blameless in his private life, a man so kindly, so richly endowed with the capacity for inspiring friendship, so filled with good will toward others that even his political opponents responded with good will in their turn — a warm-hearted, cordial. Christian gentle- man, William McKinley was without personal enemies, and it seemed unthinkable that even madness itself could wish him harm. MISCREANT OR MANIAC? " Yet in the flower of his usefulness this good man has been cut down by an assassin. The wretch does not plead what is understood in America as a political motive. The President's policies had critics in plenty, fellow-countrymen of the part}- in antagonisim to his, and not a few in his own party. But the miscreant or maniac who took his life pretends to no sympathy with the views of these critics. Though his victim was the elected Chief Magistrate of a self-governi'ng republic, limited in his power by the Constitution and the laws, and the supreme antithesis of a hereditary and absolute monarch, the assassin selected him as the representative of despotism. "It would be a satisfaction had this creature come to us from some remote and poisonous quarter of darkest Europe, where anarchy is bred by tyranny, but we have to face the strange and humiliating fact that he was born and reared among ourselves, though his mind, whether it be sane or diseased, is as little American in its workings as if he had never wandered beyond the confines of a Russian commune. The assassin is himself as INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF McKINLEV. l^j unexpected, as iiiiiazing, as his act was horriljlc and astounding. But such as the wretch is — debased, abnormal, petty and gro- tesqnc — it was in his power to slaughter greatness and wrap a nation in black. For a crime so tremendous human law has no penalty that does not impress with its immeasurable inadequacy. " While his countrymen stand about the bier of the murdered President sorrow's must be the one voice heard. The President has fallen, but the republic is unharmed. The tasks left unfin- ished by William McKinley will be taken up by the hands of him whom the laws, equal to every emergency of State, appoint to fill the place so awfully, so bloodil}' made vacant. Amid the nation's grief, amid the tears for the man and the Magistrate taken from us by so foul and unnatural a crime, there conies to every American out of the past the voice of another victim of an assassin's bullet, who, when men were turned distraught by Lincoln's death, cried to them : " 'God reigns, and the government at Washington still lives I' " CHAPTER VI. Mr. McKinley's Commanding Influence in Congress— Famous Author of the Tariff Bill Bearing His Name— His Notable Career as Governor of Ohio— First Term as President— His Home Life and Personality. TO tell the stor}^ of McKinley's seven terms in Congress would be to tell the history of that body and of the nation for four- teen years. From the beginning he was an active and conspicuous member of the House. He was an American, and he reckoned nothing that concerned Americans to be unworth}' of his notice. He recognized, however, that in view of the vast development, extension and multiplication of human interests there was little hope for success as a universal genius. A man must be a special- ist if he would attain the greatest eminence and the greatest use- fulness. Already, indeed, he had devoted his attention especially to the subject of the tariff and its bearings upon American industry. The story is told that soon after he opened his law office at Canton, while he was as yet an untrained youth, he was drawn into a debate upon that subject. Pitted against him was a trained, shrewd and experienced lawyer, who had at his tongue's end all the specious sophistries of free trade. The older and more expert debater won a seeming victory, but McKinley, though silenced for a time, was not convinced. " No one will ever overcome me again in that way," he said to a companion. " I know I am right and I know that I can prove it." Thenceforth the study of books and men and conditions of industry to attain that end was the chief labor of his life. The first speech he made in Congress was on the subject of the tariff, and, as already stated, was in opposition to the non- protective bill introduced by Fernando Wood, of New York, in 1878. That speech made a marked impression upon the House and the nation, and thenceforth its author was looked to in ever}^ tariff debate to be one of the chief upholders of protection. An 126 AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARIFF lUI.L 127 incident related by Judge Kelle}-, member of Congress from Pcnn. sylvania, in his eulogy upon Dudley C. Haskell, shows how eflfectively McKinlev answered this expectation. It was when the famous Mills bill was before the House. Kelley was to open the debate on the Republican side and McKinley was to close it. Haskell, who was a member of the Wa3\s and Means Committee, and a particularly strong debater, desired the honor of closing the debate, and asked Judge Kellc}' to persuade McKinley to give way to him. The Judge went to McKinley and repeated Haskell's request. McKinle}' readily consented, saying that he did not care in what order he spoke. So it happened that McKinley was the fourth or fifth speaker and Haskell was to talk last. At the conclusion of McKinley's speech, a nnmber of tlie members crowded around to congratulate him. Foremost among them was Haskell, who seized McKinle}' \s hand enthusiastically, exclaiming: "Major, I shall speak last ; but 3'ou, sir, have closed the debate.'' AN AUTHORITY ON TARIFF QUESTIONS. With such years of preparation Major McKinley was uni- versally recognized as the one man of all best qualified to frame a new tariff law, which it seemed desirable to enact when the Republicans resumed full control of the Government in 1889. He was appointed Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, and presently gave to the nation the great measure which bears his name. Of his work, in connection with it, he spoke modestly. "I was Chairman of the Committee," he said, " and I performed niv duties as best I could. That is all. Some of the strongest men in Congress were on the Committee, and the eight of us heard everybody, considered everything, and made up the best tariff law we knew how to frame." Envious rivals and unscru- pulous foes have sought to belittle his fame by declaring that it was not his bill at all, that it was really framed by others, and that his connection with it was purely accidental. To no intelligent reader of the history of the time can it be necessar}' to spend much space in refuting that stupid calumny. 128 AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARIFF BILL. McKinley was the author and finisher of that bill. He conceived its general principles. He gave countless da3'S and nights of study and of toil to the elaboration of its details. By his unsur- passed leadership he secured its adoption by the House without resorting to a party caucus — an unprecedented achievement. He bore the brunt of the hostile criticism which was heaped upon the law by the free traders of Great Britain. To him, and to him alone, are due the honor and the fame which the better judgment of the world has awarded to the author of that historic measure. BENEFITS OF THE BILL. The McKinley Tariff bill took the tax from some of the chief necessities of life, stimulated old industries, and called new ones of vast magnitude into prosperous existence ; greatly extended, by a wise system of reciprocity, the foreign commerce of the country, and ])rovided means for conducting the Govern- ment and for keeping the financial credit of the nation unim- paired. These are the facts now abundantly recognized beyond all challenge. We ma}^ quote as absolutely true the words spoken by Mr. McKinley himself at the time when the measure was repealed and a substitute put in its place :— I "The law of 1890 was enacted for the American people and the American home. Whatever mistakes were made in it were all made in favor of the occupations and the firesides of the American people. It didn't take away a single day's work from a solitary American workingman. It gave work and wages to all, such as they had never had before. It did it by establishing new and great industries in this country, which increased the demand for the skill and handiwork of our laborers everywhere. It had no friends in Europe. It gave their industries no stimu- lus. It gave no employment to their labor at the expense of our own. " During more than two years of the Administration of Presi- dent Harrison, and down to its end, it raised all the revenue necessary to pay the vast expenditures of the Government, includ- ing the interest on the public debt and the pensions. It never i AUTHOR OK THE FAMOUS TAKIII" BILL. 12J encroached upon the gold reserve, which in the past had always leen sacredly preserved for the redemption of outstanding paper obligations of the Government. "During all of its operations, down to the change and reversal of its policy by the election of 1S92, no man can assert that in the industries affected by it wages were too high, althougli they were higher than ever before in this or any other country. Ifany such can be found, I beg that they be named. I chal- lenge the enemies of the law ol 1890 to name a single industry of that kind. Further, I assert that in the industries affected by that law, which that law fostered, no American consumer suffered bv the increased cost of an}' home products that he bought. He never bought them so low before, nor did he ever enjoy the bene- fit of so much open, free, home competition. Neither producer nor consumer, employer or employe, suffered by that law." NOMINATED FOR GOVERNOR. At the election of 1890, as we have said, the opposing party by gerrymandering defeated IMr. McKinley by 300 votes in a dis- trict normally Democratic by 2,900, and thus prevented his return to Congress. The answer to his defeat came unhesitatingly. jMr. McKinley was nominated by the Republicans by acclamation for Governor of the State. Then followed one of the most memor- able campaigns ever waged in the Buckeye State. Mr. McKinley began his campaign on August i, and for three months he travelled night and day, making from two to a dozen speeches a day, until he had visited every county in the State. His campaign was on national issues, on the tariff, on protection ; and so eloquently and passionately did he defend his principles that great crowds turned out to hear him. The atten- tion of the whole country was drawn to the State of Ohio and its campaign. Newspaper correspondents followed the champion of protection in his tour of the State, and filled the press of the country with descriptions of scenes novel in political campaigns. Every inch of ground was stubbornly contested, but the peo- ple turned to McKinley as the apostle of the true dispensation, 9 I ISO AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARIFF BILL and women and children said lie liad made protection and tariff plain to them. In that campaign, the first general campaign Mr, McKinley had ever made, he was pronounced the best vote- getter ever seen on the stump in Ohio. He won the admiration of opponents, as he won the devotion of his own party, and his election by a handsome majority was gratifying to one party, ' without being a source of bitterness to the rank and file of the other. As his first term in the Governor's chair drew toward its close he was renominated by acclamation, and after another spirited campaign he was re-elected, in 1893, by a majority of more than 80,000, at that time the largest but one in the histor}^ of the State. SECURED NEEDED REFORMS. As Governor, Mr. McKinley never forgot that he was the Chief Magistrate, not merely of the party which had elected him, but of the whole State, and he was untiring in his efforts to secure for the whole State a wise, economical, and honorable administra- tion. He took great interest in the management of the public in.ctitutions of the State, making a special study of means for their betterment, and securing many important and much-needed re- forms. He urged the preserving and improving of the canal system, and was an earnest promoter of the movement for good roads. To the question of tax reform he paid much attention and repeatedU' urged its importance upon the Legislature. Many questions relating to the welfare of workingmen became acute during his administration, and were dealt with by him in a spirit of intelligent sympathy. He had already long been known as an advocate of the eight- hour system, and of arbitration as a means of settling disputes between employers and employes. It was due to his initiative that the State Board of Arbitration was established in Ohio, and to its successful operation he gave for nearl}- four 3'ears his close personal attention. He made various wise recommendations for legislation for the better protection of life and limb in industrial pursuits, and as a result several salutar}^ laws to such effect were put upon the statute books. When destitution and distress AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARIFF BILL 131 prevailed among the miners of the Hocking Valle}^, he acted with characteristic promptness and decision. News that many families were in danger of starving reached him at midnight. Before sun- rise he had a carload of provisions on the way to their relief During the summer of 1894 strikes and other disturbances prevailed, especially on the chief railroad lines, and for three weeks regiments of militia were on duty, acquitting themselves most creditabh' for the protection of property and enforcement of li the law, without any unnecesssar\^ harshness towards either party to the disputes. On two noteworthy occasions desperate efforts were made by ill-advised mobs to commit the crime of lynching. Governor ^McKinle}' promptU^ used the militaiy forces of the State to prevent such violence of law and dishonor of the Commonwealth, and showed himself a thorough master of the trying situation. NO FRIEND TO RED TAPE. A distinctive feature of the McKinley Administration was the absence of red tape and needless formalit}^ In his method of transacting business the Governor was concise and direct, and in his intercourse with people, though dignified, he was alwa3'S ap- proachable and genial. Access was readily had to him at all reasonable times, and no matter of actual interest ever failed to f receive his courteous, prompt and painstaking attention. J In 1884, Mr. jMcKinley was a delegate-at-large from Ohio to the Republican Nominating Convention, and helped to place James G. Blaine on the ticket. At the National Convention of 1 888 he represented Ohio in the same capacity and was an earnest and loyal supporter of John Sherman. At that convention, after the first day's balloting, the indications were that ]Mr. AIcKinley himself mit^ht be made the candidate. Then his strength of pur- ])i)se and liis hi,o-h ideas of lo}-alty and honor showed themselves, for in an earnest and stirring speech he demanded that no vote be cast for him. From the first two delegates had been voting persisteiitl}' for him, although he had not, of course, been formally placed in nomination. Now the number of liis supporters rose to fourteen. 132 AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARIFF BILL. All the Republican Congressmen at Washington telegraphed to the convention urging his nomination. The air became electrified with premonitions of a stampede. Mr. McKinley had listened to the announcement of two votes for him on each ballot with mingled annoyance and amusement. But now the case was growing serious. The next ballot might give him a majority of the whole convention. He had onl}- to sit still and the ripe fruit wouid drop into his hands. He had onl}^ to utter an equivocal protest and the result would be the same. But there was nothing equivocal about William McKinle3^ On one side was his personal honor; on the other side the Presidency of the United States. In choosing between the two hesitation was impossible. He sprang to his feet with an expression upon his face and an accent in his voice that thrilled the vast assembh', but hushed it mute and silent as the grave while he spoke and fore- stalled the movement to make him the Presidential nominee. CHAIRMAN OF THE CONVENTION. Mr. McKinle^y again occupied a seat as a delegate-at-large from Ohio in the National Convention of 1892, and was made the permanent chairman of the convention. On this occasion an incident similar to that of 1888 occurred. Mr. McKinle^^ was pledged in honor to the support of President Harrison for renomi- nation, and he, as earnestU' and as loyally as he had supported Mr. Sherman four years before, labored for Mr. Harrison's suc- cess. The Republican leaders who were opposed to Harrison's renomination sought to accomplish their purpose by stampeding the convention for McKinley himself. No less than 182 votes were cast for him, against his earnest protest. When the vote of Ohio was announced, "44 for McKinley," he himself from the chair challenged its correctness. The repl}' was made that he was not then a member of the delegation, his alternate taking his place when he was elected to the chair. Tliereupon Mr. McKinley called another man to the chair and took his place upon the floor, checked the incipient stampede, and moved that the renomination of Harrison be made unani- AUTHUK OF THE .K\^4UUS TAKIKF BILL. 13.3 mous. '' Your turn will conic in 1S96!" shouted his supporters, and that prophecy was destined to be fulfilled. Having nieainvhile, as has already been set forth, been thrown out of his seat in the House of Representatives, and served two terms as Governor of Ohio, Mr. McKinley formally entered the campaign of 1896, as an aspirant for the Republican nomination, and so earnestly and skilfully was the canvass in his behalf conducted, under the leadership of ]\Iark A. Hanna, that, when the convention assembled at St. Louis in that year, his nomination was a foregone conclusion. On the first and only ballot taken he received 661 1-2 votes, to 84 1-2 cast for Thomas B. Reed, 60 1-2 for Matthew S. Quay (58 of these coming from the State of Pennsylvania), 58 for Levi P. Morton, and 35 1-2 for William B. Allison. The election resulted in a triumphant victor}' for ]\Ir. ^^IcKinley, who received 271 votes in the Electoral College, to 176 cast for William J. Bryan. Gar-^t A. Hobart, of New Jersey, was elected Vice- President at the same time, but died before the end of his term in otfice. REVIVAL OF PROSPERITY. The first administration of President McKinley was marked by the passage of the Dingley Tariff Act in June, 1897, by the beginning of a revival of prosperity throughout the country which has continued ever since ; by the successful waging of the war that wrested from Spain the last vestiges of her vast colonial empire, and placed the United States in the first rank as a World Power; and by the approval, on March 14, 1900, of the Act of Congress unequivocall}' establishing the gold standard. Soon after Mr. McKinley was inducted into office, an effort was made to secure the recognition by Congress of the belligerency of the Cuban insurgents, but the joint resolution to that effect secured the endorsement of the Senate only. The relations between the United States and Spain were severely strained throughout the year 1S97 because of the brutal manner in which the efforts to restore Spanish domination in Cuba were prosecuted. On January 25, 189S, the protected cruiser Maine arrived in 134 AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARIFF BILL. the harbor of Havana, having been ordered thither by President McKinley as an act of courtesy to the Spanish Government, and not as a menace, which was the interpretation put upon it by the Spanish people, if not by their government. On February 15, the Maine was blown up while riding peacefully in the harbor of Havana, with terrible loss of life. After this tragedy the termina- tion of peaceful relations between the United States and Spain was only a question of time. On March 5, General Fitzhugh Lee's recall from his position as Consul-General of the United States at Havana was requested by the Spanish Government, and promptly refused by the United States. Two days later a bill was introduced in the House appropriating $50,000,000 for national defense, which became a law by President McKinley' s signature on March 9. The report of a Court of Inquiry into the Maine disaster, which was transmitted to Con- gress and made public on March 28, still further strained the relations between the two countries, and on April 5, all the United States Consuls in Cuba were recalled. FIGHT FOR CUBAN INDEPENDENCE. On the nth. President McKinley sent a message to Congress on the Cuban situation, in which he advised the intervention of the United States in the affairs of the island, but without a recog- nition of the insurgent government. This conservative action was directly due to the firmness of the President in resisting the policy advocated by the radical element in Congress. The situa- tion developed rapidly after this, and on April 19, Congress passed the joint resolution recognizing the independence of the Island of Cuba, and authorizing the President to intervene with the armed forces of the United States. On the following day, President McKinley issued an ulti- matum to Spain, in accordance with the terms of the resolution passed by Congress ; on the 21st, Minister Woodford received his passports from the Spanish Government, and on the 2 2d, President McKinley issued a proclamation declaring that a state of hostil- ities existed. AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARHF BH.L 135 It is unnecessary in this connection to enter into the details of the brief but brilliant campaign which ensued, and which resul^'^d, despite mau}^ mistakes and blunders by the War Depanment, in the prompt extinction of Spanish rule, not only in Cuba and in Porto Rico, but in the Philippine archipelago as well. On August 12, a peace protocol was signed between Spain and the United States, and hostilities were suddenly terminated. The two nations then entered upon the task of restoring peaceful relations, which were effected by the signing at Paris, on Decem- ber 12, of a formal treaty of peace. RETURN OF PEACE. On February 10, 1S99, the treaty of peace, having been rati- fied by the Senate was signed by President McKinle}^, and on March 17, the Queen Regent of Spain affixed her signature to the same document. The complete return of peaceful relations was signalized on June 16 by the arrival in Madrid of Bellamj^ Storer, the new Minister of the United States to Spain. Meanwhile, early in the year, a formidable insurrection against United States authority broke out in the Philippines, under the leadership of Emilio Aguinaldo, and was prosecuted with varying success until its collapse early in 1901, which was signalized, on March 23, b}' the capture of Aguinaldo. As President McKinley's first term drew towards a close, there was no dissentient voice in the Republican part}- to the popular demand for his renomination and re-election. The National Convention of 1900 met in this city in June, 1900, and renominated Mr. McKinley by a unanimous voice. Governor Theodore Roosevelt, of New York, being placed on the ticket as the candidate for \'ice President, and William J. Brj-an again becoming McKinle^-'s Democratic and Populistic opponent. The contest at the polls resulted in an even more decided triumph for Mr. !McKinley than that of 1896, he receiving 292 votes in tl Electoral Colleges, to 155 cast fv^r ]\Ir. Br^-an. Every Norther State, except Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Nevada gave its vote to William McKinley. 136 AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARIFF BH.L. President McKinley was inaugurated for his second term on Marcli 4, 1901, wlien lie reappointed liis Cabinet, and made few changes in the personnel of his first administration. The policy which he had adopted in dealing with the Territories acquired from Spain was amply sustained by the decisions of the Supreme Court in the so-called insular cases, delivered in June, as far as they disposed of the issues before the Court. There was a recog- nized difference between the situation in Porto Rico and that in the Philippines, and the final disposition of the status of the latter was not then determined. GOVERNMENT FOR THE PHILIPPINES. The decisions 01 the Court, as far as they went, made neces- sary some slight alterations in the plans which President McKinley had made for proclaiming a full system of civil govern- ment in the Philippines on July 4th, but a partial system was put in operation on that date. Late in July, on notice from the Porto Rican Legislature that a system of local taxation had been established in the island which would yield revenue sufficient for the support of its government, the President issued a proclama- tion declaring the abolition of import and export duties ok the trade of Porto Rico with the United States, which had been im- posed by the so-called Foraker law, which provided a form of civil government for the island. • This was the last notable event in President McKinley's administration previous to the brutal assault upon him by the anaichist Czolgosz, within the enclosure of the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, on Friday, September 6th. The domestic life of William McKinley was typical of the best American phase. On the occasion of his visit to his sister, at Canton, -just after the war, which decided his life vocation, he met one of his sister's friends, a pretty school girl, named Ida Saxton, the daughter of James Saxton, a well-to-do banker of the town. A mere acquaintauceshiD was formed at the time, and when he went to Albany to study law, and she to a seminary at Media, in Pennsylvania, to complete her education, they tempo- AUTHOR OF THK ^AVtirs TARIFF BILL. HT rarily lost sight of each other. A few years later, when Mr. J^IcKiiiley returned to Canton to open his law office, and Miss Saxton came home from school and a PCnropean tour, they met again and renewed the old acquaintance, which soon passed through the stage of mere friendship into love. Their marriage took place on Januar}^ 25, 1871, in the Pres- byterian Church at Canton, which had been built almost entirely through the liberality of the bride's grandmother. The cere- mou}' was performed by Dr. Buckingham, the pastor of the church, assisted by Dr. Endsley, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which Major McKinley was a member. THE HOME OF THE PRESIDENT. T^Iajor and Mrs. McKinley began housekeeping in Canton in the house which has been made familiar to the world by innum- erable illustrations, although a great part of their married life has been passed at Washington during her husband's long term of service in Congress as well as the Presidency, and four years of it in the Governor's mansion at Columbus. Two daughters were born to them, both dying in early childhood. The first child, named Kate, was born on Christmas Day, 187 1. Just before the birth of the second daughter, named Ida, Mrs. McKinley was called upon to mourn the death of her own mother, and never recovered fully from the shock and the long and severe illness which she sustained as a consequence. The younger child died within six months, and shortly afterwards Mr. and Mrs. Mc Kinley were called upon to follow their first born also to the grave. This accumulation of afflictions increased the devotion to each other of the bereaved parents, which has been the occasion of remark bv all who have been brought into personal contact with them. Mrs. McKinley, as already stated, never recovered from the prostration of health and strength from which she suffered at the time of the illness already alluded to. A partial paralysis of one leg made it difficult, although not painful, for her to be upon her feet, and this inability for exercise in turn had a serious effect upon her general health. 138 AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARIFF BILU Yet she had always accompanied her husband when he went to Washington in the discharge of his Congressional duties, and on more than one occasion accompanied him on extended tours in different parts of the country. On the other hand, Mr. McKinley never spent away from his wife's side a single hour that had not been demanded for the actual performance of his public duties. In the spring of 1901, President McKinley, accompanied ',)y> several members of his Cabinet, made a notable journey across the Continent, to be present at San Francisco on the occasion of the launching there of the battleship " Ohio." Mrs. McKinley accompanied the President on this trip, which was destined to prove too protracted and too fatiguing for her feeble health. A few days before the Presidential party was due in San Francisco, it was found necessary for the President to hasten to that place with his wife, whose condition had now become critical. LINGERED AT DEATH'S DOOR. For some days during May Mrs. McKinley lingered at death's door; but at last there was a change for the better, and, after she had gained suf&cient strength to stand the journey East, she rapidly recovered her former measure of health at her old home in Canton. Throughout this trying and anxious period, the President's devo- tion to his sick and helpless wife was touching in the extreme, and evoked in his favor the universal admiration of his country- men. President McKinley had a singularly attractive personality. Always courteous and affable, he possessed a dignity of mind and deportment that precluded any attempt at offensive famil- iarity. Nature had endowed him with a splendid constitution, which had never been impaired by excesses of any sort. In physique below, rather than above, the medium height, his broad shoulders and erect figure gave him a commanding presence. His face was often likened to that of Napoleon Bonaparte, but it actually resembled that of Daniel Webster more closely. He had a full, high, and broad forehead ; deep-set, piercing eyes of bluish grey, which looked almost black beneath the heavy black AUTHOR OF THi: FAMOUS TARIFF HILL. 139 eyebrows ; a square and massive jaw, and clean-cut features throughout. Possessed of unusual oratorical powers, he was also a delight- ful conversationalist. His conversation, which ranged easily over all the interesting topics and episodes of the da}-, was distin- guished bv an absolute pnrit\' of tone, no word ever escaping his lips that he might hesitate to utter in any presence. He drank no intoxicating liquors, but was fond of a good cigar, and was also fond of music, and had almost a passion for flowers. He invariably dressed in black, wearing a frock coat closel}- buttoned, and a silk hat, and his face was alwa3'S smoothly shaven. As a public speaker, his appearance on the platform instantly commanded attention, and he was alwa^-s impressive as well as pleasing. Gifted with a rich tenor voice, full and vibrant, he never had to strain it to make himself heard. In public he talked slowly and earnestly, in words of common i:se and of few s\'lla- bles, his discourse being enforced bj- comparativeh' little gesticu- lation. However abstract might be his theme or exalted his ideas, his language was alwaj^s made plain to the ordinary intel- ligence. INVOLVED BY BANKER'S FAILURE. By the failure, in February, 1893, of Robert L. Walker, a prominent banker and capitalist of Youngstown, Ohio, Mr. McKinley, who was then Governor of the State, was deeply involved. He had trusted implicitly in Air. Walker's honesty and good judgment, and had become more deeph' involved, by the endorsement of the insolvent's paper, than he suspected. Mr. McKinle}', as soon as he was made aware of the extent of his misfortune, turned all his property over to trustees, for the benefit of his creditors, the separate estate of Mrs. McKinley, which was considerable in size, taking the same course without an}- hesita- tion on her part. The total indebtedness amounted to $106,000. all which was provided for by friends in the course of a year, and in Februar}', 1894, the trustees deeded back to both IMi . and Mn. McKinley their original estates intact. The death of President McKinlev came with the greater 140 AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARIFF BILL. shock after the hope of his recovery had seemed so well estab- lished. In the week of waiting the country learned how highly it prized the life that was hanging in the balance. Mr. McKinley had come to the Presidency with the usual distrust of many and with the enthusiastic devotion probably of very few. Year by year, as he steadily broadened to the responsibilities of his high of&ce, and the party politician ripened into the national statesman, he had constantly grown in the estimation of his countrymen, who recognized in him a high type of patriotic American citizen- ship, and freely extended to him the confidence that his proved chaiacter had earned. HELD IN HIGHEST ESTEEM. No modern President has held a surer place in contemporary esteem than McKinley had attained through years of trial that had tested and developed his higher qualities. At no time in his career was the universality of this kindly feeling toward him more apparent than at this fatal visit to Buffalo and in the ready response to his uplifting speech at the Exposition. It was a speech that must in any event have been remembered, but that will be recalled with especial interest now as marking the cul- mination of McKinley's development in statesmanship and embodying his last patriotic aspirations for the great nation whose true spirit he had so well understood. In his personal and domestic relations also we may be glad to claim him as a typical American, clean, upright and serious- minded, of simple habits yet meeting all the exactions of life M'ith unaffected dignity. These personal qualities had strength- ened the general confidence that grew up in the President's public character, and thus an element of personal sorrow was added to the horror with with which the country heard of his cruel assassination. Recovery from such a wound seemed at the time impossible, until the really marvelous skill of surgery had opened a hope that in a few days grew almost to a certainty. Yet the shock was greater than had been believed, and in spite of skill and AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARIFF BILL. 141 Li science tlie sufferer's life has ebbed awa}-, to the heartfelt grief of ' the whole American people. The man who needs o. ♦" prayers to-day is the new President. Under our Republican s\'stein a change of administration makes no apparent disturbance, yet may ultimately involve more actual difference of polic}- than the accession of a monarch. Of the Vice Presidents who have succeeded to the Presidency hereto- fore, Tyler, Fillmore and Johnson broke more or less completely with their party associations and the change from Garfield to Arthur was of pronounced effect. In each case the \'ice President had represented a different fac- tion in his party ; but there is no such recognized division in the [' party at this time and no reason to anticipate aii}^ change of policy from Air. Roosevelt beyond that which may eventually result from his own different temperament and that of the men he is likely to select as his advisers. " POWER OF EXECUTIVE LIMITED. The absolute power of the President is limited ; his influence is great. Mr. Roosevelt brings to the office an experience beyond his years, a broad culture that is unusual in our public men, an earnestness and energy that have shown in many fields of en- deavor, and above all, a burning patriotism that is inspired always by high ideals and governed b}' a courageous uprightness that cannot fail to make its impression on our public life. He is not untried in responsible position, and he always has car- ried himself with such high honor that we need not fear to trust ihe Chief Magistracy to him, confident that all the energy of his nature and the strength of his manly character will be devoted purely, and with a sober sense of deep responsibilit3^ to the unsel- fish service of the nation. And so, amid the profound sorrow that has fallen upon us all, the nation goes on its waj' in confidence and hope. Our insti- tutions are deep-rooted bej'ond the reach of passing change, and the inteeritv and devotion of the national conscience will hold the country safe and right through all vicissitudes. McKiiiley's i42 AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARIFF BILL. place in our history is secure. His administration has been in many ways illustrious and the work that was given him to do was well achieved. Though there seemed years of usefulness yet before him, they could have added little to the completeness of his fame or to the honor in which his memory will be cherished by . 'lis countrymen. ' This generation of Americans has suffered no public grief so poignant as that which filled the country. The death of Presi- dent McKinley carried into every patriotic home a sorrow such as the taking off of very few public men has ever before caused. The cruelty and wantonness of the murderous deed, committed upon one whose life had been signally and successfully devoted to the service of his country, came a week ago like a personal blow to every loyal member of the nation. At once there was a short season of anguish and despair. GREAT JOY AT GOOD NEWS. Then quickly followed word after word of hope and cheer. The sunshine of thanksgiving began to chase away the shadows of gloom and suspense. Gratitude and j 03^ were breaking forth from millions of anxious hearts at the assured prospect that the life of the stricken statesman would be spared. Suddenl}^, in the swiftness of a single night, all hope was dashed to the ground, and within twenty-four hours his soul had passed into the impene- trable mystery. It is these circumstances which have peculiarly deepened the sadness of the national affliction. Already grievous enough as it had been, it had yet to fall upon the nation with the redoubled force of a second calamity. It was like the mockery of fate. For in this memorable week of the tender solicitude of a nation for its fallen chief, it had come to see and understand him as he really was in his career and character, and to feel, after all, how close he had been to them in the patriotic fellow- ship of their hope and aspirations. Indeed, there must be few of his countrymen who have not been impressed by the obvi- ous sincerity of the popular admiration and affection for him — I 1 AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TAKHK IHLL 143 something to which, in our time, only the posthnnunis memor}' of Lincoln is a parallel. And wlien hereafter the lamentations over a great loss have I subsided, and men shall come to pass estimate upon the life of William ^McKinle}- without emotion, the}- will pronounce it to have been worth}- in its simplicity and its probity of comparison with that of any public man this countr}- lias produced at au}- stage of its history. It may uot be said that he was a great man in the usual sense of the term, certainl}' not that he was a genius ; but it will be said that in his relation to great events he acted for his country with a sagacity which genius does not possess. STERLING COMMON SENSE. In his sterling common sense he was a well balanced man. In his public policies he was eminentU' successful. Identified by name, personalit}^ and action with the principles of protection ; its unfailing and unselfish champion, even when it seemed tl.at the country had been persuaded to abandon it, he lived to see it incorporated into the affairs of the government, and largely through his own tenacity, more firmly than it had ever been ; to administer it himself, with remarkable results, and then as the 11 very last act of his career, to point out how the time was coming i when it must be adopted to a new era of industrial greatness. He entered the Presidency in the midst of the gravest uncertainty as to the financial future of the United States, and at a a time, too, when men who did not understand the tact and patience of his statesmanship, distrusted his ability or his methods in settling the issue. Yet he worked out the problem of adjusting his party to fundamental doctrines of financial stabilitj- and honest}- so well that it finally became a unit behind him ; and his death now raises no apprehension of a crisis or even of insecuritv, over what, only five years ago, was a chronic source of alarm and agitation. Pre-eminently a man of peace, he was one of the four Presi- dents who have been called upon to conduct war ; and he was hurried unexpectedly into the consideration of problems such as I 144 AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARIFF BILL had confrouted none of his predecessors and such as had been largeh' alien to his own stud\' and experience. He met them with the ability of a man who "grows" to new occasions and new j duties. In the Spanish war his administration surprised the world b}^ the celerit}' of its complete success. How far the polic\' which he pursued in dealing with the complicated and exceptional questions growing out of the war may be a permanent success can only be determined by time. But it is certain that in its general features it has been in consonance with the wishes of a large majority of his countrymen. ENJOYED UNUSUAL CONFIDENCE. k In the Presidenc}^ Air. McKinlej^ came graduall}^ but surely to earn more than an ordinary share of personal confidence. Even his opponents in part}^ leadership liked him as a man. This was not due simpl}^ to his personal sympathy and cheerful manners. It was the result also of a respect for his integrity and sincerit3\ It arose, too, in a large degree from observation or knowledge of a private or domestic life upon which even all the malevolent and I careless gossip of the national capital never cast a shadow of dis- repute and which has helped to raise the standard of American manhood in contemplating the gentle, yet heroic fidelity of his devotion to the wife of his youth. Yet — such are the strange caprices of our destinies — it has been the lot of such a man to die a cruel death when still in the happy vigor of his years, at a time when the homes of his country- men were never more prosperous, when the fame of the Republic was never more glorious, and when he himself had become one of the most respected and beloved of all our Presidents. He will be long remembered with affectionate reverence as an eminent American, true to the best of the old and good traditions of his land and as a victim of the vilest and most insensate sj^stem of political malignancy known to modern times. • He has left behind, too, the example of that kindly and well-ordered life which may face even so sudden and piteous a fate as his with the noble fortitude of those midnight words in his last agony, AUTHOR OF THE I A.MOLb TARIFF 1;ILL. ] ir, "Good bye all, good bye; it is God's way; let His will, not ours, be done." And now, in this solemn hour, the Executive power of the Republic passes into the hands of a citizen who, while in many respects much different in liis personal attributes from the falleu President, has also many of the best virtues of an American patriot. The transition will be peaceful and orderly, and the government with Theodore Roosevelt at its head, will suffer no strain or shock. There is uo occasion for misgivings or distrust. The new President, it is true, is only forty-two years of age— the youngest man that has ever been summoned to the office ; and in !the inten- sity of his temperament and his zeal for his convictions, he has sometimes betrayed the faults of impetuosity. These have been the outgrowth of a spirit that has not been incompatible in the past with high and useful public service. Indeed, with a con- siderable number of his countrymen, he is the object of that enthusiastic esteem which goes with unflinching bravery in the pursuit of high ideals. HIS EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE. It is to be remembered that he has been engaged in public affairs ever since his 3'outh, that education as well as experience in important trusts qualify him for the nation's service, and that in the exercise of such an administrative trust as the Governorship of the first State of the Union, he emerged from it with a clean, honorable and creditable record. With every essential policy of the administration he has been in complete accord, and there will unquestionabh- be no departure from these policies, whatever may be ultimatel}' the changes among his constitutional advisers. In the meantime let President Roosevelt have the full benefit of an immediate recognition of his obviously patriotic qualities as a man. In meeting his new responsibilities the nation should be forbearing in criticism founded upon past judgments. Let it exercise that moderation and that charity of speech which ever 10 14G AUTHOR OF THE FAMOUS TARIFF BILL. marked the life of the patriot who has passed to his eternal rest. Following are some of the notable sentiments in the Presi- dent's speech at the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, Sep- ter^ber 5, which were received with great enthusiasm : "Expositions are the timekeepers of progress. " The wisdom and energ}^ of all the nations are none too great for the world's work. " Isolation is no longer possible, or desirable. "We must not rest in fancied security that we will forevei sell everything and buy little or nothing, " The period of exclusiveness is past. The expansion of our trade and commerce is the pressing problem. " Reciprocity treaties are in harmony with the spirit of the times ; measures of retaliation are not. " We must encourage our merchant marine. We must have more ships. They must be under the American flag. " We must build an Isthmian canal. " The construction of a Pacific cable can be no longer post- poned. "This exposition would have touched the heart of that American statesman whose mind was ever alert and thought ever constant for a larger commerce and a truer fraternity of the Republics of the new world. He needs no identification to an assemblage of Americans everywhere, for the name of Blaine is inseparably associated with the Pan-American movement." CHAPTER VII. Important State Papers and Speeches of President McKin- ley — Message to Congress on the War in Cuba — Ad- dresses at Peace Jubilees. A MOURNFUL interest now attaches to President McKinley's last pnblic address. It was delivered on Thursday, Septem- ber 5th, to a great throng at Buffalo. From his entr}^ to the Exposition grounds soon after ten o'clock in the morning until the d3'ing out of the lights of the illumination of the grounds and buildings at night, the da}- at the Pan-American Exposition was a long ovation to President McKinle}^ As the President, accompanied b}- Airs. McKinley, Mrs. Will- iam Hamlin, of the Board of Women Alanagers, and John G. Milburn, drove to the Lincoln Parkway entrance, the}- were met by detachments of United States marines and the seacoast artiller}', and the SixtA^-fifth and Sevent3^-fourth New York regiments under General S. M. Welch. A President's salute of twent3'-one guns was fired. The great crowd which covered the esplanade before the grand stand, a quarter of a mile square, overflowed into the Court of Fountains. There were more than 30,000 who joined in the cheers that greeted the President as he assisted ]\Irs. McKin- le}' from the carriage to the stand, where were seated man}' dis- tinguished persons, among them the representatives of Mexico and most of the Central and South American republics. There was almost absolute quiet when ]\Ir. ]\Iilburn arose and >aid simply : — " Ladies and gentlemen — The President." Cheers again drowned all else. W^hen they had subsided the 'resident began his address. After welcoming the representatives of other nations, praising xpositions in general as the "timekeepers of progress," and not- iig the benefits to be derived from comparison of products aud rieudly competition, the President referred to the march of im- rovement and invention with reference to its effect upon the 1 147 148 STATE PAPERS AND SPEECHES. world's commerce and moral and material advancement. He referred also to the growing disposition to settle international differences in the court of arbitration, the " noblest forum " for the settlement of such disputes. He then said : — " My fellow citizens, trade statistics indicate that this country is in a state of unexampled prosperit}^ The figures are almost appalling. The}^ show that we are utilizing our fields and forests and mines, and that we are furnishing profitable emplo3^ment to the millions of workingmen throughout the United States bringing comfort and happiness to their homes, and making it possib"" to lay by savings for old age and disabilit3\ PROSPERITY EVERY^A^HERE. "That all the people are participating in this great prosperity is seen in every American communit}^, and shown by the enor- mous and unprecedented deposits in our savings banks. Our duty in the care and security of these deposits and their safe invest- ment demands the highest integrity and the best business capacity. " Our industrial enterpises, which have grown to such great proportions, affect the homes and occupations of the people and the w^elfare of the country. Our capacity to produce has developed so enormously and our products have so multiplied that the problem of more markets requires our urgent and immediate attention. " We must not repose in fancied security that we can forever sell everything and buy little or nothing. Reciprocity is th(. natural outgrowth of our wonderful industrial development under the domestic policy now firmly established. " What we produce beyond our domestic consumption must have a vent abroad. The excess must be relieved through a J foreign outlet, and we should sell everj^where we can and buy i wherever the buying will enlarge our sales and productions, and : thereby make a greater demand for home labor. " The period of exclusiveness is past. The expansion of oui trade and commerce is the pressing problem. Commercial wan are unprofitable. A polic}^ of good will and friendly trade rela STATE TAPERS AND SrEECHES. 14^ tions will prevent reprisals. Reciprocit}'' treaties arc in harmony with the spirit of the times; measures of retaliation are not. If, perchance, some of our tariffs are no Ioniser needed for revenue or to eiicouraj^c -And protect our industries at home, why should they not be cm])ioved to extend and promote our markets abroad ? "Tlicn, too, we have inadequate steamship service. New lines of steamships have already been put in commission between the Pacific coast ports of the United States and those on the west- eru coasts of Mexico and Central and South America. These should be followed up with direct steamship lines between the western coast of the United States and South American ports. " We must have more ships. They must be under the American flai;-, built and manned and owned b}- Americans. These will not only be profitable in a commercial sense; they will be messengers of peace and amit}- wherever they go. LARGER COMMERCE AND TRUER FRATERNITY. " We must build the isthmian canal, which will unite the two oceans and give a straight line of water communication with the western coasts of Central and South America and Alexico. The construction of a Pacific cable cannot be longer postponed. " This Exposition would have touched the heart of that American statesman whose mind was ever alert and thought ever constant for a larger commerce and a truer fraternity of the repub- lics of the New World. His broad American spirit is felt and manifested here. "He needs no identification to an assemblage of Americans anywhere, for the name of Blaine is inseparably associated with the Pan-American movement, which finds here practical and sub- stantial expression, and which we all hope will be firmlj' advanced by the Pan-American Congress that assembles this autumn in the capital of Mexico. " Let us ever remember that our interest is in concord, not conflict ; and that our real eminence rests in the victories of peace, not those of war. " Our earnest prayer is that God will graciouslv vouchsafe 160 STATE PAPERS AND SPEECHES. prosperity, liappiness and peace to all our neighbors, and like blessings to all tlie peoples and powers of earth." President McKinley's reference to the establishment of recip- rocal treaties, the necessity of building an isthmian canal and a Pacific cable, and his reference to the work of Mr. Blaine in the carrying out of the Pan-American idea brought forth especially enthusiastic applause. Upon the conclusion of his address the President held an impromptu reception for fifteen minutes. Mr. McKinley's statesmanlike ability in dealing with great public questions was shown on many occasions. This appeared especially during the events preceding our war with Spain. His message to Congress on April ii, 1898, is a masterpiece of its kind. MESSAGE ON THE CUBAN QUESTION. We reproduce the message here, as it contains a concise state- ment of the matters in controversy, and is an important State paper which everj^ person who would be well informed will desire to preserve. " To THE Congress of the United States : " Obedient to that precept of the Constitution which com- mands the President to give, from time to time, to the Congress information of the state of the Union, and to recommend to their consideration such measiires as he shall judge necessary and ex- pedient, it becomes my duty now to address 3'our bod^- with regard to the grave crisis that has arisen in the relations of the United States to Spain by reason of the Avarfare that for more than three years has raged in the neighboring island of Cuba. "I do so, because of the intimate connection of the Cuban question with the state our own Union, and the grave relation the course which it is now incumbent upon the nation to adopt, must needs bear to the traditional policy of our Government, if it is to accord wdth the precepts laid down by the founders of the Repub- lic, and religiously observed b}- succeeding administrations to the present day. "The present revolution is l)ut the successor of other similar STATE I'Al'ERS AND SPKKCHKS. 151 insurrections ^vllicll have occurred in Cuba against the dominion of Spain, extending over a period of nearly half a century, each of which, during its progress, has subjected the United States* to great effort and expense in enforcing its neutralit}^ laws, caused enormous losses to American trade and commerce, caused irrita- tion, annoyance and disturbance among our citizens, and by the exercise of cruel, barbarous and uncivilized practices of warfare, shocked the sensibilities and offended the humane sympathies of our people. "Since the present revolution began, in February, 1895, this country has seen the fertile domain of our threshold ravaged b}^ fire and sword in the course of a struggle unequalled in the histor}' of the island, and rarely paralleled as to the number of the combatants and the bitterness of the contest b}- au}- revolu- tion of modern times, where a determined people striving to be free have been oppressed by the power of the sovereign State. COMMERCE PARALYZED. *' Our people have beheld a once prosperous community re- duced to comparative want, its lucrative commerce virtuall}' para- lyzed, its exceptional productiveness diminished, its fields laid waste, its mills in ruins, and its people perishing b}- tens of thou- sands from hunger and destitution. We have found ourselves constrained, in the observ^ance of that strict nentralit}- which our laws enjoin, and wbicb the law of nations commands, to police our waters and watcli our own seaports in prevention of anj^ unlawful act in aid of the Cubans. "Our trade bas suffered, the capital invested by our citizens in Cuba has been largely lost, and the temper and forbearance of our people have been so seriously tried as to beget a perilous unrest among our own citizens, which has inevitably found its expression from time to time in the National Legislature, so that issues, whollv external to our own bod}- politic, stand in the way of that close devotion to domestic advancement that becomes a self-contained Commonwealth, M'hose primal maxim has been the avoidance of all foreign entanglements. All this must needs 162 STATE PAPERS AND SPEECHES. awaken, and has, indeed, aroused the utmost concern on the part of this government as well during my predecessor's term as in my own. < " In April, 1896, the evils from which our country suffered through the Cuban war became so onerous that my predecessor made an effort to bring about a peace through the mediation of this Government in any way that might tend to an honorable adjustment of the contest between Spain and her revolted colony, on the basis of some effective scheme of self-government for Cuba under the flag and sovereignty of Spain. It failed, through the refusal of the Spanish Government, then in power, to consider any form of mediation or, indeed, au}^ plan of settlement which did not begin with the actual submission of the insurgents to the mother countr}^, and then only on such terms as Spain herself might see fit to grant. The war continued unabated .The resist- ance of the insurgents was in no wise diminished. HORRORS OF INHUMAN STRIFE. " The efforts of Spain were increased both by the despatch of fresh levies to Cuba and by the addition to the horrors of the strife of a new and inhuman phase, happil}^ unprecedent in the modern histories of civilized Christian peoples. The polic}^ of devastation and concentration by the Captain-General's bando of October, 1896, in the province of Pinar del Rio was thence extended to embrace all of the island to which the power of the Spanish arms was able to reach by occupation or by military operations. "The peasantry, including all dwelling in the open agricul- tural interior, were driven into the garrison towns or isolated places held by the troops. The raising and moving of provisions of all kinds were interdicted. The fields were laid waste, dwel- lings unroofed and fired, mills destroyed, and, in short, ever3^thing that could desolate the land and render it unfit for human habitation or support, was commanded by one or the other of the contending parties and executed b}- all the powers at their disposal. STATE I'Al'KRS AND SrELCIIKS. 153 " By the time the present Administratiou took office a year ago, recoiicentration— so-called — had been made effective over the better part of the fonr central and western provinces, Santa Clara, Mantanzas, Havana and Pinar del Rio. The agricultnral popn- lation, to the estimated number of 300,000 or more, was herded within the towns and their immediate vicinage, deprived of the means of support, rendered destitute of shelter, left poorly clad, and exposed to the most unsanitary conditions. As the scarcity of food increased with the devastation of the depopulated areas of production, destitution and want became misery and star- vation. " INIonth by month the death rate increased in an alarming ratio. Bv IMarch, 1897, according to conservative estimate from official Spanish sources, the mortality among the reconcentrados, from starvation and the diseases thereto incident, exceeded 50 per centum of their total number. No practical relief was ac- corded to the destitute. The overburdened towns, already suffer- ing from the general dearth, could give no aid. CONFRONTED WITH GRAVE PROBLEMS. " In this state of affairs my administration found itself confronted with the grave problems of its duty. ^My message of last December reviewed the situation, and narrated the steps taken with a view to relieving its acuteness and opening the way to some form of honorable settlement. The assassination of the Prime Minister, Canovas, led to a change of Government in Spain. The former administration pledged to subjugation with- out concession, gave place to that of a more liberal party, com- mitted long in advance to a policy of reform involving the wider principle of home rule for Cuba and Porto Rico. " The overtures of this Government, made through its new Envoy, General Woodford, and looking to an immediate and effective amelioration of the condition of the island, although not accepted to the extent of admitted mediation in any shape, were met by assurances that home rule, in an advanced phase, would be forthwith offered to Cuba, without waiting for the war 154 STATE PAPERS AND SPEECHES. to end, and that more humane methods should henceforth prevail in the conduct of hostilities. "While these negotiations were in progress the increasing destitution of the unfortunate reconcentrados and the alarming mortality among them claimed earnest attention. The success which had attended the limited measure of relief extended to the suffering American citizens among them by the judicious expen- diture through the Consular agencies of the mone}^ appropriated expressly for their succor by the joint resolution approved jMa}- 24, 1897, prompted the humane extension of a similar scheme of aid to the great body of sufferers. " A suggestion to this end was acquiesced in b}- the Spanish authorities. On the 24th of December last I caused to be issued an appeal to the American people inviting contributions in money or in kind for the succor of the starving sufferers in Cuba, follow- ing this on the 8th of January by a similar public announcement of the formation of a Central Cuban Relief Committee, with head- quarters in New York Cit}', composed of three members represent- ing the National Red Cross and the religious and business elements of the community. SPAIN'S FRIENDLY FEELING. " Coincidently with these declarations, the new Government of Spain continued to complete the polic}- already begun by its predecessor of testifying friendly regard for this nation by releas- ing American citizens held under one charge or another connected with the insurrection, so that b}- the end of November not a single person entitled in any way to our national protection remained in a Spanish prison. "The war in Cuba is of such a nature that short of subju- gation or extermination a final military victory for either side seems impracticable. The alternative lies in the physical exhaustion of the one or the other part}', or, perhaps, of both — a condition which in effect ended the ten years' war b}' the truce of Zanjon. The prospect of such a protraction and conclusion of the present strife is a contingenc}- hardly to be contemplated with STATE I'Al'I'.RS AND Sl'EIlCH KS. loo equaniniit}' b}- the civilized world and least of all by the United States, affected and injured as we are, deeply and intimately, by its ver}' existence. " Realizing this, it appeared to be ni}- duty in a spirit of true friendliness, no less to Spain than to the Cubans who have so much to lose b}' the prolongation of the struggle, to seek to bring- about an immediate termination of the war. To this end I sul)- mitted on the 27th ultimo, as a result of much representation and correspondence through the United States Minister at Madrid, propositions to the Spanish Government looking to an armistice until October i, for the negotiations of peace with the good offices of the President. '' In addition, I asked the immediate revocation of the order of reconcentration so as to permit the people to return to their farms, and the needy to be relieved with provisions and supplies from the United States, co-operating with the Spanish authorities so as to afford full relief. OFFER OF THE SPANISH CABINET. "The replv of the Spanish Cabinet was received on the night of the 31st ultimo. It offers as the means to bring about peace in Cuba, to confide the preparation thereof to the Insular Parliament, inasmuch as the concurrence of that bod\' would be necessary to reach a final result, it being, however, understood that the powers reserved by the Constitution to the Central Gov- ernment are not lessened or diminished. As the Cuban Parlia- ment does not meet until the 4th of May next, the Spanish Gov- ernment would not object for its part to accept at once a suspen- sion of hostilities if asked for by the insurgents from the Gene- ral-in-Chief, to whom it would pertain in such case to determine the duration and conditions of the armistice. '' The propositions submitted by General Woodford and the reply of the Spanish Government were both in the form of brief memoranda, the texts of which arc before me, and are substan- tially in the language above given. " There remain the alternative forms of intervention to end 256 STATE PAPERS AND SPEECHES. the war, either as an impartial neutral by imposing a rational compromise between the contestants, or as the active ally of the one party or the other. " As to the first, it is not to be forgotten that during the last few months the relation of the United States has virtually been one of friendly intervention in many ways, each not of itself conclusive, but all tending to the exertion of a potential influence toward an ultimate pacific result just and honorable to all inter- ests concerned. The spirit of all our acts hitherto has been an earnest, unselfish desire for peace and prosperity in Cuba, untar- nished by differences between us and Spain and unstained by the blood of American citizens. HOPELESS SACRIFICE OF LIFE. " The forcible intervention of the United States as a neutral, to stop the war, according to the large dictates of humanity and following many historical precedents where neighboring States have interfered to check the hopeless sacrifices of life by inter- necine conflicts beyond their borders, is justifiable on rational o-rounds. It involves, however, hostile constraint upon both the parties to the contest as well to enforce a truce as to guide the eventual settlement. "The grounds for such intervention may be briefly summar- ized as follows : First. In the cause of humanity and to put an end to the barbarities, bloodshed, starvation, and horrible miseries now existing there, and which the parties to the conflict are either unable to or unwilling to stop or mitigate. It is no answer to say this is all in another country, belonging to another nation, and is therefore none of our business. It is specially our duty, for it is right at our door. " Second. We owe it to our citizens in Cuba to afford them that protection and indemnity for life and property which no gov- ernment there can or will afford, and to that end to terminate the conditions that deprive them of legal protection. " Third. The right to intervene may be j ustified by the very serious injury to the commerce, trade and business of our people, STATE r.M'l.KS AND SPEECHES. 157 and by the waiiloii (k'Slrudio:! ()r])n)perty and devastation of ilie island. '' Konrtb. Aid, wbicb is of tbc utmost importance. Tlic present condition of affairs in Cul)a is a constant menace to our peace and entails upon tliis government an enormous expense. Witb sucli a conflict waged for years in an island so near ns and witb wliicli our people have such trade and business relations ; where the lives and liberty of our citizens are in constant danj^er and their propert}- destro3'ed and themselves ruined ; where our trading vessels are liable to seizure and are seized at our very door by warships of a foreign nation ; the expeditions of filibustering that we are powerless altogether to prevent, and the irritating questions and entanglements thus arising — all these and others that lueednot mention, with the resulting strained relations, area constant menace to our peace and compel ns to keep on a semi-war footing with a nation with whicli we are at peace. DESTRUCTION OF THE BATTLESHIP MAINE. " These elements of danger and disorder already pointed out have been strikingU' illustrated b}^ a tragic event which has deepl}' and justl}' moved the American people. I have already trans- mitted to Congress the report of the Naval Court of In(|uir\' on the destruction of the battleship ''Alaine" in the harbor of Mavana, during the night of the fifteenth of Febrnar3\ The destruction of that noble vessel has filled the national heart with inexpressible horror. Two hundred and sixt^'-six brave sailors and marines and two oihcers of our navy, reposing in the fancied security of a friendly harbor, have been hurled to death; grief and want brought to their homes and sorrow to the nation. ''The Naval Court of Inquir}'', which, it is needless to say, commands the unqualified confidence of the Government, was unanimous in its conclusions that the destruction of the " Maine" was caused by an exterior explosion — that of a submarine mine. It did not assume to place the responsibility. That remains to Ijc fixed. "In any event the destruction of tlK- "Maine," b\- whatever 158 STATE PAPERS AND SPEECHES. exterior cause, is a patent and impressive proof of a state of things in Cuba that is intolerable. That condition is thus shown to be such that the Spanish Government cannot assure safety and security to a vessel of the American Navy in the harbor of Hpvana on a mission of peace and rightfully there. ' Further referring in this connection to recent diplomatic corrtspondence, a despatch from our Minister to Spain, of the 26th ultimo, contained the statement that the Spanish Minister for Foreign Affairs assured him positively that Spain will do all that the highest honor and justice required in the matter of the "Maine." The repl}^ above referred to of the 31st ultimo also contained an expression of the readiness of Spain to submit to an arbitration all the differences which can arise in this matter, which is subse- quentl}' explained by the note of the Spanish Minister at Wash- ington of the loth instant, as follows : " 'As to the question of fact which springs from the diversity of views between the report of the American and Spanish boards, Spain proposes that the fact be ascertained b\^ an impartial in- vestigation b}' experts, whose decision Spain accepts in advance.' To this I have made no reply. "V^AR IN CUBA MUST STOP." *' In the name of humanit}-, in the name of civilization, in behalf of endangered American interests which give us the right to speak and to act, the war in Cuba must stop. "In view of these facts and of these considerations, I ask the Congress to authorize and empower the President to take measures to secure a full and final termination of hostilities between the government of Spain and the people of Cuba, and to secure in the island the establishment of a stable government, capable of maintaining order and observing its international obligations, insuring peace and tranquillit}', and the securit}- of its citizens as well as our own, and to use the militar}- and naval forces of the United States as ma}^ be necessary for these purposes. " And in the interest of humanity, and to aid in preserving the lives of the starving people of the island, I recommend that STATJ; I'Al'KRS ANJ) Sl'KKCllKS. -^r^f^ the distribiitiou of the food and supplies be continued, and that an appropriation be made out of the public treasury to supplement the charit}' of our citizens. The issue is now with Congress. It is a solemn responsibility. I have exhausted ever\' effort to relieve the intolerable condition of affairs which is at our doors. " Prepared to execute every obligation imposed upon me by the Constitution and the law, I await 3'our action. " Since the preparation of the foregoing message official infor- mation was received b}- me that the latest decree of the Queen Regent of Spain directs General Blanco, in order to prepare and facilitate peace, to proclaim a suspension of hostilities, the duration and details of which have not yet been communicated to me. This fact, with ever}' other pertinent consideration, will, I am sure, have your just and careful attention in the solemn deliberations upon which you are about to enter. If this measure attains a success- ful result, then our aspirations as a Christian peace-loving people will be realized. If it fails, it will be onh' another justification for our contempleted action. WILLIAM McKINLEY. '' Executive Mansion, April 11, 1898." INTOLERABLE CONDITIONS IN CUBA. The causes stated in the President's message constituted the real occasion for war between the United States and Spain. It was felt that the condition of the people of Cuba could no longer be tolerated, especiall}- as it involved the rights of American citi- zens and endangered our commercial relations. Our citizens were liable to arrest on suspicion of S3'mpathizing with the insurgents. Their property-, in man}- instances, had been wantonh' destro\'ed, and the}' had been compelled to suffer disaster from fire and sword. It was not in the nature of things that such outrages should con- tinue without arousing public indignation and creating a demand that these atrocities should be discontinued even at the cost of war. During the progress of hostilities with Spain the President showed in every way his appreciation of the brave demeanor of the American soldiers who promptlv responded to their country's call. 160 STATE PAPERS AND SPEECHES. The followiug official correspondence between President McKinley and General Breckinridge, in whicli the President pays tribute to the troops wlio could not be sent to tlie front was made public August i2tli. " Chickamauga Park, Ga., Aug. lo, 1898. " The President : " Maj^ I not ask you, in the name and belialf of the forty thousand men of this command, to visit it while it is still intact ? , '^here is much to be said showing how beneficial and needed such, a visit is ; but you will appreciate better than I can tell you the disappointment and consequent depression many men must feel, especially the sick, when they joined together for a purpose, and have done so much to show their readiness and worthiness to serve their country in the field, but find themselves leaving the military service without a battle or campaign. All who see 1 hem must recognize their merit and personal interest, must encourage all if you can find time to review this command. "Breckinridge, Major General Commanding." The following was the President's reply : "Executive Mansion, Washington, Aug. 11, 1898. '' Major General Breckinridge, Chickamauga Park : " Replying to your invitation I beg to say that it would give me great pleasure to show by a personal visit to Chickamauga Park my high regard for the forty thousand troops of your com- mand, who so patriotically^ responded to the call for volunteers and who have been for upwards of two months ready for any service and sacrifice the countrj^ might require. My duties, how- ever, will not admit of absence from Washington at this time. "The highest tribute that can be paid to a soldier is to say that he performed his full dut}^ The field of dut}^ is determined by his government, and wherever that chances to be is the place ol honor. All have helped in the great cause, whether in camp or battle, and when peace comes all will be alike entitled to the nation's gratitude. "William McKinlEy." STATE PAPERS AND SPEECHES. IGl Tlie war having been brought to a successful issue, on the evening of August 12, 1S9S, President ^klcKinley issued the fol- lowing proclamation : " By the President of the United States of America. "A Proclamation. ''Whereas, Bv a protocol concluded and signed August 12, 1 898, bv William R. Day, Secretary of State of the United States, and His Excellenc}', Jules Cambon, Ambassador Extraordinary and ^linister Plenipotentiar}' of the Republic of France at Wash- ington, respectively representing for this purpose the Government of the United States and the Government of Spain, the United States and Spain have formally agreed upon the terms on wliich negotiations for the establishment of peace between the two coun- tries shall be undertaken ; and "Whereas, It is in said protocol agreed that upon its conclu- sion and signature hostilities between the two countries shall be suspended, and that notice to that effect shall be given as soon as possible by each government to the commanders of its military and naval forces. HOSTILITIES ARE SUSPENDED. "Now, therefore, I, William AIcKinley, President of the United States, do, in accordance with the stipulations of the proto- col, declare and proclaim on the part of the United States a sus- pension of hostilities, and do hereb}- command that orders be immediatel}^ given through the proper channels to the command- ers of the military and naval forces of the United States to abstain from all acts inconsistent with this proclamation. " In witness whereof, I have hereunto set m}^ hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. "Done in the city of W^ashington, this 12th day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninet}'- eight, and of the Independence of the United States the one hun- dred and twenty-third. '' William :\IcKinley." " By the President, Willia^i R. Day, Secretary of State." n 162 STATE PAPERS AND SPEECHES. In October many towns and cities in all parts of the United States held peace jnbilees, to commemorate the end of the Avar, and express the public satisfaction over its results. Chicago's great peace jubilee began on Monday, October 17th, and con- tinued for several days. President and Mrs. McKinle}- were pres- ent, with several members of the Cabinet, man3^ foreign ministers and secretaries. Senators, Representatives, Governors, of&cers of the army and navy, ma3^ors of cities, prelates of the churches and other distinguished men. Arches were erected across nian}^ streets and named in honor of army and navy heroes of the Spanish war. Flags and bunting decorated every building in the downtown district. Countless lines of electric lights were strung for illuminating the streets and every preparation was made to celebrate the victories at Manila and Santiago. There were banquets, parades and a j ubilee ball, and the city was crowded for many days. AT THE CHICAGO AUDITORIUM. The jubilee was inaugurated with a union thanksgiving service at the Auditorium. President McKinley attended and listened to addresses by a Jewish rabbi, a Roman Catholic priest. a Presbyterian clergyman and a noted colored orator. The applause for the President was terrific, and at one time he was compelled to rise in his box and respond to the frantic cheering of the audience. The services, however, were of a religious char- acter. The President's party was driven to the Auditorium at 8 o'clock, and all along the way people lined the streets to watch the passage of the President's car-riage. Easily 12,000 people were within the great Auditorium, and probabl}^ as man}- more were on the outside unable to obtain admittance. A great public meeting was held in the Auditorium on Tues- da5\ The presiding of&cer, George K. Peck, spoke briefl}'. The President was undemonstrative until Mr. Peck said, in reference to peace : " We have given good lives for it, and everj^life makes it more precious." Then the President applaiided. A moment STATE I'Al'KRS AND SI'KKCH liS. 163 later the orator struck another chord, which seemed to arouse ihv euthiisiasiii of the nation's chief. " Our greatest victory," lie said, "is the supreme victory which the North and South have won over each other." At this the President and all applauded vigorous I}-. As President McKiuley and party arose to leave, there were loud calls for the Chief Executive. For fully five minutes the enthusiasm of the audience would not let him speak. Then he spoke as follows : THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. " My fellow citizens, I have been deepl}- moved b}^ this great demonstration. I have been deeply touched b}^ the words of patriotism that have been uttered by the distinguished men so eloquently in your presence. "It is gratifj'ing to all of us to know that this has never ceased to be a war of humanity. The last ship that went out of the harbor of Havana before war was declared was an American ship that had taken to the suffering people of Cuba the supplies furnished by American charity (applause), and the first ship to sail into the harbor of Santiago was an American shijD bearing food supplies to the suffering Cubans (applause), and I am sure it is the universal prayer of American citizens that justice and humanit}^ and civilization shall characterize the final settlement of peace, as they have distinguished the progress of the war. (Applause.) " Aly countrymen, the currents of destiny flow through the hearts of our people, ^\'ho will check them, who will divert them, who will stop them ? And the movements of men, planned and designed b}' the Master of Men, will never be interrupted by the American people." (Great applause.) The military parade occupied Wednesday, and so great was the crowd of people along the route that the police had great diffi- culty in keeping an open passage for the men in line. The President rose and uncovered as the veterans of the civil war passed him. This aroused the enthusiasm of the spectators 164 STATE PAPERS AND SPEECHES. and lie was cheered time and again. When the last man in line had gone by the President Avas escorted to the Union League Club, where he partook of luncheon as the guest of the club. More than a thousand persons were at the table, including the guests of the city and prominent members of the organization. While the President was at luncheon a great crowd outside called for him. They would not be denied, and the President stepped out on the reviewing stand. As soon as quiet was restored he said : LOUD CHEERS FOR THE VETERANS. "I witness with pride and satisfaction the cheers of the mul- titudes as the veterans of the civil war on both sides of the contest have been reviewed. (Great applause.) I witness with increasing pride the wild acclaim of the people as you vratch the volunteers and the regulars and our naval reserves (the guardians of the people on land and sea) pass before your eyes. The demonstration of to-day is worth everything to our country, for I read in the faces and hearts of my countrymen the purpose to see to it that this government, with its free institutions, shall never perish from the face of the earth. " I wish I might take the hand of every patriotic woman, man and child here to-day. (Applause.) But I cannot do that. (Voice from the crowd, ' But you've got our hearts,' followed by prolonged cheering). And so I leave with you not only my thanks, but the thanks of this great nation, for your patriotism and devotion to the flag." (Great cheering.) On the 25th, 26th, 27th and 28th of October a National Jubi- lee to commemorate the return of peace drew to Philadelphia the most notable of&cials of the Government, and the most renowned commanders and heroes of the war. The festivities, which were attended by hundreds of thousands of people, who exhibited their patriotism in every possible way, began with a great naval parade on the Delaware on the afternoon of the 25th. The naval review was one of the grandest spectacles that has ever been witnessed in this country. Every craft on the river, from the usually inconsequential tugboat to the fleet of massive 4 STATi: I'ArEKS AND SPEECHES. 165 warships that honored the city with its presence, and from the dingy rowboat to every sailing vessel of material size, was gaily decorated. The nuiltitnde of piers that project into the stream on both sides of the river were likewise beautified b^^ a generous dis- play of flags and bunting. The whole scene was inspiring, and, with each Government vessel booming forth a salute of seventeen guns to the Secretary of the Navy as he passed the moored mon- sters of war on the luxurious steam yacht "May," the spirit of patriotism was so manifest that one's sense of love for country demonstrated itself in long and loud cheers. BRILLIANT NAVAL DISPLAY Every class of vessel in the United States navy was repre- sented in the motionless line of warships, from the great massive battleship down to the daring torpedo-boat, as well as that valuable arm of the service represented by the transport and despatch boat. The crowd of sightseers realized that, in the battles of the war, all of them performed their duty in the spirit as well as to the letter, on scouting service, or in carrying despatches, on blockade duty, or in pitched engagements, and all, with the heroes on board of them, were accorded that enthusiastic reception which a loyal American people are capable of giving. The men were not forgotten in the admiration of the ships. It is a matter of history that every man, wherever found, down in the engine room, among the stokers, or behind the guns, performed his whole duty, and the cheering was for them as well as for the ships which the}- manned. Following the Secretary of the Navy the great crowds on the boats in the line of parading vessels, over two miles long, cheered lustily as they glided slowly by in their turn in single file. The Columbia came in for her share of applause, and then the Ma}-- flower recalled by her presence her excellent record, and she was cheered. But when the New Orleans, that defiant cruiser whose telling shots were felt by the Spanish forts on the coast of Cuba, was passed, it seemed as if the crowd wanted to board her and II personall}' grasp the hands of her officers and crew. 166 STATE PAPERS AND SPEECHES. But if tliey were demonstrative then, words almost fail to describe their enthusiasm as they passed that battle monster, the battleship Texas, the flag-ship of Commodore Philip's squadron. It was not an easy thing to recall, from her present condition, that the Texas, with "Jack" Philip in command, had taken a foremost part in one of the most marvelous marine battles in naval history. All the other war vessels were greeted with en- thusiasm, and the booming of guns which saluted the Secretary of the Navy contributed much to render the occasion both inspiring and impressive. Much of the interest in the National Jubilee centered in Military Day. Mile after mile, hour after hour of marching men, popular heroes of the Spanish war, of&cers on horseback, privates on foot, gray-haired Grand Army veterans, the scarred battle flags of the Rebellion, music of bands, enormous numbers of cheering people massed in stands and on sidewalks, the senior general ot the United States Army leading the seven-mile line, the President of the United States and the Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy reviewing it ; and, as a frame to the picture, the city gay with color shining in the clear sunshine of a perfect October da}^ APPLAUSE FOR THE NOTABLES. Every popular favorite in the parade was liberally applauded. General Miles and General Wheeler, Hobson and his men, the Rough Riders' detachment, the gallant Tenth Cavalry, the colored troopers who came to the relief of Roosevelt's men when they were so hard pressed at El Caney ; Captain Sigsbee, the marines and the Twenty-first Infantry were received with the wildest demon- strations of delight. President McKinley, who was the guest of the Clover Club, of Philadelphia, said, in his address : "It is most gratifying to me to participate with the people of Philadelphia in this great patriotic celebration. It has been a pageant the like of which I do not believe has been seen since the close of the civil war, when the arm 3^ of Grant and Sherman and the navy of Farragut and Porter met in that great celebration in STATE I'Al'EKS AND bl'EJLCilLb. 167 Washington and was reviewed by President Lincoln, And I know of no better place in which to have sncli a celebration than in tliis glorions city, which witnessed the Declaration of Independence. "As I stood on the reviewing stand to-day my heart was filled only with gratitnde to the God of battles, who has so favored us, and to the soldiers and sailors who have won such victories on land and sea and have given such a new meaning to American valor. No braver soldiers or sailors ever assembled under a flag. "You had to-day the heroes of Guantanamo, of Santiago, of Porto Rico. We had unfortunately none of the heroes of Manila, but our hearts go out to-night to the brave Dewey " — here the President was interrupted with tremendous cheers — "and to Merritt and to Otis and to all the brave men with them. " Gentlemen, the American people are read}'. If the Merrimac is to be sunk — " here the President turned to the 3-oung naval constructor, while every one shouted ' Hobson — ' "yes, Hobson, is ready to do it and to succeed in what his foes never have been able to do — sink an American ship. " I propose a toast to the army and navj', without whose sacrifices we could not now celebrate the victory, a toast not only to the men who \vere in the front, in the trenches, but the men who were willing and anxious to go, but who could not be sent," CHAPTER VIII. Glowing Tribute to Our Lamented President — Speech on Being Notified of His Second Nomination — Masterly Statement of the Political History of Oar Country. THE sorrow over Mr. McKinley's uutimel}- deatli was not con- fined to au}^ one section of our coiintr3\ This is made plain by tbe following editorial from tbe "Atlanta Constitution," wbicli gives eloquent voice to tlie grief that was common to our whole people : " The death of the President comes to the people of the United States as a common grief. In the North, to whose cause he was espoused when civil war raged ; in the South, to whose people he brought a message of real fraternity ; in the new nation, baptized in the blood of all sections, the name of McKinle\' had become a household word. He was close to each, without indif- ference to either ; with the love of a father, he looked forward to the maturity of the nation over which he had been called to preside. "The hour of death removes politics, but better still the love of a lifetime had extracted whatever asperity might have existed. The high of&ce of President was fittingly filled by a man meas- uring up to its requirements. To him it made no difference whether patriot had worn blue or gray ; he accepted the heart-loyalty of the present as the token of the future. There will be many evidences of the dead President's administration to perpetuate his name. " He had an eye to the material supremacy of the Union; he had expanded the limits of American authority beyond the seas, but, greater than all — the greatest possible — was the bind- ing of domestic wounds and the healing of internal estrange- ment. "The nation mourns for McKinlc}^ ; the South kneels at his bier ; the whole world sees a weeping but united nation. 168 McKINLEV UX THE CONDITION Ol- THE COUNTRY. KiK " But government never stands still. With the closing of the career of the President, the Vice President comes int(j office. This brings to the nation no shock of policy or of person. The people elected AIcKinley and Roosevelt as in one purpose, and one in policies. Theodore Roosevelt is an outspoken man ; brave, and ready to meet every emergency. Placed in positions of untried trust, he has proven equal to every occasion. His qualities are of the manly order. He, like the late President, is full of hope for his country, and looks to a glorious future for it. In his blood there courses a Georgian strain. That he will meet his new- responsibility there need be no doubt. Theodore Roosevelt will prove a worth}- successor of William ]\IcKiuley. A LESSON OF RESPONSIBILITY. '' To the nation itself there conies the lesson of responsibility. A government of laws can only be upheld by a people devoted to law observance. We have permitted canker to grow up in the body politic. We have overlooked the vile abuse of our institutions by men who sought our protection only to betray it. While the nation's chief was in agonj^ vile men rejoiced, and brazen women, like the Goldman fiend, laughed officers to scorn. Law was mocked, and there was only helplessness to look on. There must be a change ! There must be no compromising with civic crime ! The Anarchist must go ! He must not gloat over the grief of a strong nation. Herein lies work for the people !" This eulog}' is fully merited, as may be seen from the public utterances of yir. McKinley which have regard to every section f our broad land and to all the varied conditions of labor and nuance. His address to the committee that notified him of his second nomination for President was an elaborate declaration of great principles. Every issue involved in the campaign was discussed at length, and the docuuieut possesses great value as a sketch of the political histor}- of the country during the adminis- tration. The following is the text of the address : The nomination of the Republican Convention of June, 19, i90<. for the ofiice of President of the United States, which, as 170 Mckinley ox the condition of the country. the official representative of the convention, 3'ou have conveyed to me, is accepted. I have carefully examined the platform adopted and give to it my hearty approval. Upon the great issue of the last national election it is clear. It upholds the gold standard and endorses the legislation of the present Congress, by which that standard has been effectively strengthened. The stability of our national currency is, therefore, secure so long as those who adhere to this platform are kept in control of the government. FRIENDS OF THE GOLD STANDARD. In the first battle, that of 1896, the friends of the gold stand- ard and of sound currency were triumphant, and the country is enjoying the fruits of that victory. Our antagonists, however, are not satisfied. They compel us to a second battle upon the same lines on which the first was fought and won. While regret- ting the reopening of this question, which can only disturb the present satisfactor}- condition of the government and visit iincer- taint}' upon our great business enterprises, we accept the issue and again invite the sound money forces to join in winning an- other, and, we hope, a permanent triumph for an honest financial system system which will continue inviolable the public faith. As in 1896, the three silver parties are united, under the same leader who immediately after the election of the year, in an address to the bimetalists, said : " The friends of bimetalism have not been vanquished ; they have simply been overcome. They believe that the gold standard is a conspiracy of the money-changers against the welfare of the human race — and they will continue the warfar against it." The policy thus proclaimed has been accepted and confirmed by these parties. The Silver Democratic platform of 1900 con- tinues the warfare against the so-called gold conspiracy when it expressly says : " We reiterate the demand of that (the Chicago) platform of 1896 for an American financial system made by the American people for themselves, which shall restore and maintain a bimetalic price level, and as pnrt of such svstem the immediate McKINLKV OX llli; LUXDITION OF THE COUNTRY. 171 restoration of the free and nnlimitcd coinage of silver and .iL;<)ld at the present ratio of 16 to i, withont waiting for the aid or consent of any other nati(ni." So the issne is presented. It will be noted that the demand is for the immediate restoration of the free coinage of silver at 16 to I. If another issne is paramonnt, this is immediate. It will admit of no dela}' and will snffer no postponement. Tnrning to the other associated parties, we find in the Popn- list national platform, adopted at Sioux Falls, S. D., May 10, 1900, the following declaration : " We pledge anew the People's party never to cease the agi- tation until this financial conspiracy is blotted from the statute books, the Lincoln greenback restored, the bonds all paid, and all corporation money forever retired. We reaffirm the demand for the reopening of the mints of the United States for the free and unlimited coinage of silver and gold at the present legal ratio of 16 to I, the immediate increase in the volume of silver coins and certificates thus created to be substituted, dollar for dollar, for the bank notes issued by private corporations under special privi- lege, granted b}- law of IMarch 14, 1900." EXTRAORDINARY ANNOUNCEMENT. The platform of the Silver party, adopted at Kansas City, Jnlv 6, 1900, makes the following announcement : " We declare it to be onr intention to lend onr efforts to the repeal of this currency law, which not only repudiates the ancient and time-honored principles of the American people before the Constitution was adopted, but is violative of the principles of the Constitution itself; and we shall not cease our eftbrts until there has been established in its place a monetary system based upon the free and nnlimitcd coinage of silver and gold into money at the present legal ratio of 16 to i b}' the independent action o^ tlie United States, under which system all paper money shall be issued by the government, and all such money coined or issued sball be a full legal tender in payment of all debts, public au^ private, without exception." 172 McKINLEY ON THP: CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY. In all tliree platforms these parties announce that their efforts shall be unceasing until the gold act shall be blotted from the statute books and the free and unlimited coinage of silver at i6 to I shall take its place. The relative importance of the issues I do not stop to discuss. All of them are important. Whichever party is successful will be bound in conscience to carr}- into administration and legisla- tion its several declarations and doctrines. One declaration will be as obligatory as another, but all are not immediate. It is not possible that these parties would treat the doctrine of i6 to i, the immediate realization of which is demanded by their several plat- J forms, as void and inoperative in the event that they should be clothed with power. Otherwise their profession of faith is insin- cere. FIGHT ON THE SILVER ISSUE. It is, therefore, the imperative business of those opposed to this financial heresy to prevent the triumph of the parties whose union is only assured by adherence to the silver issue. Will the American people, through indifference or fancied security, hazard the overthrow of the wise financial legislation of the past year and revive the danger of the silver standard, with all of the inevitable evils of shattered confidence and general disaster which justly alarmed and aroused them in 1896 ? The Chicago platform of 1896 is reaffirmed in its entirety by the Kansas City convention. Nothing has been omitted or recalled ; so that all the perils then threatened are presented anew, with the added force of a deliberate reaffirmation. Four years ago the people refused to place the seal of their approval upon these dangerous and revolutionary policies, and this j-ear they will not fail to record again their earnest dissent. The Republican party remains faithful to its principle of a tariff which supplies sufficient revenues for the government aud adequate protection to our enterprises and producers ; and of reciprocity which opens foreign markets to the fruits of American laboi, and furnishes new channels through which to market tlie surplus of American farms. The time-honored principles of M( KINLKY OX THK CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY. 173 protection and reciprocity were the first pledges of Republicau victory to be written into pnblic law. The present Congress has given to Alaska a territorial gov- ernment, for which it had waited more than aqnarter of a centnry; has established a representative government in Hawaii ; has enacted bills for the most liberal treatment of the pensioners and their widows ; has revived the free homestead policy. In its great financial law it provided for the establishment of banks of issue with a capital of $25,000, for the benefit of villages and rural communities, and bringing the opportunit}- for profitable business in banking within tbe reacli of moderate capital. ]Manv are alread}' availing themselves of this privilege. UNITED STATES BONDS. During tlie past year more tban nineteen millions of United States bonds have been paid from the surplus revenues of the Treasur}', and in addition twenty-five millions of 2 per cents matured, called b\' the government, are in process of payment. Pacific railroad bonds issued by tbe government in aid of the roads in the sum of nearly forty-four million dollars have been paid since December 31, 1897. The Treasury balance is in satis- factor}' condition, showing on September i, $135,419,000, in addi- tion to the $150,000,000 gold reserve held in the Treasury. The Government's relations Mitli the Pacific railroads have been sub- stantially closed, $121,421,000 being received from these roads, the greater part in cash and the remainder with ample securities for payments deferred. Instead of diminishing, as was predicted four 3'ears ago, the volume of our currenc}- is greater per capita than it has ever been. It was $21.10 in 1896. It has increased to $26.50 on July I, 1900, and $26.85 on September i, 1900. Our total mone\- on Jul}' I, 1896, was $1,506,434,966 ; on July i, \gcK\ it was $2,062,- 425,490, and $2,096,683,042 on September i, 1900. Our industrial and agricultural conditions are more promis- ing tlian the}' have been for many years ; probably more so than they have ever been. Prosperity abounds everywhere through- 174 McKINLFA ON THE CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY. out the Republic. I rejoice tliat the Southern as well as the Northern States are enjoying a full share of these improved national conditions, and that all are contributing so largel}- to our remarkable industrial development. The mone}- lender receives lower rewards for his capital than if it were invested in active business. The rates of interest are low^er than thej^ have ever been in this countrj^ while those things which are produced on the farm and in the workshop and the labor producing them have advanced in value. SATISFACTORY FOREIGN TRADE. Our foreign trade shows a satisfactory and increasing growth. The amount of our exports for the j^ear 1900, over those of the exceptionall}^ prosperous j^ear of 1899, was about half a million dollars for ever}^ da}^ of the 3^ear, and these sums have gone into the homes and enterprise of the people. There has been an in- crease of over $50,000,000 in the exports of agricultural products ; $92,692,220 in manufactures, and in products of the mines of over $10,000,000. Our trade balances cannot fail to give satisfaction to the people of the countr}^ In 1898 we sold abroad $615,432,- 676 of products more than we bought abroad ; in 1899, $529,874,- 813 and in 1900, $544,471,701, making, during the three years, a total balance in our favor of $1,689,779,190 — nearl}^ five times the balance of trade in our favor for the whole period of 108 years, from 1790 to June 30, 1897, iriclusive. Four hundred and thirtj^-six million dollars of gold have been added to the gold stock of the United States since Jul}' i, 1896. The law of March 14, 1900, authorized the refunding into 2 per cent, bonds of that part of the public debt represented by the 3 per cents, due in 1908 ; the 4 per cents, due in 1907 ; and the 5 per cents, due in 1904, aggregating $840,000,000. More than one-third of the sum of these bonds was refunded in the first three months after the passage of the act, and on Sep- tember I the sum had been increased more than $33,000,000, making in all $330,578,050, resulting in a net saving of over $8,379,520. -McKIXIJ.V i)N THF. COXDITION ol Nil. lOlNrKV. |7;, The ordiiuiry receipts of the goveninicut for tlie fiscal year 1900 were ^^79,827,060 in excess of its expenditures. While our receipts both from customs and internal revenue have been greatly increased, our expenditures have been decreas- ing. Civil and miscellaneous expenses for the fiscal vear ending June 30, 1900, were nearh' $14,000,000 less than in 1S99, while on the war account there is a decrease of more than 595,000,000. There were required $8,000,000 less to support the nav}^ this year than last, and the expenditures on account of Indians were nearly two and three-quarter million dollars less than in 1S99. ITEMS OF INCREASE IN TAX. The only two items of increase in the public expenses of 1900 over 1899 are for pensions and interest on the public debt. |, For 1890 we expended for pensions $139,394,929, and for the fiscal ' year 1900 our pa\'ments on this account amounted to $140,877,- 316. The net increase of interest on the public debt of 1900 over 1899, required by the war loan, was $263,408.25. While Congress authorized the Government to make a war loan of $400,000,000 at the beginning of the war with Spain, only $200,000,000 of bonds were issued, bearing three per cent, interest, which were promptly and patrioticall}- taken by our citizens. Unless something unforeseen occurs to reduce our revenue or increase our expenditures, the Congress at its next session should reduce taxation ver}- materially. Five years ago we were selling Government bonds bearing as high as five per cent, interest. Now we are redeeming them with a bond at par bearing two per cent, interest. We are selling our surplus products and lending our surplus money to Europe. One result of our selling to other nations so much more than we have bought from them during the past three years is a radical improvement of our financial relations. The great amounts of capital which have been borrowed of Europe for our rapid, material development have remained a con- stant drain upon our resources for interest and dividends, aud l|ii made our money markets liable to constant disturbances by calls 176 McKINLEY ON THE CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY. for payment or heavy sales of our securities whenever moneyed stringency or panic occurred abroad. AVe have now been paying these debts and bringing home manj^ of our securities and estab- lishing countervailing credits abroad by our loans, and placing ourselves upon a sure foundation of financial independence. In the unfortunate contest between Great Britain and the Boer States of South Africa, the United States has maintained an attitude of neutrality in accordance with its well-known traditional polic}^ It did not hesitate, however, when requested b}^ the Gov- ernments of the South African republics to exercise its good of&ces for a cessation of hostilities. It is to be observed that while the South African republics made like requests of other powers, the United States is the onl}^ one which complied. The British Government declined to accept the intervention of any , power. J CARRIED BY FOREIGN SHIPS. M Ninety-one per cent, of our exports and imports are now carried by foreign ships. For ocean transportation we pay an- nually to foreign ship owmers over $165,000,000. We ought to own the ships for our carrying trade with the world and w^e ought to build them in American shipyards and man them with Ameri- can sailors. Our own citizens should receive the transportation charges now paid to foreigners. I have called the attention of - Congress to this subject in my several annual messages. In thati of December 6, 1897, I said : " Most desirable from every standpoint of national interest and patriotism is the effort to extend our foreign commerce. To* this end our merchant marine should be improved and enlarged. We should do our full share of the carr3'ing trade of the world. We do not do it now. We should be the laggard no longer." In my message of December 5, 1S99, I said : " Our national development will be one-sided and unsatis- factory so long as the remarkable growth of our inland industries remains unaccompanied b}^ progress on the seas. There is no lack of constitutional authority for legislation which shall give to i McKlNLEV OX THE COXUITION OF Tlli: COL'XTR\. 177 the country inaritiine strength commensurate with its industrial achievements and with its rank among the nations of the earth, "The past year has recorded exceptional activity in ourship- vards, and the promises of continued prosperity in shipbuilding are abundant. Advanced legislation for the protection of our seamen has been enacted. Our coast trade, under regulations wisel}' framed at the beginning of the government and since, shows results for the last fiscal year unequaled in our records or those of any other power. We shall fail to realize our oppor- tunities, however, if we complacenth' regard onh' matters at home, and blind ourselves to the necessity of securing our share in the valuable carrying trade of the world." I now reiterate these views, GREAT WATERWAY WANTED. A subject of immediate importance to our country is the completion of a great waterway between the Atlantic and Pacific. The construction of a maritime canal is now more than ever indispensable to that intimate and ready communication between ur Eastern and Western seaports demanded by the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands and the expansion of our influence and trade in the Pacific. Our national policy more imperativel}' than ever calls for its completion and control by this government ; and it is believed that the next session of Congress, after receiving the full report of the commission appointed under the act approved March 3, 1S99, will make provisions for the sure accomplishment of this great work. Combinations of capital which control the market in com- modities necessary to the general use of the people, by suppress- ing natural and ordinary competition, thus enhancing prices to tlie general consumer, are obnoxious to the common law and the public welfare. They are dangerous conspiracies against the public good, and .should be made the subject of prohibitory or penal legislation. Publicity will be a helpful influence to check this evil. Uniformity of legislation in the several States should be secured. Discrimination between what is injurious and what 12 178 McKINLEY ON THE CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY. is useful aud uecessar}^ in business operations is essential to tlie wise and effective treatment of this subject. Honest co-operation of capital is necessary to meet new business conditions and extend our rapid!}" increasing foreign trade, but conspiracies and combinations intended to restrict business, create monopolies and control prices should be effectively restrained. The best service which can be rendered to labor is to afford it an opportunity for steady and remunerative employment, and give it every encouragement for advancement. The policj^ that subserves this end is the true American polic}'. The last three 3^ears have been more satisfactory^ to American workingmen than manj' preceeding A^ears. Any change of the present industrial or financial polic\^ of the government would be disastrous to their highest interests. With prosperity at home and an increasing foreign market for American products, employment should con- tinue to wait upon labor, and with the present gold standard the workingman is secured against payments for his labor in a de- preciated currenc}'. SHORT DAY FOR LABOR. For labor, a short da}' is better than a short dollar ; one will lighten the burdens, the other lessen the rewards of toil. The one will promote contentment and independence ; the other penury and want. The wages of labor should be adequate to keep the home in comfort, educate the children, and, with thrift and economy, laj^ something b}^ for the days of infirmity and old age. Practical civil service reform has alwa\-s had the support and encouragement of the Republican party. The future of the merit system is safe in its hands. During the present administration, as occasions have arisen for modification or amendments in the existing civil service law and rules, the}' have been made. Important amendments were promulgated by Executive order under date of May 29, 1S99, having for their principal purpose the exception from competitive examination of certain places involving fiduciary responsibilities ' or duties of a strictly confidential, scientific or executive character, I McKINLi:V OX THE CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY. ITti W'hich it was thought might better be filled either by non-com- petitive examination or by other tests of fitness in the discretion of the appointing officer. It is gratif3'ing that the experience of more than a 3'ear'has vindicated these changes in the marked improvement of the public service. The merit S3'stem, as far as practicable, is made the basis for appointments to office in our new territory. The American people are profoundl}' grateful to the soldiers, sailors and marines, who have, in every time of conflict, fought their countr3''s battles and defended its honor. The survivors and the widows and the orphans of those who have fallen are justU' entitled to receive the generous and considerate care of the nation. Few are now left of those who fought in the Mexican War, and while man}' of the veterans of the Civil War are still spared to us, their numbers are rapidly diminishing, and age and infirmity are increasing their dependence. CARE FOR OLD SOLDIERS. These, with the soldiers of the Spanish War, will not be neg- lected bv their grateful countr3'men. The pension laws have been liberal. They should be justly administered, and will be. Preference should be given to the soldiers, sailors and marines, their widows and orphans, with respect to employment in the public service. We have been in possession of Cuba since the first of January', 1899. We have restored order and established domestic tran- quillit}-. We have fed the starving, clothed the naked, and ministered to the sick. We have improved the sanitary condition of the island. We have simulated industr}-, introduced public education, and taken a full and comprehensive enumeration of the inhabitants. The qualification of electors has been settled, and under it officers have been chosen for all the municipalities of Cuba. These local governments are now in operation, admin- istered by the people. An election has been ordered to be held on the 15th of Sep- tember, under a fair election law already tried in the municipal 180 Mckinley on thk condition of the country. elections, to choose members of a Constitutional Convention, and the convention, by the same order, is to assemble on the first Monday of November to frame a constitution upon which an independent government for the island will rest. All this is a long step in the fulfillment of our sacred guarantee to the peole of Cuba. We hold Porto Rico by the same title as the Philippines. The treaty of peace which ceded us the one conveyed to us the other. Congress has given to this island a government in which the inhabitants participate, elect their own legislature, enact their own local laws, provide their own system of taxation, and in these respects have the same power and privileges enjoyed by other territories belonging to the United States, and a much larger measure of self-government than was given to the inhabitants of Louisiana under Jefferson. ESTABLISHING A GOVERNMENT. A district court of the United States for Porto Rico has been - established and local courts have been inaugurated, all of which i are in operation. The generous treatment of the Porto Ricans ' accords with the most liberal thought of our own country and , encourages the best aspirations of the people of the island. a While they do not have instant free commercial intercourse . with the United States, Congress complied with my recommenda- tion by removing, on May i, eighty-five per cent, of the duties and providing for the removal of the remaining fiteen per cent, on ^ the ist of March, 1902, or earlier if the Legislature of Porto Rico shall provide local revenues for the expenses of conducting the government. During this intermediate period Porto Rican prod-, nets coming into the United States paj^ a tariff of fifteen per cent. ' of the rates under the Dingley act, and our goods going to Porto "^ Rico pay a like rate. The duties thus paid and collected both in Porto Rico and . the United States are paid to the Government of Porto Rico and " no part thereof is taken by the National Government. All of the duties from November i, 1898, to June 30, 1900, aggregating the McKINLKV nX TllK CONDI llOX OV THE COUNfKV. 181 sum of $2,250,523.21, paid at the Custom House iu tlie United States upon Porto Rican products, under the haws existing prior to the above mentioned act of Cont^ress, have gone into the Treasury of Porto Rico to relieve the destitute and for schools and other public purposes. In addition to this we have made expenditures for relief, education and improvement. For the sake of full and intelligent understanding of the Philippine question, and to give to the people authentic informa- tion of the acts and aims of the administration, President ]Mc- Kinley presents at some length in excerpts from his messages and other state papers, the events of importance leading up to the present situation, and then says of the Filipinos : " Every effort has been directed to their peace and prosperit}-, their advancement and well being, not for our aggrandizement nor for pride of might, nor for trade or commerce, not for exploita- tion, but for humanity and civilization, and for the protection of the vast majorit}- of the population who welcome our sovereignty against the designing minority whose first demand after the surrender o^ Manila b}^ the Spanish army, was to enter the city that thev might loot it and destroy those not in svmpathy with their selfish and treacherous designs. ^A^HAT ^VAS TO BE DONE? ''Would not our adversaries have sent Dewey's fleet to Manila to capture and destroy the Spanish sea power there, or, despatching it there, would they have withdrawn it after the de- struction of the Spanish fleet; and if the latter, whither would they have directed it to sail ? Where could it have gone ? What port of the Orient was open to it? Do our adversaries condemn the expedition under the command of General Merritt to strengthen Dewey in the distant ocean and assist in our triumph over Spain, Avith which nation we were at war ? \\'as it not our highest duty to strike Spain at every vulnerable point,that the war might be successfully concluded at the earliest practical moment? "And was it not our duty to protect the lives and property of those who came within our control by the fortunes of war ? 182 Mckinley on the condition of the country. Could we have come awa^^ at any time between May i, 1898, and the conclusion of peace without a stain upon our good name? Could we have come away without dishonor at any time after the ratification of the peace treaty by the Senate of the United States ? "There has been no time since the destruction of the enemy's fleet when we could or should have left the Philippine archi- pelago. After the treaty of peace was ratified, no power but Con- gress could surrender our sovereignty or alienate a foot of the territory thus acquired. The Congress has not seen fit to do one or the other, and the President had no authority to do either if he had been so inclined, which he was not. So long as the sover- eignty remains in us it is the duty of the executive, whoever he may be, to uphold that sovereignty, and if it be attacked to sup- press its assailants. Would our political adversaries do less ? THE REAL ISSUE. |j " With all the exaggerated phrase-making of this electoral contest we are in danger of being diverted from the real conten- tion. We are in agreement with all of those who supported the war with Spain, and also with those who counseled the ratification of the treaty of peace. Upon these two great essential steps ft there can be no issue, and out of these came all of our responsi- bilities. If others would shirk the obligations imposed by the war and the treaty, we must decline to act further with them, and ;; here the issue was made. *, " It is our purpose to establish in the Philippines a govern- ment suitable to the wants and conditions of the inhabitants, and to prepare them for self-government, and to give them self- government when they are ready for it, and as rapidly as they are read\^ for it. That I am aiming to do under mAT^ constitutional authority, and will continue to do until Congress shall determine the political status of the inhabitants of the archipelago. ■ | "Are our opponents against the treaty? If so they must be reminded that it could not have been ratified in the Senate but for their assistance. The Senate which ratified the treaty and .McKINLEY OX THE CON'DHIOX OF Till-: COUNTRY. 183 thv? Congress which added its sanction l)y a Large appropriation comprised Senators and Representatives of the people of all parties. " Wonld our opponents surrender to the insurgents, abandon our sovereignty or cede it to them ? If that be not their purpose, then it should promptl}' be disclaimed for only evil can result from the hopes raised by our opponents in the minds of the Filipinos, that with their success at the polls in November there will be a withdrawal of our army and of American sovereignty over the archipelago ; the complete independence of the Tagalog people recognized and the powers of government over all the other people of the archipelago conferred upon the Tagalog leaders. RUSHING US ON TO WAR. " There were those who, two 3'ears ago, were rushing us on to war with Spain, who are nnwilling now to accept its clear conse- qnence, as there are those among ns who advocated the ratification of the treaty of peace, but now protest against its obligations. Nations which go to war must be prepared to accept its resultant obligations, and when they make treaties must keep them. " Those who profess to distrust the liberal and honorable pur-« poses of the administration in its treatment of the Philippines are not justified. Imperialism has no place in its creed or conduct. Freedom is a rock upon \vhich the Republican party was builded, and now rests. Liberty is the great Republican doctrine for which the people went to war, and for which a million lives were offered and billions of dollars were expended to make it a lawful leeacv of all, without the consent of master or slave. " If our opponents would only practice as well as preach the doctrines of Abraham Lincoln, there would be no fear for the safety of our institutions at home or their rightful influence in any territory over which our flag floats. Empire has been ex- pelled from Porto Rico and the Philippines by American freemen. The flag of the Republic now floats over these islands as an emblem of rightful sovereignty. Will the Republic stay and dispense to their inhabitants- the blessing of liberty, education ■TJ 4 ;84 Mckinley on the condition of the country. and free institutions, or steal awa^^ leaving them to anarchy and imperialism ? '' The American question is between dut}' and desertion — the American verdict will be for duty and against desertion ; for the Republic, against both anarchy and imperialism. " The country has been fully advised of the purposes of the United States in China, and they will be faithfully adhered to as already defined. " Not only have we reason for thanksgiving for our material blessings, but we should rejoice in the complete unification of the people of all sections of our country that has so bappily developed in the last few years and made for us a more perfect Union. "The obliteration of old differences, the common devotion to the flag and the common sacrifices for its honor, so conspicuously shown by the men of the North and the South in the Spanish war, have so strengthened the ties of friendship and mutual respect that nothing can ever divide us. The nation faces the new century gratefully and hopefully, with increasing love of country, with firm faith in its free institutions and with high resolve that they ' shall not perish from the earth.' " Very respectfully 3'ours, " WILLIAM M'KINLEY." It was universally conceded that in this letter Mr. McKin- ^ ley had furnished a masterly statement of the political condition j| of our country. It was the thoughtful estimate of a statesman and a patriot— one who loved his country and rejoiced in her pros- perity. His statements were gratifying to all parts of the land. He paid a high and merited compliment to the soldiers of every section who sprang to arms at the outbreak of our war with Spain. His knowledge of the interior condition and prospects of our commercial trade enabled him to speak wdth authority upon these points and his language was reassuring. It was a message of {rood cheer to the nation. ■I PRINCIPAL EVENTS DURING PRESIDENT McKINLEY'S ADMINISTRATION. 1897. Inaugurated March 4. F'ifty-fifth Congress convened "March 15. .\ new PCxtradition Treaty between the United States and Brazil signed at Rio, May 16. Dingley Tariff law passed, July 24. Attorney-General Joseph McKenna, of California, appointed to the Supreme Bench, December 16. 189S. vJity of Greater New York inaugurated, January i. J. W. Griggs, of New Jersc}-, Attorney-General, January- 25. Meeting of the National Monetary Convention at Indianapolis to devise currency reform, January 25. The battleship Maine destro3'ed in Havana harbor, February 15. Congress appropriates $50,000,000 for national defence, March 8. Congress recognizes Cuban independence, April 16. War declared against Spain, April 21. Resignation of John Sherman, Secretar\' of State, April 25. Dewey destroys the Spanish fleet at Manila, ^lay i. Lieutenant Hobson sinks the '' iMerrimac,'' June 3. Cervera's squadron destro\'ed off Santiago, July 3. Hawaii annexed to the United States, July 6. Treaty of peace signed with Spain, December 10. 1899. Flag raised over Guam, Februar}- i. Treaty of peace with Spain ratified by Senate, Februar}- 6. First encounter between Americans and Filipinos, February 4. Peace Conference at the Hague, Ma}- 18. Resignation of Russell A. Alger, Secretary of War, July 19. Klihu Root appointed Secretary of War, Jul}' 22. Thomas B. Reed resigns his place in Congress, August 22. The Venezuela award made, October 3. 183 186 PRINCIPAL EVENTS DURING McKINLEY'S ADMINISTRATION. ^ A modus Vivendi auent the Alaskan boundar}' dispute adopted, October 12. Sanioan treaty signed, December 2. Lawton killed in the Philippines, December 19. 1900. The United States Senate , ratified the Sanioan treaty, Januar}- 16 President McKinley signed the gold standard bill, March 14. Foraker Porto Rican Act passed bj' Congress, April 12. Chinese begin their attacks on the Legations in Pekin, June 19.^^; McKinley renominated at Philadelphia, June 21. C The allies capture Pekin, August 14. '>^ John Sherman died, October 22. J; A convention to frame a constitution for Cuba began its sessions::|' at Havana, November 5. '^ McKinley re-elected, November 6. -' Ministers of the powers in Pekin sign a joint note, December 22. ,;; 1901. Hopkins reapportionment bill defeated, January 8. Incorporatian of the billion dollar Steel Trust, February 23. Death of William M. Evarts, February 28. The adoption of the Piatt Amendment, February 28. President McKinley' second Inauguration, T^Iarch 4. Death of former President Harrison, March 13. Capture of Aguinaldo, March 23. President McKinley started on his Western tour April 20. Western tour abandoned because of Mrs. INIcKinkn^'s ill healthf| May 12. Pan-American Exposition opened at Buffalo, May i. Supreme Court's decision on the Insular Cases, May 27. President McKinley positively refused to be a candidate for a^ third term, June 11. President McKinley arrived at Buffalo and made his famou address at the Pan-American Exposition, September 5. Assassinated, September 6. Obsequies at Washington and Canton, September 17th and 19th. M J PRESIDENT McKINLEY'S LIFE IN BRIEF. jg^^—Born at Niles, Tnnnbnll county, ()., February 26. jS5i_£ii-[isted in Twenty-third Oliio Volunteer Infantry at the aire of seventeen. L^5-_yiustered out of service witli rank of Captain and Brevet Major. 1869 to 1S7 1— Prosecuting Attorney of Stark county. 1 8 79— Elected to Fifty-fifth Congress. 1 8SS— Refused to allow his name to be presented for the Presi- dency, and held Ohio delegation for Senator John Sherman. I S89— Became Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives and drafted McKinley tariff bill. 1890 — Defeated for re-election to Congress. 1 89 1 — Retired from Congress March 4. 1891 — Elected Governor of Ohio. 1893 — Re-elected Governor of Ohio. 1896 — Nominated for President and elected by a plurality of 814,831. 1897 — Inaugurated President j\Iarch 4. 1^00 — Re-nouiinated and re-elected President by a plurality of 832,280. 1901 — Inaugurated President for second term ]\Iarcli 4. 1901 — Shot down b\' an assassin at Buffalo, September 6. 1901 — Died at Buffalo, September 14. 1901— Obsequies at Buffalo, at Washington and Canton, Septem- ber 15, 17 and 19. The pathetic circumstances of tlic death of President McKinlev, the simple manliness with which he faced " the doom we dread," the infinite cruelty and appalling injustice of his assassination and the profound sympathy felt for his invalid wife make it difficult if not impossible to speak of the career of the dead ruler with the moderation of the careful historian. The critical spirit is dumb in the presence of the dead who die for the nation, as McKinley died. In the hours of dire foreboding and of physical pain, as when he became conscious of the inevitable end, he was the patient, uncomplaining and brave man who meets IST 188 Mckinley on the condition of the country. the worst without bravado but also without fear, and who accepts the decree of death as the will of Heaven. At no time in his varied and successful career had his character seemed so admir- able as in the last trying hours. THE THREE MARTYRED PRESIDENTS. The careers of no public men better represent the possibili ties of American life than those of the three Presidents who have I fallen at the hands of assassins. All were poor boys with no other aids to ambition than their own qualities of character. In his amiable frailties as a public man not less that in his strong- est attributes the President whose death we mourn was a repre- sentative American, Born in Ohio where the streams of trans- allegheny migration from North and South met and commingled and political agitation was ceaseless, at a time when the over- shadowing sectional question pressed for final settlement, and -^ having been educated chiefly in the public schools, where all the ^ influence was democratic, it was natural and almost inevitable that the first ambition of the young man William McKinley shoul be political. He demonstrated the depth and sincerit}^ of his youthful patHotism by enlisting as a private soldier in the volunteer army for the preservation of the Union. In that service he revealed an amiability of temperament which easily won the votes of his fel- lows in favor of his promotion and assured the popularity of his later years. He was a friendly man, and he loved his fellow men. At the time when as a young lawyer William McKinley entered actively into politics party lines were strongly drawn. Not to be a Republican was almost to be a traitor in the e3^es of the leaders of " Ben " Wade's type. It would have been peculiar if young McKinley had been less devoted to his party or less submissive to its decrees. The spirit of that time continiied to influence his political actions throughout his lifetime, and it will account for the degree to which the President was willing to recede from his own opinion whenever it- was opposed by the aggressive leaders of his party. I CHAPTER IX. Story of the Assassination of President McKinley — Graphic Picture of the Tragic Act— The Assassin Caught and Roughly Handled— Public Indignation and Horror. niVE iniiiutes before the appalling tragedy that ended the life ^ of the President, the dense crowd was in the most cheerfnl humor, in the Temple of ]\Iusic, at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo. The police had experienced no trouble of any kind, and when the President's carriage, containing besides the Chief Executive, President Milburn of the Pan-American Exposition, and Private Secretary Cortelyou drove up to the side entrance of the Temple, it was met by a mighty salute of cheers and applause. The three gentlemen alighted, and were escorted to the door of the building. Immediately the carriage containing Secret Service Operatives, George Foster and S. R. Ireland drove up, and these detectives, wiih several other Secret Service men, en- tered the building together. Inside they were met by Directoi General Buchanan, who had arrived but a moment before, and he directed them as to where to stand. In passing to the place, the President took ^a his hat and smiled pleasantly to a little group of newspaper men and to the guards which [had been sationed in the place. To one of the reporters he spoke, smilingly, saying ; "It is much cooler in here isn't it ? " The interior of the building had been arranged for the purpose. From the main entrance, which opens to the southeast from the Temple on the wide esplanade, where the thousands had gathered, an aisle had been made thrcugh the rows of seats in the building to near the centre. This aisle was about eight feet wide, and turned near the centre to the southwest door of the temple, so that there was a passage dividing the south nart of the structure into a right 1S9 190 STORY OF THE ASSASSINATION. angle. It was so arranged that the people, who would shake hands with the President would enter at the southeast door, meet the President in the centre and then pass on out the southwest door. From the southeast door, and extending on up to and around the curve, w^as a line of soldiers from the Seventy-third Sea Coast Artillery on either side, and these were interspersed with neatly uniformed guards from the Exposition police, under the command of Captain Damer. When the Presidential party was within the buildine, the soldiers were ordered to come to " attention," and all took their places. ^VAITING FOR THE CROWD. The President was escorted to the centre of the palm bower, and Mr. Milburn took a position on his left so as to introduce the people as they came in. Secretary Cortelyou stood by the Presi- dent to the right, Secret Service Operator Foster, who has traveled everywhere with the President, took a position not more than two feet in front of Mr. Miburn, and Secret Service Opera- tor Ireland stood by his left, so that he was the same distance in front of the President as was Foster in front of the Exposition President. Through this narrow two-foot passage the people, who would meet the President, must pass, and when all was ready, with detectives scattered throughout the aisle, the President smiled to Mr. Buchanan, who was standing near the corporal in charge of the artillerymen, and said that he was ready to meet the people. He was very pleasant and, as he waited for the doors to open, he rubbed his hands together, adjusted his long Prince Albert coat, and laughingly chatted with Mr. Milburn, while Secretary Cor- telyou gave a last few instructions to the of&cers as to the manner in which the crowds were to be hurried on through, so that as many as possible could meet the Executive. Mr. Milburn ordered the door open and immediately a waver- ing line of people, who had been squeezed against the outside of the door for hours, began to wend its way up through the line of soldiers and police to the place where the President stood. An Ground Plan of the Tan-Amkuican L.\foi>irioN at Buffalo. 191 192 STORY OF THE ASSASSINATION. old man, witli silver}^ white hair, was the first to reach the President, and the little girl he carried on his shoulder received a warm salutation. Organist W. J. Gomph started on the sonata in F, b}^ Bach ; low at first, and swelling gradualh^ to more majestic proportions, until the whole auditorium was filled with the melodious tones cf - the big pipe organ. The crowd had been pouring through hardl}^ more than five minutes, when the organist brought from his powerful instrument its loudest notes, drowning even the scufile of feet. About half of the people who passed the President were women and children. TOOK SPECIAL NOTICE OF THE CHILDREN. To everjr child the President bent over, shook hands warmly and said some kinds words, so as to make the young heart glad. As each person passed he was viewed critically by the secret ser- vice men. Their hands were watched, their faces and actions noted. Far down the line a man of unusual aspect, to some, appeared, taking his turn in the line. He was short, heavy, dark, and beneath a heavy mustache was a pair of straight, bloodless lips. Under the black brows gleamed a pair of glistening black eyes. He was picked at once as a suspicious person, and when he reached Foster, the secret service man, he held his hand on him until he had reached the President and had clasped his hand. Ireland was equally alert, and the slightest move on the part of this man, who is now supposed to have been an accomplice, and for whom a search was promptly made, would have been checked by the ofi&cers. Immediately following this man was the assassin. He was a rather tall, boyish looking fellow, apparently twenty-five years old, and of Russian-American extraction. His smooth, rather pointed face would not indicate his purpose of slaying the National Executive. The Secret Service men noted that about his right hand was wrapped a handkerchief, and as he carried the hand uplifted, although supported by a sling under his coat, the officers believed STORY OF THE ASSASSINATION. 193 Is hand was injured, and cspeciall}^ as he extended his left hand jross the right so as to shake hands with the President. It was noticed that the Italian who was in front ot the isassin held back, apparentl}^ to shield the young man, so that was necessary for Ireland to push him on. Innocently facing the assassin, the President smiled as he :tended his right hand to meet the left of the man before him. the youth extended his left hand he whipped out his right md, the one which held the revolver, and before any one knew lat was transpiring, two shots rang out, one following the other ter the briefest portion of a second. For the first moment there ^as not a sound. HE SUDDENLY REELED BACK. The President drew his right hand quickly to his chest, raised his head and his eyes looked upward and rolled. He swerved a moment, reeled and was caught in the arms of Secre- I'.y Cortelyou to his right. Catching himself for the briefest croud, President jMcKinlc}^, whose face was now the whiteness of death, looked at the assassin as the officers and soldiers bore him to the floor, and said feebl}^, " May God forgive him." The President was carried first one way, then a step in another direc- tion. The excitement was so sudden and the pandemonium so rreat, that for a minute no one knew what to do. Finall}-, some nne said to carry him inside the purple edge of the aisle and seat Iiim. This was the only thing to do at the moment and prepa- rations were made at once to find a resting place. A couple of men tore the benches aside and trampled the 'untiug down, while ]\Ir. Milburn and Secretar^^ Cortelyou half carried the President over the line and into the passageway leading to the stage, which had not been used. The President was able to walk a little, but was leaning easih' on his escorts. In passing •ver the bunting his foot caught, and for a moment he stumbled. A reporter extricated the wounded man's foot, and the President was carried to a seat, where a half dozen men stood b}' and fanned him vigorously. 13 194 STORY OF THE ASSASSINATION. Quick call was sent for doctors and to the ambulance. While seated for a moment, Secretary Cortelyou leaned ovei the President, and inquired : " Do you feel much pain ? " White and trembling the President slipped his hand into the opening of his shirt front, near the heart, and said : "This wound pains greatly." As the I*resident withdrew his hand, the first and second fingers were covered with blood. He looked at them, his hand dropped to his side, and he became faint. His head dropped heavily to his chest, and those about him turned away. "O MY GOD, ARE YOU SHOT?" Minister Aspiroz, of Mexico, broke through the little crowd excitedly, and awakened the faint into which the President had sunk by dramatically exclaiming in English : " O my God, Mr. President, are you shot ? " While the excited diplomat was being restrained from caressing the Executive, and falling at his feet, the President replied, gasping between each word:. "Yes — I— believe — I — am . ' ' The President's head then fell backward, he partially fainting again. Mr. Milburn placed his hand back of the wounded man's head, and offered a support for it. This seemed to resuscitate the President, and afterward he sat stoically in the chair, his legs spread out on the floor and his lips clinched firml}^, as though he : would fight determinedly against death, should it be appearing. He was giving the fight of a soldier, and more than one turned : away, and tremblingl}^ — all in the building trembled and shook, not from fear, but the tension, and remarked : "He is certainly a soldier." While all this was transpiring, the drama had not yet ended I on the scene of the shooting. The shots had hardly been fired when Foster and Ireland were on top of the assassin. Ireland, , quick as thought, had knocked the smoking weapon from the man's hand, and at the same time he and his companion officer, '■ with a dozen Exposition police and as many artillerymen, literally crushed him to the floor. While the President was being led awa}^, the artillerymen and guards cleared the building in a few STORY OF THE ASSASSINATION. I95 minutes of those wlio liad entered to meet the President, but to do this it was necessar}- to draw their sabre baj^onets and use extreme force. FOSTER CLUTCHED HIM BY THE THROAT. Foster reached under the crowd, and by his almost super- human strength pulled the intending murderer from under the heap. The assassin was grabbed by a half dozen guards and soldiers and by the secret service men who were near the scene at the time. Forcing the youth, for that is what he is, to the I open, Foster clutched him by the throat with his left hand, and saying : " You murderer !" then struck him a most vicious blow with his fist i^'iuarely in the face. The blow was so powerful that the iTicin was sent through the guards and went sprawling upon the floor. He hardl}" touched the floor, when he was again set upon, this time by the guards and soldiers. He was kicked repeatedh% until Captain Damer rushed in and drew back the guards. Foster made another attempt to get at the assassin, but ■ he was held back, although he protested that he had possession f of his mind and that he knew what he was doing. The prisoner I' was hurried into a little room just off the west stage of the Temple of !^Iusic, being dragged through the crowd by Patrolmen i James and ]McCaule3\ His lip was bleeding and his face was f swelling from James's blows. Around him there were a group of \ officers. Once inside, the door was closed with a bang, and the raob surging against that door of the building, with a blind im- pulse to get near him, fairh' made the walls creak. The entire scene in the room was for a moment confusion. There were eager ofiicials going in and out of the door. Some people were tr3'ing to conceal the fact that the prisoner was there, and others betraying the fact in a loud voice as soon as the}' had left the room. One excited Exposition official invited the people to go in and get the man as he hurried out on some mission that had come to him. In the room with the prisoner were Colonel B^-rne, Command- ant of the Exposition Police; Captain Wallely, Chief of the Dctec- 196 STORY OF THE ASSASSINATION. tive Bureau; Detective Ziegler, Buffalo Police Detectives Solomon and Geary, Secret Servicemen Sam Ireland, Foster and Captain Damer, of the Exposition Police ; Major Robertson of tlie Exposi- tion Police ; Mr. John N. Scatchered and a few others coming and going. COWARDLY CONDUCT OF THE ASSASSIN. Czolgosz was on the table in the room, and sat there, now and then putting his sleeve to his lip ; at other times looking at the " floor or keeping his shoes close together, rubbing them nervousl3\ He would now and then breathe deeply with his nervous agitation, but for other signs there were none. He remained silent. Outside the building could be seen the great tumultuous throngs of people. From all quarters of the grounds they were gathering toward the common centre. Now and then a woman's face, red with the heat, could be seen peering up over the heads of those in' front, and struggling to raise her hand, she would wipe away the tears from her eyes- On a lofty porch on one of the great staff - flower jardinieres an old man, with a long white beard, a broadl| brimmed veteran's hat and a G. A. R. button in his lapel, sal?' shaking his head in sorrow. Now and then some man's voice would call out, " Don't let; him get away ! " and there would be a score of answering shouts o^ ^'Kill him! Hang him !" "Take him up on the arch and burn him!" Around the main doors was a squad of fifteen police and a detach-^ ment of the United States marines. They had just arrived a1 the station and were in command of Captain Leonard. They formed their line, and in a loud clear voice, came the order, "Load rifles!" The breeches clicked, and the men held up to plain view the hard steel and the encasing brass as they filled the Lee-Metfords with cartridges. The moral effect was obvious, for the women started the movement to draw back, and the tense wave of vengeance seemed broken. Men and women who had been dry eyed began to cry. The lips of soldiers and policemen, were twitching, but the heads on the broad shoulders were STORY UK lUE AbhASSINATION. 197 motionless as the breath was held firm and steady. So men look when facing a niiglity duty, with a mighty heart. The little room, where the prisoner was, contained a quantity of rope of different sizes and sorts. It is the rope used for shutting off the esplanade at times of drill and especial fetes. '' Rope off the south approaches to the building so that we can get the wagon I in here," said Colonel Byrne. '* You will never get that wagon with him in it forty feet away," said Sam Ireland. HURRYING THE CULPRIT TO PRISON. " We must have a carriage and horses ; the people can stop an automobile better than they can horses." Some distance away was the carriage in which a portion of the committee had come to the Temple of Music. ''Get that carriage over there," said Scatcherdto the sergeant of the police at the southwest door. On the box of the carriage was a stockily built little Irish coachman. As he received his orders that it was to be his carriage that was to take away the would-be assassin through that eager, bloodthirsy, vengeful mob, a slow smile of pleasure spread into a delighted grin. "All right," he said curtly, aud never another word until the prisoner was safe behind bars. " Colonel Byrne, send for another platoon of police. Had you not better get them from the Second Precinct? Gentlemen, every minute of this delay is making the task all the more dangerous. This crowd is getting more and more worked up, and it is getting bigger. It reaches way out over the esplanade now. Give this man to me, and I give you ni}^ word I will get him to Buffalo. Here are two Buffalo officers who will go with me." ''The best plan is to jump him right into this carriage coming, and get right out of here," said Samuel Ireland. Captain Darner and Colonel Byrne quietly directed exterior movements of the police and informed the militar}' guards, both marines and artillerymen. The roped off space was sufficient to admit the carriage. Colonel Byrne gave the signal. Guards James and McCauley 198 STORY OF THE ASSASSINATION. were on either side of the prisoner on the edge of the table. Cap- tain Vallely led the way, and Detectives Solomon and Geary just behind. The Irish coachman whipped up his team, dashed into the door, the marines and artillerymen dropped their guns till the bayonets were at charge. The carriage drew up at the door, a policeman swung open the carriage door. The door of the southwest entrance, leading into the little room opened, and out came the prisoner and convoy. He was literally hurled into the carriage by the burly patrolmen. Secret Serviceman Foster slammed the door, and the carriage was off on a mad dash for the triumphal causeway and the Lincoln Park gateway beyond. WILD CRIES FROM THE ENRAGED CROWD. At the minute the carriage drew up a wild mad surge of the people came from all the other doors, for a ragged yell had gone up, " Here he comes! This door, this door! " The lines of soldiers and policemen swayed but held firm. "There he is ! Kill him ! Kill him! Hit him! Hit him! Don't let that carriage get away, you cowards! Stop it! Hang him! Kill the bloody Anarchist!" was a Bedlam of curses and yells from people fighting in closer, waving their fists, with here and there a revolver gleaming, as its bearer threw it up in the sunlight above his head for the safety of those around him. The roar of that mob was a sound never to be forgotten by any who have heard it. It had the deadly, intense . growl, the wild, bloodthirsty shriek, and the savage note that is heard only in the voices of the angered mob. ^ As the carriage moved away Captain Vallely swung himself free from the crowd of ofiicers and leaped with one bound to the seat beside the coachman. As the carriage forged its way to the limit beyond the rope men, and even women, sprang forward and caught the fenders, snatched at the horses' harness, and scores of| them were struck by the horses' shoulders as the crowd behind refused to let them retire suf&ciently to make passageway. The driver had a long, keen whip and plied it alternatively on the horses and the faces and heads of the crowd. Once, as the carriage neared the triumphal causeway, the crush became too STORY OF THE ASSASSINATION. 109 dense for it to seem possible to force through. Behind strong limbed, angry men were in pursuit in the wake, the carriage had seemed to swirl them in, and they were franticall}' endeavor- ing to find a hold on the smooth, polished surface and the rounded corners as they would slip and fall and be trampled on. TERRIBLE EXECRATIONS ON THE ASSASSIN. It looked as if the carriage was going to be stopped in front, but the coachman smiled, and standing up sped his long lash out in front over the horses' heads. They increased their speed to a gallop and the crowd succeeded in opening. Once on the cause- waj' all was well, for the outer limits of the crowd had been reached and the narrowness of the way be3'ond, as well as the downhill slope, facilitated the movement. Hard and fast the carriage went to the Lincoln Park gate, which swung open as the carriage drew near. From this point straight down Delaware avenue the journey was uninterrupted, only that three or four bicyclists followed, and spread the news. The prisoner from the moment he had touched the cushions of the carriage cowered in the rear left hand corner, now and then rai.s- iug his head ; as he would look out of the windows when fighting through the crowd, and he could hear their awful impre- cations as they struggled to get near enough to take the vengeance of brutes, convulsive shivers ran through his slender bod}', and his eyes rolled with terror. His lips were dry and parched, and he wetted them constantly with his tongue. Jnst south of Utica street the carriage met the light police wagon, containing Super- intendent of Buffalo Police Bull, who wheeled, and followed the carriage down to headquarters, at Station No. i, at the junction of the Terrace, Erie and Seneca streets. The carriage drew up sharply, and the prisoner was taken in while a score of idlers about looked on with bare interest. A moment later, the bike men who were following had told them that the President had been shot, and the man who had done it was the prisoner who had just been taken in. From that germ the mob fever grew and swelled. All over the vicinit}', into the 200 STORY OP^ THE ASSASSINATION. neighboring saloons and railroad men's qnarters, the tidings spread and knots of people that formed the nuclens of the downtown mob began to collect. Back at the Temple of Music the crowd con- tinned to grow larger. Rumors spread that the man who had done the shooting was still in the building, and it was necessary to hold the guards there for hours. The very fact that the guards remained convinced the people that they had been made victims of a ruse, and it was at a late hour that the last of the throng dis- persed. IDENTITY OF THE ASSASSIN DISCOVERED. It was learned by the police shortly before midnight that the man who attempted President McKinley's life is Leon F. Czolgosz, a Polish lad, who came here from Cleveland. The prisoner at first proved quite communicative, so much so, in fact, that little dependence could be placed on what he said. He first gave his name as Fred Neinian, said his home was in r| Detroit, and that he had been in Buffalo about a week. He said f he had been boarding at a place in Broadway. Later this place ^i was located as John Nowak's saloon, a Raines law hotel. No. -' 1078 Broadway. Here the prisoner occupied room 8. Nowak, i. the proprietor, said he knew very little about his guest. 4 He came there, he declared, last Saturday, sa3'ing he ^i had come to see the Pan-American, and that his home M-as in | Toledo. He had been alone at all times about Nowak's place, •■ and had no visitors. In his room was found a small traveling ■ bag of cheap make. It contained an empty cartridge box and a few clothes. With these facts in hand, the police went at the prisoner with renewed vigor, in the effort to obtain either a full ! confession or a straight account of his identity and movements prior to his arrival in Buffalo. He at first admitted that he was an Anarchist in sympathy at least, but denied strenuously that the attempt on the life of the President was the result of a pre- concerted plot on the part of any Anarchist societ}'. At times he was defiant and again indifferent. But at no^ time did he betra}^ the remotest sign of remorse. He declared* SiUKV ()!• 'llll'; AS^.VhhlNA 1 ION. *_'01 the deed was not premeditated, but in the same breath refused to say why he perpetrated it. When eharged b}- District Attorney Penny with being the instrument of an organized band of con- spirators, he protested vehemently that he never even tliought of perpetrating the crime until this morning. After long and per- sistent questioning, it was announced at police headquarters that the prisoner had made a partial confession, which he had signed. HIS BOASTFUL CONFESSION. As near as can be learned the facts contained in the confession are as follows: The man's name is Leon Czolgosz. He is of Polish-German extraction. His home is in Cleveland. He is an avowed Anar- chist, and an ardent disciple of Emma Goldman, whose teachings, he alleges, are responsible for to-day's attack on the President. He denies steadfasth' that he is the instrument of anv body of Anarchists, or the tool of any coterie of plotters. He declares he did not even have a confederate. His onlv reason for the deed, he declares, is that he believed the present form of govern- ment in the United States was unjust, and he concluded the most effective waj- to remedy it was to kill the President. These conclusions, he declares, he reached through the teachings off Emma Goldman. He denies having anj^ confederate, and sa3's he bought the revolver with which the act was committed in Buffalo. He has seven brothers and sisters in Cleveland, and the Cleveland directory has tlie names of about that number living on Plosmer street and Ackland avenue, which adjoin. Some of them are butchers and others in different trades. He shows no sign of insanit}-, but is very reticent about much of his career. While acknowledging himself an Anarchist, he does not state to what branch of the organization he belongs. CHAPTER X Additional Account of the Assassination— Two Shots in Quick Succession — Instlfht Lynching Threatened —Surgeons Summoned — Horror at the Dastardly Deed — The Nation Stunned by the Terrible News. BOTH shots took effect on the President. One struck the sternum, deviated to the right and stopped beneath the skin at the point directly below the right nipple. It was a superficial wound and the bullet was removed immediately after the arrival of surgeons. The second bullet entered and passed through the stomach. An operation, which was performed within two hours after the shooting, failed to find the bullet and the incision was sewed up. The President was removed to the home of John G. Milburn, ,- President of the Pan-American Exposition, where, at midnight, he was resting comfortably. The physicians said they were hopeful and that the wound was not necessarily fatal. The man who did the shooting gave his name as Fred Nieman, which was an assumed name. He said he was 28 years.^ old, a blacksmith by occupation, born in Detroit and had come to Buffalo the preceding Saturday. When asked why he shot the President, he said : " I only done my duty." He was asked if he was an Anarchist, and he said : " Yes, I am." The assassination had apparentl}^ been planned with care.^ The assassin entered the Temple of Music in the long line of those waiting to shake hands with the President. Over his right hand he wore a white handkerchief, as if the hand were bandaged.. Beneath this handkerchief he had concealed^a short-barrelled 32- caliber Derringer revolver. A little girl was immediately ahead of him in the line and the President, after patting her kindly on the head, turned with a,-i 202 V '■ ADninONAL ACCOUNT OF THK ASSASSINATION. lu"? smile of welcome and extended his hand. The miscreant thrust out both liis hands, brushed aside the President's rii^ht liand, with his left hand, lurched forward against the President, and thrusting his right hand close against his breast, pulled the trigger twice. The shots came in such quick succession as to be almost simultaneous. At the first shot the President quivered and clutched at his chest. At the second shot he doubled slightly forward and sank back. It all happened in an instant. Quick as he was, the assassin was not quick enough to fire a third shot. Almost before the noise of the firing sounded, he was seized by S. R. Ireland, of the United States Secret Service, in charge of the New York district, who stood directly opposite the President. Ireland hurled him to the floor. LEAPED ON HIM AS HE FELL. A negro, named John Parker, leaped upon him as he fell^ and they rolled over on the floor. Soldiers of the United States artillery-, detailed at the reception, sprang upon the pair, and Exposition police and Secret Service detectives also rushed upon them. Detective Gallagher clutched the assassin's right hand, tore from it the handkerchief and seized the revolver. The artil- lerymen, seeing Gallagher with the revolver, grabbed him and held him powerless, snatching the pistol from his grasp. Private Frank O'Brien, of the artillery, got the pistol. Gallagher held to the ban kerchief. Ireland and the negro held the anarchist, endeavoring, with the aid of Secret Service Detective Foster, to shield him from the attacks of the infuriated artillery-men and the policemen's clubs. Meanwhile the President, supported by Detective Geary and President Milburn, and surrounded by Secretar}' George B. Cor- telyou and a number of Exposition officials, was aided to a chair. His face was death!}- white. Pie made no outcry, but sank back with one hand holding his abdomen, the other fumbling at his breast. His CA-es were open and he was clearly conscious of all that transpired. He looked up into President Milburn's face 204 ADDITIONAL ACCOUNT OF THE ASSASSINATION. and gasped the name of his secretary, Cortel3'ou- Mr. Cortelyou bent over the President, who gasped brokenly : " Be careful about my wife. Do not tell her, or, at least, do not exaggerate it." Then, moved by a paroxysm of pain, he writhed to the left and his eyes fell upon the prostrate form of his would-be murderer lying on the floor, bloodstained and helpless, beneath the blows of the guard. The President raised his right hand, stained with his own blood, and placed it on the shoulder of his secretary. "Let no one hurt him," he gasped, and sank back, as his secre- tary ordered the guard to bear the culprit out of the President's sight. SEARCHED BY THE POLICE. They carried him into a side room at the northeast corner of the temple. There they searched him and found upon him a letter relating to lodgings. They washed the blood from his face and asked him who he was and why he had done the dreadful deed. He made no answer at once, but finallj^ gave the name of Nieman. He was of medium height, smooth shaven^ brown- haired, dressed as an ordinary mechanic. He offered no expla- nation of the bloody deed, except that he was an anarchist and had done his duty. An ambulance from the Exposition Emergency Hospital was summoned immediately, and the President, still conscious, sank upon the stretchers and, accompanied by President Milburn and Secretary Cortelyou, was hurried to the hospital, where, in nine minutes after the shooting, he was awaiting the coming of surgeons who had been summoned instantly from all parts of the city and by special trains from near by. The President was entirely conscious as he lay on the stretcher in the hospital. He conversed with his Secretary and Mr. Milburn. "I am sorry," he said "to have been the cause of trouble to this Exposition or inconvenience to its officials or the people." The three thoughts in his mind were : First, for his wife ; second, that the assassin should not be harmed : third, regret for any inconvenience occasioned. i ADDITIONAL ACCOINT OF THE ASSASSINATION. oft'i The news of the shooting spread with ,ij^reat rapidity through- out the Exposition. People were dumbfounded and appalled. Women wept. Strong men asked where it had happened, and when they learned they turned with blanched faces and clenched hands toward the Temple of Music. The light of vengeance gleamed in their eves as the throng grew into a multitude. Inside the Temple, with the President gone and his assailant helpless in a side room, the problem arose of how to get the assassin away from the grounds and be3'ond the reach of the people. Some advised hurrying him out by a back way, but even the back wa^-s were watched by the throng. Others advocated attempting the dash through the crowd with him, but this was abandoned when suggested. Guards were sent for and more details of soldiers. A carriage was called, a space had been roped off south of the Temple with a heavy rope. The crowd was soon dragging out the iron stanchions holding this rope and was meas- uring it near a tall flag pole. CRIES OF "LYNCH HIM!" " Lynch him !'' cried a hundred voices, and a start was made for one of the entrances of the Temple of Music. The soldiers and police sprang outside and beat back the orowd. To and fro they fought. In the midst of the confussion the assassin, still bleeding from his blows and pale and silent, with his shirt torn, was led out quickly by Captain James E. \'alleley. Chief of the Exposition Detectives, Assistant Commandant Robertson and detectives. They thrust him into the closed carriage. Three detectives leaped in with him, and Captain Valleley jumped upon the driver's seat, as they lashed the horses into a gallop. A roar of rage burst from the crowd, '' Murderer ! Assassin ! Lynch him ! " yelled the crowd, and men, women and children tore at the guards, sprang at the horses, and clutched the whirl- ing wheels of the carriage. The murderer huddled back in the corner, concealed by the bodies of two detectives. " The rope I the rope ! " yelled the crowd, and they started forward, all in one great fight, the soldier v to save, the citizens to take, the man's 206 ADDITlOxNAL ACCOUNT OF THE ASSASSINATION. life. Soldiers fouglit a wa}^ clear at the heads of the horses, and, persued b}- infuriated thousands, the carriage whirled across the esplanade and vanished through Lincoln Parkway gate, going down Delaware Avenue to reacli the police headquarters. " Where hgA^e they taken him?" asked the crowd of the soldiers. When the soldiers told them, hundreds hurried to the exits and started towards the city in search of the life of the assassin. They gathered at police headquarters, and as the evening wore awa}/, their number grew. They waited as if for a signal. Again and again they would repeat the question, " Is the President still alive?" and when the answer came that there was hope, they turned again toward the building and waited in silence. GROANS AND SOBS. At the emergency hospital, while the throng was crying for the life of the villain, the Exposition of&cials and the railroad officials and the telegraph officials were searching the city and the adjacent country for the greatest surgeons. The}^ learned that Dr. Rosw'ell Park was at Niagara Falls and General Agent Harry Parr\% of the New York Central Railroad, ordered a special train to hurry him to the President's side. Dr. E. W. Lee, of St. Louis, Dr. Storer, of Chicago, and other medical men were on the grounds, and they joined the hospital staffi The President was borne out of the Temple of Music at .|i 4.14 o'clock by Doctors Hall, Ellis and Mann, Jr., of the hospital, y in charge of the ambulance. The crowd fell back when it saw the figure of the President. Groans and. sobs were the only sounds heard. There was no need for the police to ask the crowd to move back. The crowd itself cleared a pathway along the course shouting ahead, " Keep back, keep back ; make waj^, make wa3^" Colonel Chapin, of General Roe's staff, with the mounted escort which had accompained President IMcKinle}^ in his outdoor appearance since his arrival in Buffalo, surrounded the ambulance, and at full gallop they whirled to the hospital. With them went ADDlllUNAL ALLULM Ul- lllL AbbAShlNA lloN. 207 President Mil burn and Secretary Cortelyou. Six doctors were at the President's side within thirty seconds after his arrival. Miss Walters, the superintendent of the nurses of the hospital, immedi- ately had all made read}- for the task of the surgeons. Outside the police established safety lines and the crowd fell back, stand' ing silent or moving softly. The President was stripped and placed where the surgeons might see his wounds. Guarding the door was Detecti,ve P^oster, of the Secret Service, and his assistants. In the room with the President besides the surgeons were ]\Ir. Milburn and Secretary Cortelvou. In the hall of the hospital were Chairman Scatcherd and Secretar}' of Agriculture Wilson and other prominent men. When a face appeared for a moment at the hospital door the crowd trembled as if expecting to hear that the President was dead. When the announcement came, the first announcement, that he was shot twice, but that there was hope of his life, people hugged each other and silently waved their hats in the air or clapped their hands and murmured gratefully with eyes closed. ONE BULLET EXTRACTED. At 4.45 o'clock the good word came that one of the bullets had been extracted, that his wound was superficial and had done no serious harm. It was jo3'ous, but a moment later came the news of the second bullet and the second wound. The surgeons were in consultation before beginning an operation. At 5.07 a small gray-bearded man pushed his way through the crowd and ap- proached the hospital. He was Dr. Matthew D. Mann and Mr. Scatcherd met him at the hospital door precisely one hour after the President had been shot. The surgeons were waiting for the coming of the President's physician. Dr. P. M. Rixey, and for Dr. Park. At 5.52 o'clock Secretary W- \'. Cox, of the Government Board of Exposition Managers, arrived with Dr. Rixey, Mrs. Rixey and Mrs. Cortelyou. They had come from the Milburn home, where Mrs. McKinlej- was sleeping, all unconscious of the calamity that had befallen the President. On the space before the 203 ADDITIONAL ACCOUNT OF THE ASSASSINATION. hospital officers of tlie arni}^ and nav}', including Captain Hobson, and directors of the Exposition, bankers and diplomats, stood in silence awaiting the result of what the surgeons might decide. The President of the Cuban Commission to the Exposition, Senor Edelberto Farres, appeared with his full commission and conveyed to those within the hospital the announcement that Ciiba sorrowed with the American people and that whatever she could do would be a favor and an honor to the island. One by one the diplomats reiterated these sentiments. The Ambassadors and Ministers stood eagerly waiting for the slightest ray of hope. They heard in silence at 6 o'clock the announcement by Captain Valleley that he had delivered the prisoner safely at police head- quarters in the custody of the detectives who had seized him. THE THRONG KEEP SILENT. 9 The 6 o'clock whistles were blowing when -Mr. Scatcherd and Mr. Hamlin emerged from the hospital and asked that the crowd move still further back and preserve quiet. Their request was obeyed instantly, even the small boys ceasing their shouts. It was announced that the President was about to undergo the j operation to find the second bullet. Dr. Mann with Drs. Par- -| menter, Mynter and Rixey were to be in charge of the operating J room with Dr. Mann. As already stated the second bullet was not found, and the hope was that it would become encycted and result in no harm. It is impossble to describe the overw^helming shock to our whole country by the awful tragedy. Washington was simply_J stunned by the news that President McKinley had been shot. As the word spread through the streets like wildfire, men and women looked at each other, and said : "I don't believe it." It was fully thirty minutes after the first bulletin was placarded before the awful truth was appreciated. At all points where the slightest intelligence could be secured from Buffalo, people congregated in sad and sorrowful crowds. There were no demonstrations beyond muttered horror and low execrations of the dastardly deed. Thousands gazed in silence ADDI 1 lON'AI. ACCOUNT i)\' Till: ASSASSINATION. 2O0 ill the biilktiii boards, and as succrcdiiiL; notices l)roni;lit no i\ assurance, tears were wiped from their eyes and suppressed subs were heard throughout the throui;'. Gradually the tone of the despatches chant^'ed and a reaction set in, until at last, when a bulletin was displayed announcing that the President would recover, a hearty cheer went up from thousands of throats and the tension was at an end. Then the people broke out in nois}- discussion of the terrible event and if all the threats and suggestions of extermination against the r Anarchists could have been put into active operation not one of the breed would have been alive in the United States at midnight. OTHER ASSASSINATIONS. It was only twentv years, two decades, since Washington was [.last startled b}- the report of the assassin's pistol, and President Garfield was shot down in the Penns34vania railroad depot. Thirt3'-six years before, onl}' a little more than a generation, the greatest tragedy in the history of the nation was enacted when President Lincoln was murdered. \Va.shington felt these tragic events in a peculiar manner. To the people of this city the President of the United States is a living, tangible personality, a part of the ever3'da3' life of the citv, and anv accident or disaster happening to him touches ever3' one most closely and personalh'. h The news that President McKinley had been shot struck ever3' one as though a close friend or member of his familv had been the victim of the murderous assault. The news came shortl3' after the closing of the departments for the day, when thousands of Government employees, men and women, were on the streets homeward bound. As the word sped along that the President had been shot, ladies would rush toward an3- one who they thought could give information and demand : ''Is it so? Is it so?'' Strong men broke down and wept like children. Xowhere in the l^iited States was President McKinley known so well as in Washington, where he first came as a young member of Congress some twentv-five years before. It so happened that not a member of his Cabinet was present I 210 ADDITIONAL ACCOUNT OF THE ASSASSINATION. in tlie cit3\ Scattered all over tlie country, enjoying, as he had been, their annual vacation, his official family received the sad intelligence in widel}^ separated localities. The assistant secre- taries and chiefs of the bureaus in all the departments were speedily informed of the horrible event at Buffalo. Some of these men, like Comptroller of the Currency Dawes, had not left their of&ces, and the shock to them was almost paralyzing. They rushed to the nearest telegraph and news- paper offices in the hope that the first report was untrue. When confirmation of the tidings was received, these men, many of them close, warm personal friends of the President, sank down and sobbed like children. FELT IT AS A PERSONAL LOSS. Each one felt that the death of the President would be a distinct personal blow to himself The}^ began to rehearse in broken voices the virtues and magnificent character of William McKinley. Then they would be shaken with a wave of horror that any creature of human semblance and possessed of thought and soul could take the life of such a man. At the War Department, General Gillespie, wdio is Acting Secretary of War, and Colonel Ward, who is Acting Adjutant General, were in their offices when the news came from Buffalo. Colonel Wiser, commandant of Fort Porter, at Buffalo, wired directly to the Department, giving official information of the shooting of the President and the arrest of the would-be assassin. The despatch follows : "Adjutant General, U. S. A., Washington, D. C. : " President shot at reception in Temple of IMusic about 4 P. M. Corporal Bertschey and detail of men of my company caught the assassin at once and held him down till the Secret Service nieu overpowered him and took the prisoner out of their hands, my men being unarmed. Condition of President not known. Re- volver in my possession. " Buff"alo, September 6. "(Signed) WISER, Commanding." ADDITIOXAL ACCOUNT OF llli: ASSASSINA'I lOX. -jl ] The War Department officials iimiiediately (•oiiiiminiealeci with Secretary Root and Assistant Secretary Sanger, wlio were at their homes in New \\)rk, and instrnctions were sent to Colonel Wiser, at Fort Porter, to detail men to act as a gnard abont the hospital where the President lay, and afterward abont the honse Id which he was removed. At the White Honse there were none bnt the corps of clerks and telegraph operators present, bnt inqniries by the hnndred were received over the telephone and the telegraph, asking for official news. Colonel ^Montgomery, chief of the operators at the White Honse, gave ont the bnlletins as rapidl}' as they were received, bnt tliev were only a repetition of those coming in at the news- paper offices and over the regnlar telegraph wires. Hnndreds of anxions citizens passed under the White Honse portals, or stopped to inquire the latest news, evideuth' attracted to the official home of the great man whom they believed to be dying in Buffalo. At the Secret Service Bureau the officials in charge did not care to discuss the shooting, except to join in the general expressions of horror that an attempt should be made upon the life of the President. Chief Wilkie, of the bureau, was absent from the city, and none of his subordinates cared to discuss the precautions that had been taken to prevent just such a tragedy as had occurred. OBJECTION TO BEING GUARDED. The President always requested Chief Wilkie and his assist- ants to refrain from making public the arrangements for guarding him on his trips and at his receptions. The President, however, never moved out of Washington, nor did he appear at any public function without alert officers of the Secret Service Bureau being near to him. In most cases he did not know the men who were detailed to guard him, and was not consulted about the arrange- ments. He never had the slightest personal fear, and was averse to the detailing of men to guard him. In a general way he knew that the Secret Service officers were in attendance, but his move- ments were always unrestricted and made without an}- thought of possible danger to himself. 212 ADDITIONAL ACCOUNT OF THE ASSASSINATION. When lie entered upon liis first term as President lie abolished some of the prominent guard provisions about the White House. The number of policemen was reduced and the little sentry box which had been erected on the front lawn during President Cleveland's second administration and from which an officer could keep an eye on all the approaches to the front of the Executive Mansion was removed by Mr. McKinley's direction. When a member of Congress, Mr. McKinley had formed the habit of taking long walks through the streets, and when he returned to Washington as President he resumed the practice as far as time would permit. He walked frequently in the north- western section of the cit}- and often was seen taking his consti- tutional along Penns3dvania avenue and other business streets. " HAVE NEVER DONE ANY MAN A WRONG." In this he followed the example of President Grant and Presi- dent Harrison, both of whom were familiar figures on the streets of the Capital. If any one suggested to President McKinley that he should exercise precaution he invariably answered*: — "I have never done any man a wrong and believe no man will ever do me one." The idea that his life might be at the mercy of a murderous crank never entered his head. When it was suggested to him he nierel}^ laughed and said he was not afraid to trust the people. Of late years President McKinley had not walked so much, but it was principally because of lack of time. During the Spanish w^ar he was kept so closely to his ofi&ce that he had to give up the long, pleasant strolls he formerh' had taken in the residence por- tion of the cit}-. With his private secretary he would repair to the grounds in the rear of the White House and walk rapidly to and fro for a few moments to get the ph3'sical exercise he needed. During those troublous times the watchmen were doubled about the White House grounds, but not at the sugges- tion of the President. Secret Service men were stationed near the Mansion or within its doors, but without the knowledge or consent of the Chief Executive. ADDITIONAL ACCOUNT OF THE ASSASSINATION. 213 Officials of the Secret v^ervice P)iirean 1)elievc that tlie trai^edy was unavoidable. They say it eoiild have occurred at any (»f the President's receptions in the \\'liite House. At these public funetions, where the President shakes hands with two or three thousand }K'o])le, any one can jjass scrutiny wh. get additional particular.s and in watcliing the bulletin board and the extra editions of the new.spapers for information on the con- dition of the distinguislied Cantonian. Gronp.s of men .standing on the street, the tears streaming down tlieir cheeks as they dis- cussed the awful tragedy, were a common sight about thcbusiues.s section ofthecit3^ At first the news was not believed. But the confirmation came all too soon. The Stark County fair, which the President attended Tuesday, was just closing when the first news came. The race track, the side shows and the various exhibits were deserted in one grand rush for the car line to reach the city, where the news might be received more fully and more promptly. THEY HURRIED TO THE HOUSE. Then with the hope of receiving earlier and more direct news man}' people hurried to the McKinle^^ house, which was in the charge of eight servants and attaches, who were there during the summer vacation. No information was received at the house until late in the evening. Dr. T. H. Phillips, who is regarded as the President's ph3'sician, although he had little use for the services of a physician, regarded the President as a man of most remarkable constitution and able to resist what would prove fatal to one of the average strength. If prime condition of health and a naturall}^ strong constitution could overcome the assaults of the assassin, the Canton friends of the President felt that he would yet be spared. Mrs. M. C. Barber, the sister of Mrs. McKinlej-, wastheonl}^ near relative of the famil}' in the city. She bore up heroicall}' under the terrible news, but was well nigh prostrated, aside from the condition of the President ; she suffered from a realization of what the affair must mean to her sister. Every time President McKinle\' was at Canton since his first inauguration he was accompanied b}- George Foster, formerl}' of Upper Sandusky, of the Secret Service, who guarded him as closely as the President would allow. This did not amount to shadowing all of his movements, because this was distasteful to the Presi- 224 MRS. Mckinley hears the appalling news. dent. He al.so watclied the McKinley premises more or less closely, especially at niglit, and occasionally had the local police keep a little closer to the house than their regular beats provided. He also kept in close touch with the Secret Service headquarters and investigated every rumor reported to him of which there were nlan3^ The onlv semblance of a scare that occurred durino- the two months' sojourn of the President to Canton was about three weeks before. Foster, during his usual rounds, saw a man passing the McKinley home two or three times in a manner that indicated more than idle curiosity. He watched the man's movements and saw him pass through a private drivewa}^ between the McKinley home and the Bockius residence adjoining. His hat was drawn over his face and there were other suspicious actions. THE STRANGER SHADOWED. Foster shadowed the stranger and he quickened his pace toward the center of town. Two blocks below the McKinley home the stranger boarded a trolley car. Foster got on the same car. They both went through the public square and were trans- ferred east. Four blocks further the line turns at right angles. The stranger jumped off the car at this point and Foster got off as the corner was rounded. The secret service man went through the corridor of the Barnett House to the street on which the stranger had left the car, but found no further trace of him. All the saloons in the vicinit}' were visited without results, as were also the railway stations and yards half a block away. The supposition then was that the fellow was either irresponsible or a possible burglar at one or the other of the two houses. The Bockius home belongs to a wealth}^ famil}- and in the past has been visited by burglars, who were well rewarded. Joseph Saxton, Mrs. McKinley's uncle, on receiving the news, said : " I was terribl}^ shocked to hear the news. I am in hopes that he will recover, and I trust in God and believe He will take care of him." Rev. Dr. C. E. Manchester, pastor of the President's church, said : " I have strong hopes of the President's recover}^, as he is AIRS. McKIXLEY HEARS THE APPALLING NEWS. 225 a man of such clean life and good habits. He never intimated tc me that he had any fear of such a thing, and 1 don't believe that he knew what personal fear was. He is a Christian in the true sense of the word and is a man who has strong faith in an over- ruling Providence." The news of the assassination of the President did not reach Cardinal Gibbons until nearl}- 7 o'clock in the evening, his Emi- nence having been out driving. Soon after he heard it a reporter called npon him in his stud3\ His Eminence, as the visitor entered, raised his hands in mute appeal, and in a voice which shook with emotion exclaimed : "I hope from the bottom of ni}- heart, sir, that you bring me some better news than that which I have heard." TRIBUTE FROM CARDINAL GIBBONS. Upon being informed that the condition of the President was still very grave, the Cardinal sank into a chair and said : *' It is sad, indeed, that an insane fanatic can have it in his power to endanger the life of the head of a great nation like this, and a man possessing the many virtues of President McKinley. The man who did it must be a mad man. The President has no personal enemies and no one but a madman would have committed such a deed. If, however, he has a spark of reason left, and it can be shown that he is responsible, no punishment would be too great for him." After a moment's hesitation the Cardinal resumed : "I am filled with sadness beyond expression at receiving this news. I not onl}' honor President AIcKinley as the head of a great nation, but I have the privilege of regarding him as a friend and am obligated to him for many favors. I repeat that this awful calamity must have been the work of an insane man, for, while the President had hosts of political opponents, it seems incredible that he could have a personal enem3^ " But few Presidents who have occupied the chair have been better equipped for the Presidency than he. He was trained for the place bv having served his countrv in minor capacities, as 15 ' " 226 MRS. McKINLEY HEARS THE APPALLING NEWS. Congre.s.smaii, Governor, and the effect of this training has been repeated!}' shown dnring his Presidential career. " His characteristic virtnes are patience and forbearance. He is always read}- to receive an}- one and to give careful attention to any demand upon him, whatever might be their character. The wound which has been inflicted upon him is not onl}^ a national calamit}- bnt comes as a personal affliction to every house in the land. Ever}^ son and everj^ daughter in the United States should feel it as they Avould feel a blow struck at the head of his or her famil}-. "I have always heard him most admired for his domestic virtues and for his tender affection and solicitude for his wife. No more beautiful example of domestic virtue and felicit}' has prob- abl}^ ever been seen in this or au}^ other country than that of President and Mrs. McKinlc}-. UNSHAKEN ON FIRM FOUNDATION. " It is my earnest pra3'er that the Lord ma}- spare him to fill out the term he has begun so well. But whatever be the outcome of this awful crime, of course the nation will remain unshaken upon the firm foundation our forefathers builded for it. " Perhaps the best tribute to the stabilit}^ of our institutions is the fact that, whilst the blow at the President arouses universal sorrow and indignation, it does not in the least shake our faith in the correctness of the principles of our government, and will not retard for an instant its machinery or create more than a passing ripple upon the waters over which is gliding our noble Ship of State. "You may announce, if you want," said his Eminence, in conclusion, "that I will order immediately that prayers shall be held in every church in my diocese on Sunday next. If the President still lives, and God grant that he may, the}^ will be for his recovery." The news of the assassination of President McKinley was received in London shortly before lo o'clock at night, and quickly spread through the clubs and hotels of the West End. Details MRS. .M(Ki.\Li;v iii:aks iiii: aii'ai.unc ni:\vs. 227 were meai^cr, \)\\l it was understood tlial the wounds were >.LTi ai and that the President's life was in danger. All who heard the sad intelligence were outspokeu in their expressions of horror at ihe occurrence and S3'nipathy wath Mrs. McKinley. Ever3^body hoped that the President would recover sufficient!}^ again to direct the affairs of state. Onl}- a short time before the English people were S3nnpathizing with President McKinlc}^ because of his wife's serious illuess, and now the}- tendered con- dolence to her because of the terrible deed at Buffalo. The first reports were discredited ; then, with the confirma- tion and general dissemination of the news, arose a far-reaching feeling of sorrow and indignation, which, wherever Americans were gathered, almost gained the proportions of a panic, accom- panied by feverish anxiet}- for further details. The thousands of Americans in London were mostl}- at the theatres when the news arrived, and returning to their hotels found anxious groups of Englishmen and Americans discussing, what, without distinction of race, was regarded as a national calamity. ANXIOUS INQUIRIES. London's telephones, usuallv silent at night, tingled with impatient inquiries addressed to newspapers and American cor- respondents in the hope of securing a denial of the report. The announcement of the assassination was received too late for extra editions of the papers to announce the news to the mass of the English people. A correspondent conveyed the intelligence to Mr. J. W. Macka}', Colonel Ochiltree, Messrs. C. L. Pullman and J. W. Gates and man}- others, all of whom desired to express their unspeakable indignation at the cowardly act, and deepest sympathy with President ^McKinle}'. In no part of the country was the death of President McKinley more sincerely mourned tliau in our Southern States. In a letter to the " Manufacturer's Record," of Baltimore, United States Senator J. D. McLaurin, of South Carolina, told of an inter^'iew which he had with President McKinle}', one da\' during the earh' (la\'s of the Spanish War. 228 MRS. McKINLEY HEARS ThE APPALLING NEWS. " The President," says Senator McLaurin, "spoke beanti- fully and tenderly of the Southern people, and of how he intended to use the power and influence of his great oflice to reunite our country. I can recall the words, but who can paint the earnestness and eloquence as, raising one hand on high, he said : ' Senator, by the help of God I propose to be the President: of the whole countr}^, the South as much as the North, and befoie the end of my term the South will understand this.' " No wonder, as a true Southern man, I loved and trusted President McKinley. I stood by him in the Senate and else- where, and I thank God that I did. Patriotic in purpose and pure in heart, his noble soul is now with Him whom the hate of man nailed to the cross. Like Lincoln, who saved the country, McKinley, who reunited it, lies a martyr to envy and hate." HISTORY'S ROLL OF ASSASSINATIONS. Two Presidents of the United States and many rulers of other nations were assassinated during the nineteenth century. Abraham Lincoln was the first President of the United States to meet death at the hands of an assassin. As ever}^ schoolboy knows, he was shot b}- the insane actor, Wilkes Booth, in Ford's Theatre, Washington, on the evening of April 14, 1865. The President died the next da}-, and Booth, though he escaped at the time, was shot in a barn a few da}- s later, and his body was buried at sea b}' attaches of the Secret Service. James A. Garfield, the second martyr President, received his fatal wound July 2, 1881. His assassin was Charles Guiteau, who came upon his victim as he was standing in the Baltimore and Potomac railway station in the National Capital. The Presi- dent was on his way at the time to attend the commencement exercises of Williams College, and accompanying him was his Secretar}^ of State, James G. Blaine. As the President was walking through the station, arm in arm with his secretary, Guiteau, draw- ing a heavy revolver from his pocket, fired at the President. Once more Guiteau fired, and the President dropped to the HISTORY'S ROLL OF ASSASSLXA TIONS. ^.j;, lloor, covered witli blood. Guiteau fled, but was caU'^ht before he left the station. Meanwhile the President neither moved nor spoke. Au ambulance took him to the White House, where the best surgeons of Washington were hastih' summoned. Contrary to the expectations of the surgeons, the President rallied from his torpor, and, after several da^'s, it was determined to remove him to the seashore. He was taken to Elberon, N. J., where, for a time, the sea breezes seemed to assist nature in restoring his health. For eighty da^'s he lingered, and then, on Monday, Sep- tember lo, 1881, death relieved him of his sufferings. ATTEMPT ON LIFE OF PRESIDENT JACKSON. Few persons remember the attempt of Richard Lawrence to shoot President Jackson. It occurred on Januar}- 30, 1835. On that day the two Houses of Congress convened for the obsequies of W. R. Davis, a Representative from South Carolina, then recently deceased. President Jackson and the heads of departments were in attend- ance. After a discourse by the Chaplain of the House, a funeral procession was formed, in which the President walked a.rm in arm with the Secretary of the Treasur}^, Levi Woodbury. The procession left the hall of the House of Representatives and was passing through the rotunda, on the way to the eastern portico, when Lawrence, as he perceived the President approach, stepped forward from the crowd, advanced to within a few feet of him, drew a pistol, aimed it at the President, and pulled the trigger. The cap missed fire. Secretarv Woodbury- and others sprang to arrest him; he, however, had time to draw another pistol, but this second attempt to shoot was equally unsuccesful. He was thrown down, disarmed and secured. In taking aim he stood so near the President that the latter instinctiveh' started forward to strike the pistol aside with his cane; so that, had not the caps failed, there is every probability that a dangerous, probablv a fatal woniul would have been given. The trial of Ivawrence was postponed until April, apparentU" 230 HISTORY'S ROLL OF ASSASSINATIONS. to allow time for searcliing his antecedents and investigating his mental condition. Both, the evidence and Lawrence's demeanor in the court room satisfied the public at the time that the shoot- ing was the act of a lunatic. He had for some time believed himself to be King of the United States and Jackson to be an intruder and usurper. In the court room his behavior was so wild and disorderly that his counsel begged that he might be removed and the trial proceeded without him. When the District Attorne}- commenced speaking, Lawrence started up, wildly exclaiming : " What means this personal indignity ? Is it decreed that I am to be brought here ? And for what ? I desire to know if I, who claim the crown of the United States, likewise the crown of Great Britain, and who am superior to this court, am to be treated thus ? " And the proceedings were frequently broken by like interruptions. As the jur}^ agreed with the medical men that he was an irresponsible monomanic, he was committed to an asylum. KING HUMBERT OF ITALY. The last ruler to be assassinated in the nineteenth century was King Humbert of Italy. Bresci, an anarchist from Paterson, N. J., chosen expressly for the purpose, shot the King at Monza, a small town near Milan, on July 29, 1900. Death came almost instantl3\ Bresci was imprisoned in an underground cell, whose width compelled him to stand continually da}^ and night. Onl}^ a few weeks ago the newspapers recorded the fact that the assassin, worn out b}^ the harsh treatment accorded him by his keepers, had committed suicide. Elizabeth, Empress of Austro-Hungar}-, was stabbed to death by Lucheni, an anarchist, September 10, 1898, while she was re- cuperating in the Swiss city of Geneva. At the time of the stab- bing the Empress was out walking. She had taken no precaution against violence. She was removed to her hotel, where she died two hours later. It was on June 24, 1894, that President Carnot, of France, was stabbed by an Italian anarchist named Santo, who managed HISTORY'S ROLL < >I" A'-^ XSSI NATIONS. 231 to get close to him, on the pretext of presenting a petition, while he was driving through the streets of Lyons. Santo had drawn lots at a meeting of anarchists to kill Carnot. Following Carnot's death anti-Italian riots ensued throughout the length and breadth of France. Alexander II of Russia, the liberator of the serfs, was killed by an explosion of a bomb thrown by a man who himself was killed b}^ the same explosive. The assassination took place at St. Petersburg, March 13, 1881, as the Czar was returning froui a review of his favorite regiment. Only a few hours before he had been warned that the Nihilists were awaiting their opportunity to take his life. DEATH OF AN INSANE CZAR. The insane Paul I, of Russia, was killed by Count Pablen, on ]\Iarch 24, 1801. Paul's own son, Alexander I, who was near, was fully cleared from complicity in the assassination. jMichael IV, of Ser^aa, was assassinated June 20, 1868. Nasr-Ed-Din, Shah of Persia, was assassinated May i, 1896, as he was entering the shrine near his palace. The man who shot him was disguised as a woman, and is believed to have been a tool of a band of conspirators. He was caught and suffered the most horrible death that Oriental ingenuity could devise. Juan Idiarte Borda, President of Uruguay, was killed August 27, 1897, at ^Montevideo by Avelino Arredondo, an officer in the UrugU3'an army. Sultan Abdul Aziz, of Turkey, was killed mysteriously June 4, 1876. It was suspected that members of the royal family had a hand in his assassination. Sultan Selim, of Turkey, was stabbed in 1S08. President D'Istria, of Greece, died from a saber wound in 1831 ; Duke of Parma, Italv, was killed in 1854. The President of Ilayti was stabbed in 1859. President Baita, of Peru, was shot in 1872. President Moreno, of Kcuador, was shot in 1872, and his successor, President Guthrie, suffered the same fate in 1873. President Barrios, Guatemala, was shot in 1S85. The Queen of Greece was poisoned. 232 HISTORY'S ROLL OF ASSASSINATIONS. Among other famous assassinations was that of Gustavus III, of Sweden. He was shot at a masquerade ball by Count Aukerstiono, March i6, 1792. Balthazar Gerard was the assassin of William the Silent, of Orange, at Delft, July 10, 1584. Henry IV, of France, was killed by Ravaillar, May 14, 16 10. The murderer was burned, torn b}^ hot pincers, hot lead was poured into his wounds and finall}' he was pulled asunder by horses. A monk, Jacques Clement, was the assassin of Henry III, of France. The date was July 31, 1589. While escaping from the battlefield of Sanchielburn James III, of Scotland, was killed by the rebel Borthwick, June II, 1488. MURDER IN SCOTLAND. James I, of Scotland, was murdered at Perth by conspirators, headed by Sir Robert Graham and Earl Athol, February 21, 1437. The assassins were hanged. John the Fearless, of Burgundy, while conferring with the French Dauphin on the bridge of Montereau, was assassinated by Orleanists, the Dauphin's attendants, September 10, 1419. Darius III, of Persia, was killed 330 B. C. by Bessus, who was torn to pieces. Philip II, of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great, was assassinated b}^ Pausanias at Aegae during the celebration of games at his daughter's wedding, 336 B. C. Julius Caesar was assassinated 44 B. C. by Brutus at the foot of the statute of Pompey, the base of which was bathed in Caesar's blood. iVttempts at assassination of rulers have been legion. Some of those from the time of George III down follow : George III of England, mad attempt by Margaret Nicholson, August 2, 1786, again, by James Hatfield, May 15, 1800. Napoleon I, attempt by an infernal machine, December 24, 1800. George IV (when regent), attempt, January 26, 1S17. IIISTUKVS ROLL OK ASSASSINATIONS. o^., Louis IMiili})pc of France, many atlcnipts, by iMcschi, July 28, 1835; by Allband, June 2^, 183b; Ijy Mcnnier, I)ecenil)er 27. 1836; by Darnios, October 15, 1840; by Leeonite, April 14, 1846; by Henry, July, 29, 1846. Frederick William IV of Prussia, attempt, by Sofcla^i^e, May 22, 1850. Francis Joseph of Austria, attempt, by Libcnyi, Februar}' i-S 1853- Isabella II of Spain, attempts b}' La Riva. May 4, 1847 ; by- Merino, February 2, 1852 ; by Raymond Fueiites, May 28, 1856. Napoleon III, attempts by Pianori, April 28, 1855 ; by Bellemarre, September 8, 1855 ; by Orisini and others (Frauce), January 14, 1858. Amedeus, Duke of Aosta, when King of Spain, attempt, July 19. 1872. Prince Bismarck, attempt, by Blind, May 7, 1866 ; by Kull- nian, July 13, 1S74. Abdul Aziz, Sultan of Turkey, June 4, 1876. William I of Prussia and Germany, attempts, by Oscar Becker, July 14, 1861 ; by Hodel, May 11, 1878; by Dr. Nobel- iug, June 2, 1878. Humbert I, King of Italy, attempt, by John Passaranti, March 17, 1888. Lord L3'tton, Viceroy of India, attempt, by Busa, December 12. 187S. Alfonso XII of Spain, attempts, by J. O. Moncast, October 25, 1878 ; by Francisco Otero Gonzales, December 30, 1879. Loris Melikoff, Russian general, attempt, March 4, iSSo. CHAPTER XIL Strong Hopes at First of the President's Recovery — Days of Anxious Suspense— Some Account of the Assassin — Ar- rest of Notorious Anarchists. POR six days after the President Avas shot the bulletins an- A nounced that his condition was favorable and there was a prospect of his recovery. This intelligence was everywhere received with great rejoicing, and relieved the agony of suspense. On September 8th the following statement was made by a promi- nent surgeon, who was among those in attendance upon the President : " In regard to the present condition of President McKinley, I would call your attention to the fact that it is but little over forty-eight hours since the shot was fired. It is as yet too soon to speak confidenth^ of the outcome. At the present hour, how- tver, and giving due consideration to the severity of the injury and the importance and extent of the operation required, the patient's condition is entirely satisfactor^^ "It is gratifying to find that up to the present time none of the numerous signs of inflammation or septic conditions have appeared. The temperature is not too high. It is low^er to-night than it was this morning. The pulse is better ; the facial expres- sion is entirel}^ satisfactory ; the mind is clear ; there is no pain or tenderness, no nausea, and no distension of the abdomen. At this stage I consider that this is a satisfactory condition, and vet it is much too soon to feel real confidence that unfavorable condi- tions have been entirel}^ escaped — entirely too soon to make au}^ such statements. For the present we are entirely satisfied, and if these conditions continue for the next two days we shall feel further confidence. "I may add to that this truthful tribute : If the President 234 HUrES UK TIIK rRESIDENTS RKCUVERY. 235 lives, he will owe his life to the promptness and surgical skill which his professional attendants showed." A correspondent who learned all the particulars of the Presi- dent's condition made the following comments : " President McKinley maintains a good measure of his strength, and those who watch at his bedside hold higher hope for his ulti- mate recover}'. The shock from the wounds inflicted upon him by Leon Czolgosz seems to have been less than was anticipated, and that is regarded as highly favorable to him. It is admitted that the crisis in his condition has not yet come, and that there is the gravest danger until it has been safely passed. All the bulletins sent from the chamber of the wounded President indicated a spirit of hopefulness. FEAR OF BLOOD POISONING. "The greatest fear of the President's physicians is that septic poisoning will set in, and it is for the first symptoms ot this that they are now watching. One bullet lodged in the mus- cles of the back, and the physicians have decided that for the present, it is of secondary importance. The bullet took a hori- zontal course, but neither the intestines nor the kidneys were injured. Of this the physicians are confident. If inflammation should appear in the neighborhood of the place where the bullet is believed to have lodged, the Roentgen ray will be used to locate the bullet, and the doctors do not think there will be difficulty in extracting it. "Two physicians and two trained nurses are with the Presi- dent constantly. All others were excluded from the sick chamber this morning, as it was found that the distinguished patient could not be restrained from speaking to those who entered the rooui. Quiet and absolute freedom from the least excitement are con- sidered extremely essential. "Mrs. McKinlev bears up bravely in her sorrow and th-- physicians in attendance feel but little concern on her account. At the request of the President, whose first thoughts were of her, she was told that he was not seriously wounded, and when she 236 HOPES OF THE PRESIDENT'S RECOVERY. first saw liiiii he had rallied from the operation, and was suffering little pain. She was content to leave his side during the night and rest herself. " With common impulse to spare the sufferer the annoyance that noise would inflict, the public keeps off the street in the neighborhood of the Milburn residence. The police have no trouble to keep the people at proper distance. A detachment of the Fourteenth United States Infantry was ordered to the house Ironi Fort Porter. A picket line was established in frrnt of the house but the sentries found no work to do. Ropes were stretched across Delaware Avenue in order to keep teams off that thoi oughfare. THE MILBURN RESIDENCE. " The Milburn residence is a large two and a half story brick building. Graceful ivy climbs over the front of it, and on the large lawn which surrounds it are a number of pretty shade trees. The President lies in the rear room on the second floor. The room was chosen because it insured the most complete quiet. Telegraph wires have been led to the stable in the rear of the Milburn residence and offlces opened there. The bulletins telling of the condition of the President are sent there by Dr. Rixey and at once transmitted to the world. '' Czolgosz insists that he alone planned the crime which may rob the United States of its Chief Executive, but that statement is not accepted as true. There is a belief that he was aided by others in a deliberate plot, and that confederates accompanied him to Buffalo and assisted in its execution." This buoj^ant hope that the President's life would be spared was encouraged from day to day. The Governors of some of the vStates appointed a day of thanksgiving and rejoicing and a hope- ful feeling pervaded the entire country. " We trust in God, and believe Mr. McKinley is going to recover speedih'. I know that he has the best medical attendance that can he obtained, and I am perfectly satisfied that these doctors are handling the case splendidly'. It is a great pleasure to know the deep interest and sympathy felt b}- the American HOPES OF THE I'KKSIDEN'IS Ri:C( )\EKV. t>:"57 people. Tlio case is progressing so favorably l1ial wc arc very happy/' Mrs. McKinlev, the wife of the President, said this at the ?ililbnrn honse. jnst after the three o'clock bnlletin of the physi- cians was issned. This bnlletin was the strongest and most favorable that had been pnt forward by the physicians since the President was shot. The seventy-two honrs, which was the limit they had fixed for the development of peritonitis, had almost ex- pired, and their confidence had wouderfnlly enconraged the wife of the President. Airs. McKiuley was bearing np wonderfnlly nnder the ordeal. Scories were pnblished that it had been deemed nnwise to inform her of the shooting of her hnsband ; that she did not know that an attempt had been made on his life, and that she had been told he had been injnrcd by a fall. This preposterons fiction, carry- ing with it the inference that it was not safe to acqnaint ]Mrs. McKinlev with the real danger that had menaced her hnsband, aroused intense indignation, and was demolished by the most sweeping denials. BORE UP WITH GREAT COMPOSURE. As a matter ot fact, Mrs. McKinle}- was informed of the at- tempt on her husband's life by Czolgosz wdthin a few hours of the firing of the shots. She received the news with calmness, and bore up with heroic composure, being much with her hus- band and having the utmost faith in his recuperative powers. These reports were regarded in Buffalo, not only by the members of the Cabinet, but by the public generally, as heartless and mis- chievous inventions. President McKinley improved so rapidly that on Monday, September 9th, it was confidently believed that the danger line had been passed. The President asked for the daily papers and for food, which were, of course, denied him. He jokingly re- marked that it was hard enough to be shot, without being star\'ed to death. For the first time since the shooting he spoke of his assailant, and said: ''He must have been crazy." When told 238 HOPES OF THE PRESIDENTS RECOVERY. that the man was an Anarchist, he said that he hoped he would get fair treatment. On the same day, Senator M. A. Hanna wore a look of supreme contentment when he left the house where the President \vas lying, bravely battling with death. He felt absolutel}^ certain that the President's recovery was only a matter of a few weeks, and he dictated this statement to a correspondent : "You may say, for the information of the American people, -hat all the news we have is good news. We know that the greatest danger is already past. We hope that in a few hours the President's physicians will announce that his case is beyond the possibility of a relapse. "Just say that for me, and I think it will give more satisfac- tion than if I talked a column." " You have no fears that there may be a change for the worse ? " I asked. SENATOR HANNA'S DREAM. "That reminds me of a dream I had last night. You know dreams go by contraries. Well, sir, in this dream I was up at the Milburn house waiting to hear how the President was getting along, and everybody was feeling ver}- good. We thought the danger was all past. I was sitting there talking with General Brooke and Mr. Cortelyou, and we were felicitating ourselves on how well the physicians had been carrying the case. " Suddenh', in my dream. Dr. McBurney entered the room through the door leading from the sick room with a look of the utmost horror and distress on his face. I rushed up to him, and, putting a hand on either shoulder, said : ' What is it, doctor ? What is it ? Let us know the worst.' " " Dr. McBurney replied : ' My dear Senator, it is absolutely the worst that could happen. The President has had a tremen- dous change for the worse. His temperature is now 440 degrees.' I fell back in my chair in utter collapse, and then I awoke. But, do you know, I couldn't rest easy until I saw the early bulletins this morning." HOPES OF THK I'Ri.SIDl.X'l'S RI:(()\'I:rV. op,i\ '' T am ()vcij()3'e(l to know lliat cvcrylhiiii; is goiu;^ all riglu." Ill these words, Vice-President Roosevelt sig-nified his pleas- ure at the encouraging reports from the sick ehamher of President McKinlc}'. His manner indicated that they were heartfelt. We know now that ever3'thing was not ''going right," and the confi- dence of Mr, Roosevelt was ill founded. The Vice-President occupied a position of extreme delicac}'' after the President w^as shot and uncertainty remained as to the result of his wounds. He felt the blow so keenly, however, that no room was left in his mind for the thought that his enemie.- w'ere watchiiii;' every word and action in the hope of binding some- thing which might be misconstrued to his disadvantage. His first impulse was to come immediately to Buffalo, and he did so without dela3^ MESSAGES OF SYMPATHY. A new\spaper correspondent furnishes the following : "President ^IcKinley was told that from all parts of the world messages of sympathy had arrived. He was also told that the American public had shown great grief over his misfortune, and had demonstrated that he holds a strong grip upon the affec- tions of his fellow countrymen. He was deepl}- touched, and said that he felt himself to be too highU^ honored. To Dr. Rixey he said that he hoped to recover to show that he appreciated all that had been done for him. " Nothing has caused so deep distress to the friends of Presi- dent McKinle}' as the publication of the cruel canard that Mrs. McKinle}' has not 3'et been informed of the attack made upon her husband. This publication carries with it the impres- sion that the President's wife is in no mental condition to realize what is going on about her, as it has been known that she had seen her husband each day since his injury, and that she has known of the crowds that gather in front of the house eager to learn of his condition. "The truth is that Mrs. McKinlej^ was told a few hours after the shooting, and more, she has been kept in 110 iiniorance ef his 240 HOPES OF THE PRESIDENT'S RECOVERY. I condition since. Slie is stronger to-day tlian she lias been l:)efore in 3^ears, and the physicians are all of the opinion that the tragedy i has aronsed her from that lethargy which was perhaps the prime ] cause of her illness. i " The strangest feature of the progress that has been made ; toward recovery- by President McKinley is that he has at no time shown an}" S3'mptoms of relapse. After the operation there was* no sinking spell which usuallj^ results from such a shock, and from the moment that his wounds were dressed his progress has been stead}^ and satisfactory. Each hour has shown an improve- ment over the previous one. " Dr. McBurney said that in all his experience as a ph3'sician he has never known another patient who exhibited so great a tendenc}^ to respond to medical treatment as does President Mc- Kinle}'. ' It is marvelous,' said he, ' and it is worth}^ of the study of men who are capable of understanding such matters.' HER VISITS QUIETED HIM. " Mrs. McKinlc}^ was permitted to have more than the hour with her husband. This was granted for the reason that the ph3^sicians have found that her visits, if anything, had a bene- ficial effect upon the President. He seems to rest more easil}^ when she is with him than at any other time. She obej^s the injunction not to permit her husband to talk, and it seems to give the President confidence in himself to see that his wife is so greatly improved in health. " She went to his rooms a little before ten o'clock this morn- ing, and remained there until after eleven. After she left him the President asked how long it would be before he would be per- mitted to partake of food. Dr. Rixey told him that the wouuds in his stomach would not heal inside of a week or ten da3'S, and. during that time it would be impossible for him to take any solid substance. This information was far from pleasant, but the President made no complaint. " There seems to be no abatement in the interest displa3^ed in President McKinle3^'s condition, and there is certainl}^ no iior-i:s ()!•■ 'I'lii: 1'iu:sii)i:nt's rix<)\i:i|-, " President McKinlcv's condition continues favorable. While this is true, and there is no intention to give needless alarm, it is not unfair now to say that optimism ma}- be carried to an extreme. The Presient is still far on the wrong- side of the line of absolute safety. This is established by the information given by a meui- ber of his official family, which is to the effect that even if Presi- dent iMcKinle}' continues to improve as steadily as he has during; the last four days it will not be less than three weeks, and proba- bly a month, l)cfore he can leave Buffalo. '' So far is it from my intention to give cause for alarm concerning President McKinley that I will sa}^ that all news fnnn him to-day was good news. The President is becoming stronger every hour. He is now able to move himself about in bed with little difficultv. "LIKELY TO CARRY THE BULLET. " That he will probably carry the bullet of the assassin with him to the grave, is the opinion of Dr. Charles McBurney. In a statement this morning after the consultation of the physicians he said that unless the bullet embedded in the muscles of the back caused trouble there would be no necessity to extract it. In his opinion, it would not even be located with the X-ray. Nothing could be gained by the use of the X-ray, he said, except the satisfaction of curiosity. President McKinley has been permitted several times to-day to drink water, the first he has had since the attempt was made upon his life. The amount given has been small, but that he has received any indicates the confidence of his physicians. " Nourishment in a liquid form is also being administered to him in the normal manner and without the slightest ill effect. This is considered one o( the best symptoms of his convalescence. Gradually this liquid nourishment will be strengthened, and if there are no setbacks it will ^e only a few days before Mr. Mc- Kinley will be allowed solid food. At first it will be only iu infinitely small quantities, but if no ill effects follow the amounl will be increased as the physicians tliink best. "Realizing the intense interest that exists on the part of tlie 24(J HOPES OP^ THE PRESIDENT'S RECOVERY. public in everything that pertains to President McKinlej^ tlie authorities to-day gave permission to an artist to sketch, within the Milburn house. He was not permitted to enter the room where the President rests, but that room was carefulh^ described to him by those who do go in and out. " Great interest in current events is being manifested by President McKinlej^, but thus far all knowledge of tbe world out- side tbe room he occupies has been kept from him. While per- haps no harm would come from his being informed of the world's doings, it is deemed wise for the present to give him as little as possible to think about. " No one has yet been allowed to see him except Mrs. McKinle\% Secretary Cortelyou and the ph3^sicians. Even Mrs. McKinley goes to his room only once a day and then remains for only a short time. To-day she did not go to the President until after her drive, and then sat beside his bed only a few minutes. DEVOTED AND COURAGEOUS. " When Mrs. McKinley visits the President very little is said by either. Sitting beside his bed, the devoted and courageous wife holds her husband's hand and in silent communion for the most part thc}-^ pass the minutes allowed them to be together by the careful physicians. "There is little distinction between day and night in the President's room. He has no regular hours for sleeping, but every few hours he becomes drowsy and he generally sleeps several hours at a time. There is always a nurse in attendance upon him, and at least one of the physicians remains in an ad- joining room. When he awakens from one of his naps he is given a small drink of water containing nourishing ingredients, and the physician in charge takes his temperature, pulse and respiration. " It is not often that more than two persons are in his room at the same time, quiet being one of the main necessities at present, and the physicians are extremel}^ careful net to disturb him more than is absolutely necessary. W^hichever one is to HOPES OF THK I'RKSl DKN PS RKCUX'KRY. o^; make the examination at any particular time goes in alone and makes a report to the others. " During the visits of Mrs. McKinley to the President's bed- side there has been no discussion of the attempted assassination. Mrs. McKinley, however, is in possession of all the facts connected with it. Almost immediately after the President was removed from the Exposition grounds to the Milburn residence, the opera- tion being over, she was taken by Dr. Rixey to his room and she then knew all but the most harrowing details. The news was broken to her as gently as possible, but no effort was made to conceal the main facts from her. "Her strength, courage and cheerfulness have been the marvel of all those who know her best, but thev have feared she would b}' this time break dowai under the strain. Yet she seems stronger to-day than ever and never had been more self-contained and cheerful than when she visited the President this afternoon." WHAT A DETECTIVE SAID. In an interview, Secret Service Detective Ireland, who, with Detectives Foster and Gallagher, were near the President when the shots were fired, said : " It is incorrect, as has been stated, that the least fear of an assault was entertained by the Presidential party. Since the Spanish War the President has traveled all over the countrv, and has met people everywhere. In Canton he walks to church and downtown without the sign of secret sen-ice men of anv kind, as an escort. In \\^ashington he walks about the \\'hite House grounds, drives out freely, and has enjo3'ed much freedom from the presence of detectives. "It has been my custom to stand back of the President, and just to his left, so that I could see the right hand of every person approaching, but 3'esterda3' I was requested to stand opposite the President so that Mr. IMilburn could stand to the left and intro- duce the people who approached. That way I was unable to get a good look at ever^-one's right hand. "A few moments before Czolgosz approached, a man came 248 HOPES OF THE I'RESI DENT'S RECOVERY. along with three fingers of his right hand tied in a bandage and he had shaken hands with his left. When Czolgosz came np I noticed he was a boyish looking fellow, with an innocent face, perfectly calm, and I also noticed that his right hand was wrapped in what appeared to be a bandage. " I watched him closely, bnt was interrupted by the man in front of him, who held on to the President's hand an unusually long time. This man appeared to be an Italian, and wore a short, heavy, black mustache. He was persistent, and it was necessary for me to push him along so that the others could reach the President. "Just as he released the President's hand, and as the Presi- dent was reaching for the hand of the assassin, there were two quick shots. Startled for a moment, I looked np and saw the President draw his right hand up under his coat, straighten np, and, pressing his lips together, give Czolgosz the most scornful and contemptuous look possible to imagine. THE BIG COLORED MAN. "At the same time I reached for the young man and caught his left arm. The big colored man standing just back of him, and who would have been the next to take the President's hand, struck the young man in the neck with one hand, and with the other reached for the revolver, which had been discharged through the handkerchief and the shots from which had set fire to the linen. " Immediately a dozen men fell upon the assassin and bore him to the floor. While on the floor Czolgosz again tried to dis- charge the revolver, but before he could point it at the Presideni, it was knocked from his hand by the colored man. It flew across the floor and one of the artillerymen picked it up and put it in his pocket. On the wa}^ down to the station Czolgosz would not say a word, but seemed greatly agitated." CHAPTER XIII. Last Hours of the President — " It is God's Way, His Will be Done" — Anxious Multitudes Await the Sorrowful Tidings—Universal Grief and Sympathy. ON Friday morning, September thirteenth, the nnexpected intel- ligence was sent forth to the world that President j\IcKinle\' liad snfifered a serions relapse and was at death's door. The news came with greater force from the fact that throngh five preceding days the bnlletins from the sick room had been so encouraging and satisfactor}'. All the hopes that had been inspired of the illustrious patient's recover}^ were suddenly extinguished. The country may be said to have almost held its breath during the da\-, which closed with the gloomy announcement that the President could not live. The suspense was universal and gloom was written on every face. Milburn House, Buffalo, N. Y., Sept. 14. — President ^IcKinley died at the Alilburn house at 2.15 A. ]M. in the morning of Sep- tember 14th. He has been unconscious since 7.50 P. M. His last conscious hour on earth was spent with the wife to whom he devoted a lifetime of care His last words were an humble sub- mission to the will of the God in whom he believed. He was reconciled to the cruel fate to which an assassin's bullet had con- demned him, and faced death in the same spirit of calmness and poise which marked his long and honorable career. His relatives and the members of his official famil}^ were at the Milburn house, except Secretary Wilson, who did not avail himself of the opportunity, and some of his personal and political iriends took leave of him. This painful ceremony was simple. His friends came to the door of the sick room, took a longing glance at him and turned tearfulU' away. He was practically unconscious during this time. But the powerful heart stimulants, including oxygen, were employed to restore him to consciousness for his final parting with his wife. He asked for her, and she sat at his 213 250 LAST HOURS OF THE PRESIDENT. side and held liis hand. He consoled her and bade her good-bye. She went through the heart trying scene with the same bravery and fortitude with which she bore the grief of the tragedy which ended his life. Before 6 o'clock it was clear to those at the President's bed- side that he was dying and preparations were made for the last sad offices of farewell from those who w^ere nearest and dearest to him. Oxygen had been administered steadily, but with little effect in keeping back the approach of death. The President came out of one period of unconsciousness only to relapse into another. But in this period, when his mind was partially clear, occurred a series of events of profundly touching character. Downstairs, with strained and tear stained faces, members of the Cabinet were grouped in anxious waiting. KNEW THE END WAS NEAR. They knew the end was near, and that the time had come when they must see him for the last time on earth. This was about 6 o'clock. One by one they ascended the stairway — Secretary Root, Secretary Hitchcock and Attorney General Knox. Secretary Wilson also was there, but he held back, not wishing to see the President in his last agony. There was only a momentary stay of the Cabinet officers at the threshold of the death chamber. Then they withdrew, the tears streaming down their faces and the words of intense grief choking in their throats. After they left the sick room, the physicians rallied him to consciouness, and the President asked almost immediately that his wife be brought to him. The doctors fell back into the shadows of the room as Mrs. McKinley came through the door- way. The strong face of the dying man lighted up with a faint smile as their hands were clasped. She sat beside him and held his hand. Despite her physical weakness, she bore up bravely under the ordeal. The President in his last period of consciouness, which ended about 7.40, chanted the words of the hymn, " Nearer, My God, to LAST HOURS OF TllL rRLMDI.NT 2.j1 Tliee," and his last audible couscious words as taken down by Dr. Maun at the bedside were : " Good-bye, all, good-bye. It is God\s way. His will be done." Then his mind began to wander, and soon afterward he com- pletely lost consciousness. His life was prolonged for hours by the administration of oxygen, and the President finally expressed a desire to be allowed to die. About 8.30 the administration of ox3'gen ceased and the pulse grew fiiinter and fainter. He was sinking gradually like a child into the eternal slumber. B}' 10 o'clock the pulse could no longer be felt in his extremities, and they grew cold. Below stairs the grief stricken gathering waited sadh' for the end. All the evening those who had hastened here as f^ist as steel and steam could carry them continued to arrive. They drove up in carriages at a gallop or whisked up in automobiles, all intent upon getting here before death came. One of the last to arrive was Attorney General Knox, who reached the house at 9.30. He was permitted to go upstairs to look for the last time on the face of his chief. "THE PRESIDENT IS DYING." At 9.37 Secretary Cortelyou, who had been much of the time with his dving chief, sent out formal notification that the Presi- dent was dying. But the President lingered on, his pulse growing fainter and fainter. There was no need for official bulletins after this. Those who came from the house at intervals told the same stor} — that the President was dying, and that the end might come at any time. His tremendous vitality was the only remaining factor in the result, and this gave hope only of brief postponement of the end. Secretary Root and Secretary Wilson came from the house about midnight, and paced up and down the sidewalk. All that Secre- tary Root said was : " The night has not yet come." Despite the fact that vitality continued to ebb as midnight approached no efforts were spared to keep the spark of life glow- ing. Dr- Janeway, of New York city, arrived at the Buffalo depot 252 T.AST HOURS OF THE PRESIDENT. at 11.40 o'clock. George Urban was waiting for liini, and they drove at a breakneck pace to the Milbnrn house. He was shown to the President's room at once, and began an examination of the almost inanimate form. Secretary of the Navy Long arrived at the Milbnrn house at 12.06 o'clock. This was his first visit to the city, and he had the extreme satisfaction of seeing the President alive, even though he was not conscious of his visitor's presence. Secretary Long was visibly effected. LOOKING ANXIOUSLY FOR ROOSEVELT. There was no possibility that Mr. Roosevelt would get to Buffalo Friday night. Ansley Wilcox, who entertained the Vice- President, said to inquirers that the best information he had was that Mr. Roosevelt would arrive next day. He said that the Vice- President would be unable to reach a railroad station much before 4 o'clock next morning, and that would bring him to Buffalo about noon on Saturday. Mr. Wilcox said, in explanation of Mr. Roosevelt's being so far out of touch : " The Vice President was at all times ver}^ optimistic, and when he went away was absolutely positive that the President would recover, and that the convalescence would be rapid. He certainly never expected to-day's sad occurrences." Shortl}^ after midnight the President's breathing was barely perceptible. His pulse had practically ceased, and the extremities were cold. It was recognized that nothing remained but the last struggle, and some of the friends of the family who had remained through the da}^, began to leave the house, not caring to be present at the final scenes. Such an intense state of anxiety existed among the watchers that rumors gained frequent circulation that death already had actually occurred. The arrival of the coroner gave rise to one of such rumors, and numerous groundless despatches were sent say- ing that the end had come. These were speedily set at rest by an of&cial statement from within the house that the reports of death w^ere groundless, and tliat the President still lived. LAST lloruS OF Tin: rKHSlDKNT. 253 Coroner Wilson said tliat lie luid been ordered by the District Attorney of the comity to go to the ]\Iill)nrn residence as soon as possible after the annonncenient of death. He had seen a repnt- able local paper issned, with the annonncenient that the Presi- dent died at 11.06 P. ]\I., and had hnrried np so that there wonld l)e no delay in removing the body. He was ver\' much cliagrined when Dr. Mann met him at the door and told him that his services were not required and that he wonld be notified when he was wanted. Dr. Alanii said that the President was still alive and that Dr. Janeway was examining the heart action. There was really no hope, ])nt they did not desire grnesome antici- pation. One of the members of the Cabinet who came from the house at 2 o'clock for a stroll along the front walk said a meeting of the Ca1)inca wcnild be held probably in the morning to take such action as would be required by the circnnistances. He said the expectation of the Cabinet was that the remains wonld be taken to Washington, aiid then lie in state in the Capitol, afterwards going to Canton for final interment. FELL INTO A GENTLE SLUMBER. President McKinle3''s death was entirely painless. He had been sinking gradnallj^ bnt steadil}- through the entire night, and for almost fonr honrs had been nnconscions. When the end finally came, Dr. Rixey alone of the phj'sicians M'as with him, bnt so gradual was the approach of death that it is difficnlt to say the exact second he breathed his last. Dr. Rixey, standing by the bedside, held the President's hand, felt for the pnlse that was imperceptible, bending forward he felt the President's heart and listened for the breath that was not drawn, and then annonnced the end. When the annonncement was first made to Mrs. McKinley that her husband conld not live, she seemed to be resigned and bore np bravely, bnt as the fnll significance of her loss cann- npon her, she gave wa}' nnder the strain, and at the time of her hn.s- baud\s death she was nnder the care of a physician and nnrses. 254 LAST HOURS OF THE PRESIDENT. It was feared that she will recover from the loss of her husband with difficulty, if at all. Immediatel}^ after the death of President McKinle}^, Secre- tary CorteU^ou came out of the IMilburn house and to the visiting newspaper men announced the end. A telegram had been sent to President Roosevelt and an attempt was made to intercept him on his journey. A call was issued for a Cabinet meeting earl}" in the morning. The announcement c{ the death to the members of the Cabi- net was made by Webb Haj^es, who said : " It is all over." Mrs. McKinlej^ last saw her husband between ii and 12. At that time she sat by the bedside holding his hand. The mem- bers of the Cabinet were admitted to the sick room singly at that time. The actual death probabl}^ occurred about two o'clock, it being understood that Dr. Rixey delayed the announcement momentarily to assure himself GREAT EXCITEMENT ON THE AVENUE. The announcement of the news to those waiting below was postponed until the members of the family had withdrawn. Through Secretary Cortelj^ou the waiting newspaper men received the notification. In a trice there w^as the keenest excitement on the broad avenue, but there was no semblance of disorder. When the news was imparted to those down stairs a great sigh of anguish went up from the strong men there assembled. The members of the Cabinet, Senators and close friends remained but a few minutes. Then, with mournful tread and bowed heads, they came out into the darkness and went away. There was not one among them with dry e3"es, and some moaned in an agon}- of grief. The militar}^ guard was augmented immediatel}^ upon the announcement. The waiting crowds melted away rapidly, giving expression in unmistakable terms to the great sorrow the}' felt. Within a brief space of time the newspaper men, the police, the sentries of the guard, and those whose duties kept them abroad, were the only persons in evidence within the immediate vicinity. LAST HOURS OF TIIK I'RESIDKNT. l'r,5 Senator Bnrrouglis said: "The President's death seemed to ])e painless. He seemed to fall into calm and peacefnl repose." With the momentar}' excitement incident npon the annonnce- ment at an end, the entire scene became one of nnmistakable and deep mourning. As if nature lent its aid to the grieving crowds, a dense fog settled like a pall over the cit}'. The Alilbnrn house became a tomb of silence. Ivights not extinguished were dimmed, visitors were denied admittance and the mourning family and their more intimate friends were speedily left alone with their distinguished dead. OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. When the blow fell and official announcement came tliat President McKinle}- had passed awa}- at 2.15 o'clock, the crowds which had been on the streets, restlessl}- and sorrowfully awaiting news of the end, had retired for the night, as had all the Government officials save a few clerks at the State, War and Xavy Departments. Secretary Hay had given directions what should be done, and Acting Chief Clerk Martin and other employes, as soon as thev received official confirmation of the news, immedi- ately indicted cablegrams to each and every United States Ambas- sador and Minister, notif3-iug them that President McKinley died at 2.15 o'clock in the morning, in Buffalo, and instructing them so to inform the Governments to which they were accredited. There were no details in the messages — nothing but this brief announcement — and the}- were identical in language, except in the names of the persons addressed. The Ambassadors and ^linisters were expected to communicate the information in turn to the United States Consular officers within the limits of their posts. In cases of countries like Australia and Canada, where the United States Government is not represented in a diplo- matic capacitv, messages of like character were sent to the United States Consuls General, who were to repeat them to the Consuls. The original message was signed by Secretary Hay, Mr. Babcock, his private secretary, having taken it from the State Department to the Secretary's home for that purpose. 256 LAST HOURS OF THE PRESn:)ENT. Arrangements were made b}' which. Secretar\^ Hay would meet Acting Secretar}^ of War Gillespie and Acting Secretary of the Navy Hackett in the State Department in the morning for the purpose of promulgating the necessary orders of the three departments. The order of the War Department Avas prepared. It was drafted on lines similar to that issued when President Gar- field was stricken. It was telegraphed to Secretary Root for his approval, and issued in his name. The order was addressed to all division and department commanders in the United States, the Philippines, Cuba, Porto Rico and Alaska, and announced the death of President IMcKinley, and directed that all work be sus- pended for the day, all flags to be at half staff, and that thirteen guns be fired in the morning and one at intervals of half an hour and fortj^-five guns at sunset. A GUARD OF HONOR. A similar order was issued b^^ the Navy Department. It is also stated that a guard of honor, consisting of high officers of the arni}^ and navy, would be named to escort the remains of the dead President to Washington and to the place of interment. The White House promptly sent the official announcement it had receieved of the death to Secretaries Hay and Gage, the only Cabinet members in town, and notified the Commissioners of the Distrct of Columbia. The White House flag was half- masted, but a comparatively recent'act of Congress forbids draping public buildings with emblems of mourning. When the bulletins from the Milburn house grew hopeless in tone, preparations were made by the police and military to preserve the public peace and protect the assassin, Czolgosz. During the period of general rejoicing, marked by the reports of the President's improvement, public feeling against Czolgosz passed from the violent form it took on the daj^ and night of the shooting. But this bitterness returned when it became evident that the President must die, and the temper of the people, gathered in knots and crowds in the streets, was for violence. Each fresh bulletin, carrying only bad news, brought out expres- LAST HOURS OK rin-. i'Ki:sii)i:nt. 'jr»7 sioiis against Czolgosz. Supcrinlciuk'iil of Police Bull licld the full police department in reserve, and made his j)lans so that 300 men could be assembled at police headquarters in five mtnutes' notice. After communication with Superintendent P>ull, Colonel M. Welch ordered out the Sixty-fifth and Seventy-fourth Regiments of the National Guard. These regiments were assembled at their arsenals at 8. 15 o'clock, and stood armed in readiness to any call. Colonel Welch, who commands the Sixt3'-fifth Regiment, said that he and Colonel Fox, of the Scventv-fourth, had aereed on this course. " I have ordered the regiments to assemble at the armories on my own responsibility," said Colonel Welch. ''They will be prepared to respond to any call from the Superintendent of Police or the ]\Ia\'or to quell riot or disturbance, to protect police headquarters and to maintain law and order in the city." REGIMENTS ON DUTY. The members of the two regiments were summoned to their armories b\^ messenger, telegraph and proclamation in theatres and public places. This news only helped to divert attention from the dying President to the cell which held his assassin. Superintendent Bull issued a public statement, in which he said he was prepared to check, b}- force if necessary, any demonstra- tion that might be made by the people against the prisoner. " Crowds will not be allowed to congregate on the streets," said Superintendent Bull, "and should people gather in an}- con- siderable numbers in the vicinity of police headquarters, they will be dispersed promptl}'. We do not propose to allow o\v: prisoner to be taken from us, and will meet force with force. The prisoner will not be removed from police headquarters to the jail. We are able to protect him, and we have the Sixty-fifth and Seventy-fourth Regiments under arms if we need them. Xo matter how dastardly this man's crime is, we intend, for the good name of the American people, to kec]) him safe for the vengeance of the law." That these preparations were quite necessary became apparent 17 258 LAST HOURS OF THE PRESIDENT. by 8.30 o'clock to-night, when the people had assembled in the vicinity of police headqnarters in such numbers that the streets were blocked and impassable. The police roped off all the streets at a distance of 300 to 400 feet from the nearest point of the building, and refused to admit any one within that limit. One hundred patrolmen patroled the ropes and fought back the crowds, while the mounted men galloped to and fro holding the crowds in repression. New details of police from the outside stations came in from time to time, and Superintendent Bull kept in constant touch on the telephone with Colonel Welch, who was at the Sixty-fifth armory, less than a mile awa\\ Among the crowds the report was circulated that Czolgosz had been removed to the jail or some other place of confinement, but this was denied b\' Superintendent Bull and the other police officials. LAST DAY'S BULLETINS. The reader m411 be interested in the bulletins issued on the day preceding the President's death. The following was issued b}^ the President's ph3'sicians at 9 A. M. : "The President's condition has somewhat improved during the past few hours. There is a better response to stimulation. He is conscious and free from pain. Pulse, 12S ; temperature, 99.S. " P. M. Rixey, ]M. D. jMann, Roswell Park, Herman Mynter, Eugene Wasdin, Charles G. Stockton. "George B. Cortelyou, " Secretar}' to the President." " 12.30 P. j\I. — The President's physicians report that his condition is practically unchanged since the 9 o'clock bulletin. He is sleeping quietly. " George B. Cortelyou, "Secretar}' to the President." The following bulletin was issued b}^ the President's physi- cians at 2.30 P. AI. : " The President has more than held his ov\-n since mornino:. LAST llol'RS 01' THE I'RKSIDENT. 259 and liis condition justilics the expectation of fnrtlier improvement. He is better than yesterday at this time. Pnlse, 123 ; tempera- ture, 99.4. '* P. M. Rixey, M. D. ^lann, Herman Mynter, Eugene Wasdin, George G. Stockton. '' Georgk B. Cortklyou, ''Secretarj^ to the President." Secretary Cortelyouwalkedover to the press headquarters shortly after the bulletin dated 2.30 P. M. was issued, and explained that the sentence in the bulletin, "he is better than yesterday at this time," should be stricken out. When the physicians were prepar- ing the bulletin, he said, they had in mind the President's condi- tion yesterday up to midnight. It will be remembered that it was just before that time when the first very alarming intimation began to come from the sick room about the impossibility of scourino- from the President's stomach the undigested food, which not only threatened to contaminate the system, but which caused him exceedingly great discomfort. Resort had been had to a drastic bolus of calomel and oil. Just at midnight this radical remedy had its effect, and the movement of the bowels came, bringing with it an immediate lowering of pulse and great relief. NO ENCOURAGEMENT. "4 P. :M.— The President's physicians report that he is only slightly improved since the last bulletin. The pulse and tem- perature remain the same as at that hour. "George B. Cortelvou, " Secretary to the President." "5.35 P. :\r.— The President's physicians report that his con- dition is grave at this hour. He is suffering from extreme pros- tration. Oxygen is being given. He responds to stimulation but poorly. Pulse, 125 ; respiration, 40. "George B. Cortelvou, "Secretary to the President." "6.30 P. M.— The President's physicians report that ^ his condition is most serious, in spite of vigorous stimulation. The 260 LAST HOURS OF THE PRESIDENT. depression continues and is profound. Unless it can be relieved the end is only a question of time. "George B. Cortelyou, "Secretary to the President." Hope and fear alternated all day among the watchers in and around the Milburn house. Every fragment of information was eagerly sought in the hope that it might be construed to mean that the danger had passed, and that reasonable hope of the Presi- dent's recovery might be entertained. Members of the President's family, the physicians, the officials of the Federal Government, and all who passed in and out of the house during the day were questioned as to the President's condition, but little of an encour- aging nature could be learned. The truth was too evident to be passed over or concealed. The President's life was hanging in the balance. The watchers felt that any moment might come the announcement of a change which would foreshadow the end. WAS TAKING NOURISHMENT. When the slight improvement noted in the early bulletins was maintained during the afternoon, and it was learned that the President was taking small quantities of nourishment, hope rose that he would pass the crisis in safety. Bverybody knew, and no attempt was made to conceal it, that the coming night would in all human probability decide whether the President was to live or die. It was known that he was being kept alive by heart stimu- lants, and that the physicians had obtained a suppl}^ of oxj^gen, to be administered if the worst came. During the da}- President McKinley was conscious when he was not sleeping. Earl 3' in the morning when he woke he looked out of the window and saw that the sk}^ was overcast with heavy clouds. " It is not so bright as it was yesterday," said he. His e3-es then caught the waving leaves of the trees glistening with rain. Their bright green evident!}' made an agreeable impression upon him. " It is pleasant to see them," said he feebl}'. As fast as steam could bring them the members of the Presi- 4 LAST liUUKS UK IIIK I'KESIDENT. 2i;i dent's Cabinet, his relatives and tlic physicians, wlm had left Bnffalo, convinced that the President wonld recover, were whirled back to this city. The}- went at once to the honse in which he was lying and the information which they obtained there was of a natnre to heighten, rather than to relieve their fears. All night the doctors had worked in the sick room to keep the President alive. Dav broke with a gloomy sky and a pouring rain broken by frequent bursts of gusty downpours. It seemed as though nature was svnipathizing with the gloom which surrounded the ivy-clad house, about which the sentries were steadily marching. Sec- retarv Cortelyou and Air. Milburn had announced at half-past 4 o'clock that the efforts of the doctors had produced a rally. Mrs. I\IcKinley was then sleeping and great care was taken to prevent her from being awakened. HIS NATURAL SLEEP. President McKinley fell asleep at half past 5 o'clock, and slept for an hour. Dr. Wasdin said that this was the most natural sleep that he had had during the night. Secretar}' Hitchcock and Air. Alilburn appeared soon after the President awoke at half-past 6 o'clock. They said that both Dr. Rixey and Dr. Stockton believed the President still had a fighting chance. Almost as soon as it became light men and women began to gather at the ropes which have been stretched across the streets a block awav in each direction from the Alilburn liouse. As the day bore on the crowds increased, and were even greater than the\- were on the day after the President was shot. It was during the early hours of the morning that the Presi- dent's sinking spell was at its worst, and but little encourage- ment was drawn from the bulletins issued at 9 o'clock. It was noted that whilst the President's temperature had fallen his pulse had risen five beats in the minute, from 123 to 128, which showed that his heart was beating like the ticking of a watch. The con- clusion was drawn that the apparent improvement in his condi- 262 LAST HOURS OF THE PRESIDENT. tioii was due solely to tlie action of the digitalis, strychnine and other medicine that had been given him to sustain the heart action. Senator Hanna, who w^ent to Cleveland, jubilant in the cer- tainty that the President was going to get well, and that he might safely attend the meeting of the G. A. R. in his home city, reached the Milburn house at two minutes before lo o'clock. In his anxiety to reach the President's bedside he had come from Cleveland, a distance of 183 miles, at the rate of sixty-eight miles an hour. DISTINGUISHED ARRIVALS. With Senator Hanna came Mrs. Hanna, Judge Day, of Canton ; Colonel M^^ron P. Herrick, of Cleveland; vSenator Fair- banks of Indiana ; Mrs. Duncan and Miss McKinlej^, sisters of the President ; Miss Duncan and IMrs. Herrick. Senator Hanna reached the house first. The members of his party arrived soon afterward. They joined Secretaries Wilson and Hitchcock, ]\Ir. and Mrs. Herman Baer, Abner McKinley, Mrs. Lafayette McWilliams, Mr. Milburn, Wilson S. Bissel, John N. Scatcherd and Representative Alexander, who were in the house. The new arrivals w^ere immediately informed of the critical condition of the President and their faces, which had been grave, became still graver as they listened. At this time anxiet}- in regard to the President's condition had become intense throughout Buffalo. Hundreds of men, women and children were massed at the ropes, their faces turned in the direction of the house, though many of them were unable to see it, and, of course, all W'Cre too far away to be able to hear anything. So many persons had gathered in the IMilburn house that it was crowded. Groups formed on the lawn in front of the house to discuss the situation, and to exchange the latest news from the doctors. Across the street from the house there were scores of news- paper men waiting for news of the President's condition, and dozens of telegraph instruments were ticking noisily under the LAST HOURS OF THE I'RESIUENT. 26.\ tents which had been erected to shelter them. At a cjuarter before ii o'clock President AIcKinle}' had another na]). Dr. Park and Dr. Rixev remained by his side. Pearly in the morning-, on the advice of the surgeons, Dr. P)d\vard Janeway, of New York city, and Dr. \\\ A\'. Jdinson, of Washington, were summoned. Dr. Janeway was at St. Hubert's Inn Ml the Adirondacks. He started for Buffalo as soon as he had been notified by Mr. Cortelyou that his presence was desired. Dr. Johnson Avas at Jamaica Lsland, off Portsmonih, X. 11. Secretary Cortelj'ou was asked wdiether it was true that the physicians had been compelled to begin feeding the President throno-h the stomach before it was safe to do so because the means O first taken to give nourishment had caused irritation, resulting in the rejection of the food which had been injected before it had imparted, any nourishment to the patient. This was the explana- tion commonly accepted of the surprisingh' short time that had l)een permitted to elapse before the President was allowed to receive liquid and even solid food into his stomach. SATISFACTORY RESULTS. ]Mr. Cortelyou said that he had not been informed upon this point. He said that the stoppage of the functions of the bowels had created a poison in the President's system, but that during the day this had been practicalh- eliminated. Dr. Roswell Park said : " The President was not given solid food before he could stand it. He was perfectly able to assimilate the food given him, had it not been that the impoverished food affected the heart. The heart refused to act properly without strong blood food, and that was why the toast, soaked in hot beef juice, was given him. He was not given coffee. He relished the food, and asked for a cigar, but this was denied. Everything known to medical science was done for him, and there was no mis- take made." Dr. Herman Mynter said : " At the time solid food was given him he was able to take it. There can be no mis- take about that. I do not believe that the food in his stomach had much effect on the heart." 264 LAST HOURS OF THE PRESIDENT. The President was asleep at half-past i o'clock. Only injec- tions of saline solution and digitalis in light doses had been used up to that hour. One of the physicians sat constantl}^ at the bedside, with his fingers on the President's pulse, read}' at au}^ alarming change in the acLion of the heart to apply remedies which were in readiness to be used as a last resort. Tanks of oxygen were read}' at hand to be drawn upon, and all the appli- ances that medical skill and science could provide were within reach. The beating of the pulse was sufiScientl}^ strong to enable the physicians to permit the President to ha^e his sleep out. Dr. ]\IcBurney arrived at the Milburn house a little before 8 o'clock. Shortly after his arrival oxygen was administered to the President, and under its influence the patient aroused. He was full}^ conscious, and whispered to Dr. Rixey that he knew that the end was at hand. He asked to see his. wife, and Mrs. McKinley was sent for. She entered his room, and it was apparent to those present that of the two principal figures in this intense drama President McKinley, about to solve the great m3'S- tery, the more fully realized the significance of the awful moment. There was no show of fear in the attitude of the nation's Execu- tive. INFORMED HE WAS DYING. On the outside Mr. Milburn explained to Mrs. Kinle}^ that the President was d3dng, and that he could live till morning only in the event of the direct interposition of Providence. She then came to a full realization of the loss that was upon her, and she showed symptoms of a collapse. Herbert P. Bissell rushed to the assistance of the sorrowing wife, who was beiiig literall}' sup- ported by Mr. Alilburn. Word was sent to Dr. Wasdin, who came from the President's chamber and administered a restora- tive. Little by little she came back to her normal condition. Several women friends were with her, and in their sympathy she found surcease. To one she whispered : " I will be strong for his sake." An attempt was made to persuade Airs. McKinley to retire and get some rest. She refused. She said that her duty was LAST IIDL'RS OV 11 ii: rKKSlDlCNT 2(;:. there, and there she wonhl remain within (.-all of those wlio were with her husband. Slie said that she li()])cd tliat the President would arouse, and she might then have tlie eomfort of a last word with him. As soon as it was known that ow^x-n was being administered, all knew that the begiuuing of the end had eonie. Tliis bulletin was as follows : "The President's physicians report that his condition is grave at this hour. He is suffering from extreme prostration. Oxygen is being used. He responds to stimulation, Init poorly." As the ox3-gen had been provided only as a last resort, every- body understood that its use meant that the President's hour had come. His condition was such that there was no hope of his gaining strength through the stimulant sufficient to enable him to combat death. After this announcement the bulletins telling the story of the final struggle followed each other rapidly. The streets in front of the bulletin boards were filled with men and women who watched sadly each fresh announcement of the nearer approach of the end. OLD PASTOR PRESENT. The Rev. C. A\ AVilson, of North Tonawanda, pastor of Mr. McKinley's old church in Canton, was with the President and prayed with him. "Sir. Wilson left the Mil burn house shortly before 1 9 o'clock. Tears were streaming from his eves, and he was almost completel}^ overcome by grief. The relatives of the dying President, the members of his Cabinet and those personal friends who were in the liouse were taking their leave of him. After all had seen Mr. McKinley, the situation developed into one of mere waiting for the announce- ment of the President's death. The last offices abt)Ut the bedside had been said, and the President had again lapsed into unconsciousness. During his conscious moments ]Mrs. McKinley was brought into the chamber, and there was an affecting farewell. Members of the Cabinet, 266 LAST HOURS OF THE PRESIDENT. one by one, saw the President for a few moments. Then the President softly chanted a hymn. Jnst before he lapsed into uncon- scionsnes he begged the doctors to let him die. His last audible words were, as already stated, were said by Dr. Mann to be, "Good-b\'e all, good-bye. It is God's way. Let His will, not ours, be done." The following intensely interesting account of the President's last moments is furnished by one of the faithful female nurses who watched over him : " The President occupied a bed in the north wing of the Alilburn home, the room formerly occupied by the Milburn boys before entering college. It was simple in its arrangement, and yet attractive and handsome. Two beds of the ordinary hospital style were located in the room. SHOWED RESTLESSNESS. " Previous to the relapse suffered by the President he had become somewhat whimsical, and had several times asked that he be moved to a new bed, thus accounting for the presence of the two beds in the room. A large easy-chair occupied the northeast corner of the room, and when Mrs. McKinley visited her husband, this chait was drawn alongside the bed for her comfort. "The President lay with the foot of his bed westward, thereby preventing the sun from shining in his face. On the west wall there hung a large picture of Washington, a magnifi- cent creation b}^ Graves, and this particularly pleased the stricken President. Often during his confinement I heard him comment on the picture, characterizing Washington as a noble statesman, who was created to meet an emergenc\\ " All the nurses lived within easy calling distance of the house, and messengers were constantly on hand prepared to rouse them. None of the medicines were either kept or prepared in the sick room. All this was done in an adjoining room which was fitted up temporarily for the purpose. " It was customary for the doctors to blend the medicines, but the dressings were usually prepared by Miss McKenzie, the LAST HOURS OF THE PKESIUENT. 2H7 Philadelphia nurse, who was summoned a few days before the President died. The corps of nurses was made up of Steward Elliott and Privates Hodgkins and Vollmeyer, of the United States Hospital Corps, and Misses Hunt, Mohun and Connelly, the corps being under the charge of Miss McKenzie. " The day which brought the fatal relapse brought surprise to us all. In the morning we had lifted him from one bed to another at his request. In his new bed he seemed to rest very easy. He turned without causing himself pain of suffering. 'See how I am progressing, doctor,' he said when Dr. Was- din came that morning, and he turned from one side to another without apparent effort. The doctor smiled and assured him that he was progressing well, but advised him to remain as quiet as possible. TIDY PERSONAL HABITS. " Ordinarily the President was a man of remarkably clean and tidy personal habits, and never was known to pass from one day to another without a shave. His beard grew very fast, and naturally, after lying in bed almost a week without shaving, his face was ver}- rough. He made many comments on it the day that he began to grow worse, and he asked me when I thought it would be permissible to have a barber shave him. He even joked a bit about it with the doctors when they came. " That morning they gave him some beef juice, just a little bit at a time. This he relislied greatly, for his had been a continuous fast for a week. He smacked his lips after the beef juice was eiven him and asked if he could not take more. This was denied him, and he was compelled to wait another twenty minutes before taking more. Then he took considerable. He remained quiet for some time, apparently satisfied. "About this time he had occasion to speak of the press and how it was treating his case. All information was denied him, and his queries were turned aside in some way or another. Then he asked for toast and coffee. This was ia serious problem and occasioned a consultation of the doctors. When they returned 268 LAST HOURS OF THE TRESIDEXT. Avitli the news that he might have the toast and coffee his face lighted up and he appeared to be very gratefuh "The toast and coffee, just a little of each, was given him, and he ate it with relish and turned on his right side and pre- pared to sleep. His sleep lasted for several hours, and when he awoke he appeared to be greatly refreshed. From that time, however, the fatigue which eventually resulted in the relapse was noticeable. At 3 o'clock he was very tired, but made no com- plaint that would indicate that the food had ill effects. " Later in the afternoon he became somewhat M'orse, and in the evening, when the usual night reaction came, he fared worse than ever before. Grave apprehensions were felt then, and the nurses, including Miss IMcKenzie, and the doctors, were all sum- moned. Then followed a series of consultations and conferences which continued until midnight, when he took a decided change for the worse. BRIGHT AND CHEERY. "It has been said that the President was in a stupor at this time. That is not true. The patient was as bright and cheer}^ as could possibly be expected, and occasional!}' conversed in a low tone. He was somewhat tired, however, and seldom moved in bed. As morning approached he became worse. The bulletins given out from time to time during the morning hours describing his condition were absolutely correct. It was a gradual decline. Frida}^ morning Mrs. McKinley made her usual visit to the sick room. The President knew he was vrorse, and here again his first thoughts were of his helpmate. It would worrv her. " He summoned one of the doctors. Dr. Wasdin, I believe, and asked that the truth of his condition be kept from her. This was a difficult proposition, however, as Mrs. ^McKinlc}' had watched his condition closely, and quickU' detected the smallest and most insignificant change. Then he offered to co-operate in keeping the news from her. He gathered all his strength together, and made a herculean effort to allaj^ an}- suspicions she might have. He succeeded admirably, and she left the room LAST HOl'RS ol' 11 1 1; l'Ki;SII)i:.\ I. l>,;ci after ten minutes with her hiishaiul in the belief that lie was at least holding his own. " When she left he lapsed into the state wliicli characterized the very early morning. He was not in a stnpor, however, and recognized everybody. The morning was marked by freqnent consnlations and conferences, and nearly all of tliem were fillowcd by bnlletins on the President's condition. Dr. Rixe}- was the prime fignre in nearly all these conferences, A'et he wonld take no step without the 'consent of the other ph3'sicians. Late in the afteruoou it became apparent that the President was not to last for long, his life was slowly ebbing away. Slowl}', but surely, the sands in President McKinle3-\s life glasss were dropping away. No person made that statement about the house at this time, but the very atmosphere seemed to contain something that said plainl}- that the President was pass- ing awa}'. About 4 o'clock his pulsation became so alarming that saline solution injections were resorted to. This had the effect of buoving up hopes for a time, just for a short time, however, aud then he suffered a slight change for the worse again. NO RESPONSE TO TREATMENT. " At this time he was in a stupor. I went to his bedside and touched his lips with Avater, but there was no response either by sign or action. He appeared to be conscious aud yet unconscious. He knew none of us. Ever}^ one considered the case hopeless, and knew that it was but a question of vitality ; that he must soon die. As the hour of 9 o'clock approached his condition became rapidly worse, and I have since learned that even in the house the report was circulated that the President was dying. " At this time it was deemed advisable to bring the family to the death chamber. They came one at a time. First came the members of the Cabinet singly, glanced at their dying chief and passed on. Tears were in the eyes of all of them. Then came Abner McKinley and his wife and Mr. and Mrs. Baer. the latter a niece of the President. They remained only a minute aud passed on out of the room. Then came Senator Hanna, the dearest 270 LAST HOURS OF THE PRESIDENT. friend the Presideut ever had. He, too, was to be denied bj- death the jo}^ of recognition. " Then Mrs. McKinley came — poor, brave little woman. " The eas^T" chair was drawn close to the bedside, and she w^as seated there. The President's face lighted np. He recognized her, and it seemed as if the nurses and doctors w^ould burst into tears. She took his hand, the hand which in one sliort week had become emaciated and thin, and held it. " His face lighted up and he murmured : ' God's will, not ours, be done.' "To my knowledge these were the last words the President ever uttered. WAS LED AWAY WEEPING. " Mrs. McKinley remained with him for a half hour and was then led, weeping, from the room. The President had lapsed into the sleep which knows no awakening. He was wholl}^ unconscious. Once, near ii o'clock, I thought I saw him move and try to saj^ something, but it was not audible. At 11.15 o'clock Mrs. McKinley came again and this time remained with her d^dng husband for an hour. She said nothing and the Presi- dent lay like one who had passed the river of death. " The extremities were becoming cold and the pulse was so faint that it could not be recorded by the most sensitive instru- ments. After an hour's time Airs. IMcKinley was led awa\- to her room. It was the last time she would ever see her husband alive. For the next tw^o hours his condition became worse, if such a thing were possible, and it seemed several times as if he must be dead. " Application of the instruments which record the respira- tion, however, showed that he M-as still breathing. At 2. 15 o'clock he died. " Dr. Rixey thought best to wait a few minutes before giving out the bulletin, to make sure that the vital spark had left the body. He applied the apparatus and the dial remained unmoved. He was dead. LAST HOURS OF THE PRESn:)r:NT. 271 " The undertaker CMiiic and laid out the bod}- on the bed on which it had lain for a week. The hands were folded across the breast, and a sheet was drawn over the face. Private Hodgins, of the Hospital Corps, was detailed to guard the body, and throughout the remainder of the night he stood at attention at the foot of the bed. At 5.30 o'clock he was relieved by Private Voltme3'er, of the same branch of the service." CHAPTER XIV. Additional Account of President McKinley's Death — Hope Ending in Despair — Medical Skill Exhausted — Cause of the Final Relapse. The President's last day, which ended in despair, was hegun in hope. The ills that came on Thursda}^ afternoon, when the organs of digestion refnsed to handle the solid food that had been taken earlier in the daj^, had seemingh' been overcome b}^ mid- night, and when the new day came it found the President relieved and resting. Hope that had suddenl}^ dropped from the high place which it had held, began to revive. The healing of the wounds had progressed favorably, general conditions were in the main quite satisfactory-, and the immediate future of the case seemed to hold no threat. The ph3'sicians who had been in almost constant attendance during the night parted, and the watch in the sick room was reduced. Suddenh' there was a failure of the heart, which, for several days had been manifesting signs of weakness, and the President sank toward unconsciousness. This was at two o'clock in the morning. There was an immediate application of restoratives, and a general call went out to the absent phj-sicians and nurses. Digitalis, strj-chnia and saline solution were admin- istered to the patient, but there was no immediate response to treatment. The physicians admitted that he was desperateh' ill, and Secretar}^ Cortelj^ou decided to send for the relatives and clo,se friends of the President, the \^ice-President and members of the Cabinet. Those M'ithin reach were called by telephone or mes- senger, and telegrams were rushed to those who had left the citv- The first of the messages went out at 2.30 o'clock, and witliin half an hour the Milburn house began to fill again. The serious condition of the President and the general call sent out gave rise to a general feeling of alarm that was never again allayed. HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. 27.', Desperate measures were resorted to in order to stiiiuilate the heart, and the sinking spell was over by four o'clock. It was decided to continue the treatment, and the physicians laid their .c^reatest hope on weathering the da3^ It was agreed that if tlie wounded man could be carried for twent3'-four hours that his chances would be very favorable, for the wounds were healini'- splendidl}'. It was decided to sumrpon Dr. \\'. W. Johnston, of Washing- ton, and Dr. E. G. Janeway, of New York, heart specialists, and telegrams were hurried out asking that the}^ come at once. Before dawn a dozen of the relatives and friends of the President arrived at the Milburn house. They assembled in the drawing room, where the}'' waited for tidings from the sick room above them. The physicians assured them that the President had a fighting chance for life and to the hope that in the end victory would be his, they clung all da}'. PROFOUND GRIEF AND HORROR. Hundreds of visitors came during the morning,and if the police had not kept the streets clear and barred entrance to Delaware avenue there would have been thousands. Senator Hanna, a close personal and political friend of the President, hurried up from Cleveland by special train. Other friends arrived by regular trains, and all through the day they came in increasing numbers. Their regret and sympathy were profound. The day developed but little encouragement for them, however. During the forenoon the President made a slight gain o strength, and held it well into the afternoon. His phvsiciaii> announced that they had again given him nourishment, and it was thought that possibly there was a chance for a further gain of strength. It was known, however, that he was in a very serious state, and every interest was centred in the sick room in the Alilburn house, where the struggle was in progress. Suddenly, at 5 o'clock in the afternoon, there was a repetition of the heart attack, and those in the presence of the stricken man ktiew that the end was at hand. This knowledge soon spread to 18 274 HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. the street, and the waiting newspaper men bulletined it to the world. Every one who came from the house was besought for an expression as to the state of the President. Each succeeding report was worse than its predecessor, and the official bulletins were absolutely without hope. The following account of the impending calamit}^ is from the pen of a correspondent who was at the Milburn house : " Since five o'clock this afternoon President McKinley has made a brave but hopeless fight against death. His ph^-sicians said earl}^ in the day that he had a fighting chance, and the President made the most of it. He lay limp and nearly lifeless all day, and hardly conscious of the presence of physicians, who were expending all the resources of their profession to preserve the vital spark. All ordinar\^ expedients failing, desperate means were resorted to. Ox.ygen was administered to keep up respiration. Powerful stimulants were employed to aid the action of the heart. There was an early response to these extreme methods, but, after a time, collapse came, and with it the announcement that the Presi- dent was dying. FAILURE OF VITAL ORGANS. "The President's relapse is admittedly the result of the failure of his digestive organs to assimilate the food Mdiich he ate yesterday. Important bodily functions became impaired. The result was loss of the previous gains that had given the doctors so I much hope of the ultimate outcome of tlie gallant struggle for life. It became absolutel}^ essential to relieve the President's distress, which was threatening aud immediate. Calomel was resorted to. It was administered in a small dose, under the direction of Dr. Stockton. With it, drugs calculated to stimulate the heart were also administered. "The calomel, after hours of anxious observation on the part of the attending doctors, operated as they hoped, but with a result that was distressing to the President. He thereafter became weaker and more helpless. He acted as if he had undergone a strain that had fearfully impaired his slender store of vitality. -L: HOPE END1X(; IN DESPAIR. 276 Hope was abandoiied early in the evening, allliougli tlie physi- cians kept up the endeavors to prolong his life. "The President was unconscious up to 7.20 o'clock. Pie then came tc and asked for Airs. McKinle}-, who was waiting to be admitted to the chamber. He recognized her, but a few moments later became unconscious. Digitalis and strychnine were losing their potency as heart stimulants, and saline solution was no longer efficacious. Artificial respiration was promoted with tlu- aid of oxygen, and life and breath were literally being pumped into the President. Airs. AIcKinlc}' continued with him, praying for the success of these experiments, but with her hopes well nigh exhausted. RELATIVES AND FRIENDS ADMITTED. ''When the physicians decided there was no hope for the President, the relatives and intimate friends waiting in the draw- ing room below were admitted one by one to faintly grasp tlic hand of the President in a silent farewell. None of these was recognized by the President. Senator Hanna, whose grief won the respect of all, held the nerveless fingers of the President and looked vainly into his eyes for a sigh of recognition. " All this time the doctors were spending their efforts on the President, determined to fight the battle to the end. Dr. Charles AIcBurney, who had come post-haste to the President's bedside, arrived too late to be of service, and could only approve of the methods being used by the other physicians. Senator Depew, Secretary Root, Senator Fairbanks and Secretaries Wilson and Hitchcock called at the house through the evening, but received not a glimmer of hope. A little before 10 o'clock it was observed that the President's extremities were growing cold, while his pulse was fluttering and his respiration was irregular and forced. Reports from those leaving the house continued unfavorable. "When Dr. Alynter came out, at 11.30 o'clock, he said the end was very near, although he might live an hour. The doctors had practically abandoned the exhausting effort to maintain life. No more powerful stimulants were administered, and death was allowed to take its progress. But the President held on tena- 27G HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. ciously. Each new statement from the house said he could live but a few minutes, but the President continued to breathe. ' He is alive, that is all,' was the word sent out by Secretary Cortelyou at midnight." From authoritative officials the following details of the final 1 scenes in and about the death chamber were secured : The President had continued in an unconscious state since 8.30 P. M. Dr. Rixey remained with him at all times and until death came. The other doctors were in the room at times, and then repaired to the front room, where their consultations had been held. About 2 o'clock Dr. Rixey noted the unmistakable signs of dissolution, and the immediate members of the family were summoned to the bedside. SILENCE AND SADNESS. Silently and sadly the members of the family stole into the room. They stood about the foot and sides of the bed where the great man's life was ebbing awa}^ Those in the circle were : Abner McKinley, the President's brother ; Mrs. Abner McKinley, Miss Helen, the President's sister ; Miss Barber, a niece. Miss Sarah Duncan, Lieutenant J. F. McKinley, a nephew ; William M. Duncan, a nephew ; Hon. Charles G. Dawes, the Comptroller of the Currency ; F. M. Osborn, a cousin ; Colonel Webb C. Hayes ; John Barber, a nephew ; Secretary George B. Cortelyou ; Colonel W. C. Brown, the business partner of Abner McKinley ; Dr. P. M. Rixey, the family physician, and six nurses and attendants. In an adjoining room sat the physicians, including Drs. McBurney, Wasdin, Park, Stockton and Mynter. It was now 2.05 o'clock, and the minutes were slipping awa3^ Only the sobs of those in the circle about the President's bedside broke the awe-like silence. Five minutes passed, then six, seven, eight. Now Dr. Rixey bent forward, and then one of his hands was raised as if in warning. The fluttering heart was just going to rest. A moment more and Dr. Rixey straightened up, and with choking voice, said : " The President is dead." Secretary Cortelyou was the first to turn from the stricken HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. 277 circle. He stepped from the chamber to the outer hall and then down the stairwa}^ to the large room, where the members of the Cabinet, Senators and distinguished officials were assembled. As his tense, white face appeared at the doorwny, a liusli fell u])()n the assemblage. " Gentlemen, tlic President lias passed away," he said. For a moment not a word came in repl}-. Kven though tlic end had been expected tlie actual announcement that William IMcKinley was dead fairl}^ stunned these men, who had been his closest confidants and advisers. Then a groan of anguish went up from the assembled officials. They cried outright like children. All the pent up emotions of the last few days were let loose. The}' turned from the room and came from the house with streaming eyes. CAME AS A TERRIBLE SURPRISE. The city, not only in those parts near the Milburn house, but all over, and even out in the Exposition grounds, went into a state of ferment when the news of the sudden collapse of the President was announced. The ill news of the early day had been somewhat softened b}' the later afternoon announcement that there was a slight improvement, and the sudden announce- ment of his approaching dissolution came as a great surprise. Up about the corners, near the Milburn house, was a pic- turesque but rather gruesome scene, when it is remembered that the crowds gathered there were awaiting the President's death. The half dozen tents and the two big election booths made it look like the midway of a fair, but the ropes that were stretched from corner to corner, the solemn looking police guard, the pacing soldiers, and, above all, the quietness of the assembled multitude, bore witness to the solemnit}- of the occasion. The Milburn house was hardly discernible among the trees, the lights in the house having been dimmed ; but at a few minutes' intervals there would come out some person who had ijifbnsntioii to bear, and then the eager crowd would surround him. But from the time that Secretary Cortelyou told that the 278 HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. President M^as ver}' weak, there was nothing to encourage a belief that there could be a recovery. A further description of the solemn scene is from an eye- witness and is as follows : "Once more the muffled drums are beating for a murdered President. The piteous half-masted flag again hangs mournfully above the housetops for the man chosen of the people, who has been stricken down by an assassin. Men and women in the streets of Buffalo, in the cars and in their hotels and homes mutter this thing and lapse into mute wonder that it can be so. " Our people are not given to vociferations. As they went about their affairs to-day, clad in light colors — the v/omen at least — one could but faintl}^ guess the self-respecting sorrow at their hearts, which would seem to call for sombre black, if color can be emblematic of grief. But the deep grief was there. A word to one of them brought the emotion to the surface. So I have seen tears well up and trickle doMm manly faces and brows knit closely and hands clutched ominousl}^, for the President was dead. THE WORLD KNEW IT. " All the world knew it now. The world could and did share their sorrow, but that did not lighten the load of sorrow upon William McKinle3''s fellow citizens here. Anger was strong that their President had been shot down — an anger that no mere wreaking of venegeance on the wretched murderer could satisfy, but their tenderest pity, s\'mpathy and love was for the man so /' Ricii in saving common sense, ' Ai^d, as the greatest only are, In his siniphcity subHme.' / "Herein it was that though the busy city, shocked to the core, paused not in its daily round, all hearts were beating with the muffled drums for the murdered President, for the beloved man stricken, like Lincoln and like Garfield, in the rich moment of a nation's trust and at the pinnacle of a nation's power, and beating as well for the widowed woman sitting in a daze of grief in the room where the southern sun was sending light that HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. U79 brought no comfort and warmth that coiihl master the cliill u\nm him at rest in the room near b}'. "So the gray morning dawned on Buffahx All the watchers were weary at the ?vlilburn house, and most of them were sleep- ing, for now vigil would not avail. Like all the houses on either side of Delaware avenue, the lunise stands apart from its neigh- bors, with a strip of verdant lawn between it and the sidewalk of the elm and maple shaded street. There are liner houses on tb _ avenue — which is the avenue of such elegance as Buffalo knows — a fine dignified highway, bespeaking wealth and refinement in its dwellers, and marking the various architectural steps in the succession of builders. HOUSE WHERE HE DIED. "The ]\Iilburn house, with its iv3'-clad porch, its pointed gables, and wings painted in sober brownish gra}' where the ivy is not clambering, would not be distinguished from a hundred like it ; but in this world of mystery — that is, of things happen- ino- which we fail fully to understand — it had become perforce the spot most to be regarded in the world to-day, and for a day to come. After that the scene will shift to other places, as in the way of the world of change. '' You have been told of the wa^- the house is, and has been, guarded since the fateful Friday at the Exposition, a mile or so away — the avenues and the cross streets roped off; of police- men guarding the ropes and soldier sentinels pacing up arid down upon the green sward immediately surrounding the house ; at the rope barriers, silent, whispering groups, waiting a word from those within. '* Add the coming of night to that, the lights beginning to show faintlv in the house, and fear on the faces of all who come and go upon the threshold. Step by step the way the grim battle was o-oino- v.as known to those without — the turn for the worse of the night before ; the heroic measures taken to whip up the tired out heart of the patient. '' It has been a day of gloom around the Milburn house. In 280 HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. dignified silence man}* of the great men of the country have entered the house of death, and in silence passed out of it. The tense excitement and awful suspense of the preceding twent}"- four hours were followed to-day b}' a peace and quiet expressive of the nation's mourning. American flags were early draped on the front of the house, but otherwise there was no evidence of mourning except in the sad hearts and faces of the hundreds who called to pay their respects. " On the lawns of the Milburn house the guards paced silently to and fro, while policemen kept back the crowds that pressed thick against the ropes which a block away cut off access to the streets leading to the house where the body of the martyred Presi- dent lies. By four o'clock this morning the nerve racking ten- sion of those who for a da}^' and a night had watched near the bedside of the d^dng President, awaiting the announcement that the end had come, gave way to calmness and resignation, and only a few of the newspaper men and the telegraph operators remained at the corner which a few hours before had been so thronged. While the telegraph keys clicked off the details of one of the saddest deaths in history the darkness slowly melted into dawn and another da}" was ushered in. SHOWING REMARKABLE FORTITUDE. "After the Milburn house became quiet at five o'clock this morning the first w^ord was brought out by Miss Duncan, who said Mrs. McKinle}^ was bearing up bravel}^ The undertakers were then in the house and Secretary Cortelyou was sleeping. Since Mr. McKinley was shot he had previoush^ had only eight hours sleep. "Miss Helen McKinley, Miss Mary Barber and Mrs. Lafay- ette Mc Williams were the first callers. Lieutenant James McKinley followed, and then Mrs. Garret A. Hobart arrived. In a few minutes Mrs. McWilliams came out of the house, and as she stepped into her carriage she said : ' Mrs. McKinley is resting quietly. She realized long before many others what the outcome might be, and during the last few days had prepared herself I HOPE ENUIXC. IN DESPAH^. 2h1 "Secretaries Wilson, Hitchcock, Root and Smith, and Attor- ney-General Knox arrived at half-past ten o'clock, and a few minutes later Senator Hanna, Senator Burrows, Colonel Herrick and former J ndge Day came up. The Cabinet at once went into session in the library, and invited vSenator Hanna, Colonel Herrick and Judge Day to join in their deliberations. " The scene in the vicinity of the Milburn house at midnight, the last midnight that William McKinley was to see for ever- more, was weirdly pathetic. It was intensely dark with a thin mist in the air, arising above the tree tops and making tlie electric lights blind and glimmer uncanny. In the tents and election booths devoted to the newspaper correspondents and telegraph operators the light shone brightly, throwing the shadows of the workers in sable silhouette against the gleaming whiteness of the tents. Under the dark foliage of the arching trees on Delaware avenue the gleam of a sentry's gun flashed now and then as the noiseless figure in blue came and went like a ghost." GRIM SENTINELS IN BLACK. Stretching away to the west along Ferry street, was a row of yellow lights from carriage lamps where automobiles stood like grim sentinels in black, waiting to bear the darkest tidings to the country that it has heard in two score 3^ears. Just within the confining limits of a cable that gleamed like a streak of saffron under the electric light, a policeman paced to and fro, pausing now and then to sa}^ a few words in an undertone to the groups of waiting, restless, whispering correspondents, who either lined up against the rope or else conversed in groups iu the street rapidly disintegrating to surround the latest comer from the house that was covered not only b}- the blackness of the night but bv the shadow of impending death. Absolute silence reigned within the cordon established a week ago by the police. At all the intersecting streets two squares away hundreds of people, men and women, some on wheels, others in carriages, hundreds on foot, stood silently 282 HOPE ENDINCx IN DESPAIR. waiting news from where the pale lights glimmered in the house of death. Every comer from that direction was held up and ques- tioned by the obliging policeman, while ever}/one stood on tip-toe and listened with bated breath for the details. The coming and going of notables occupied the attention of the newspaper men, and furnished bulletins for the waiting world. Over in the telegraph booths some of the correspondents who had been on duty for forty hours almost coustantl}", tried to get a few winks of sleep in hard, uncomfortable chairs. Alessenger bo3's lay prone on the floors of the booths and slept the sleep of exhaustion. Scattered through the crowds of correspondents outside were secret service men and plain clothes detectives. Just what they were doing no one seemed able to fathom. A NIGHT TO BE REMEMBERED. Thus the drear}' hours dragged on till midnight and after. Word came that newsbo3^s down town were calling extras that the President was dead. Then the police began moving a crowd of morbidl}' curious women and their escorts who had crowded around the telegraph booth. Tired messenger bo3's were roused from their sleep and sent skurrying down town with bunches of "specials" as fast as bicycles could go under the pressure of wearied legs. Some kind soul with the spirit of a Samaritan sent in some refreshments in liquid form to the fagged operators and tired correspondents. There was a lull for ten minutes, the telegraph instruments clicked out noisily with strident sounds in the chill darkness. Somebod}- who had been there began drooning a stor^^ of San- tiago and Schley, and the next instant, like a hurricane, a squad of breathless men burst into the postal booth. There was a murmur of "dead," a scurrying grab for copy paper, and a dozen hands were writing the culmination of the story. "Coroner Wilson has just gone into Milburns ; he Avas sum- moned at I2.IO," exclaimed someone. Then there was a break from the booth to where a little knot gathered at the ropes and under the trees. Before half the correspondents could get across HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. 283 the street two figures, one that ( f Coroner Wilson, the other of Harry Hamlin, disappeared under the trees toward the house. "Stop it! Stop it!" came a sharp imperious voice. ''Kill that bulletin. Ke is not dead. Dr. Mann says he is still alive, and that Janewa}' is conducting an examination." It was a Washington correspondent, of national fame and wide experience who uttered the words. A hasty investigation revealed the truth of his announce- ment, and then the bulletins were recalled. The President still lived. Down in the heart of the city a different scene was being enacted. There all was life and bustle, excitement, execration, anxiety ; ever}- newspaper of&ce had a thousand men and women about it. Five-minute bulletins were posted as received by tele- phone. STREETS PACKED WITH PEOPLE. Downtown, i\Iain street was a iuiman hive. Crowds as great as au}' which have filled the streets in noontide packed the side- walks and made passing of streetcars almost impossible. Women were almost as numerous as men. Here again police precaution was evident, mounted police, the entire service, rode up and down, pushed over toward the pavement, and kept the roadway clear, and the throngs on the street moving. It was a queer sight this thing of mounted police in the heart of the city. Then above the clang of car gongs and the hoarse cries of fakirs already on the streets with "souvenirs" of the assassin, came the shrill resonant cries of the newsboys calling a midnight extra. " The death of ]\IcKinley." It was a fake to be sure, but it caught, and though tlie President was still this side of the Dark River the cruel enterprise of the newsmonger had him robed for the grave. Rumors were thick, every other man on the street had a fresh one and the latest was no Morse than the first. Curious crowds, mostly women, gathered around the telegraph offices and craned their necks to watch the weary operators and hurrying correspondents at their work. It was all unnatural, strange, 284 HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. j almost incomprelieusible. To this crowd on the street was added from, time to time groups recruited from the arriving trains, gap- ing yokels with lunch for three days in a splint basket, trim tourists and the cannaille of the curb. It was believed to be the President's death night, and all were eager, sympathetically eager, for the latest facts. Another authority, who had a full knowledge of the situa- tion made the following statement : "President McKinley never had one chance to recover from the assassin's bullet, according to the widespread report of the autopsy held this afternoon. Nature, doctors say, could not help along the work of the surgeons. The President died of " toxemia caused by necrosis of the tissues." That is another way of say- ing that gangrene killed him. This could not have been pre- vented, the doctors say, by any surgical or medical treatment. EVERY PROSPECT OF RECOVERY. " The world was permitted to believe that President McKinley was on the road to recovery, because some of the attending ph3^sicians in talking for publication consented to construe the President's condition as highly favorable after a considerable period of time had elapsed without unfavorable symptoms being made manifest. Professional etiquette restrains the doctors who talk now from naming their fellows who were responsible for this. All were too sanguine. " Some of the doctors, notably Dr. Wasdin, are inclined to believe that President McKinley was shot with poisoned bullets. This is not proved. The only wa}^ in which it can be proved is by examination of the remaining bullets, and particularly of the bullet which struck the President in the breast. But the Presi- dent would have died of his wounds if the bullets were perfectly clean. His system did not possess the vitality to repair the dam-, age done to his vital organs. This does not mean that the Presi- dent's system was in bad condition, but only that his vitality was low, or, in other words, that he had small recuperative powers, as result showed. HOPE ENDING IN DKSI'AIK. 28fi "Wlieu the President was shot he received the best possible surgical attention at the earliest possible moment. The sur- geons exhausted all the resources of their science and skill. After that they had to depend upon nature coming to their assist- ance and nature failed them. The complications which followed the mending of the President's wounds were, the doctors confess, fullv beyond their ken. The gangrenous affection did not manifest itself in any wa}^ that could be detected b}^ them. It brought about those conditions of the heart and of the intestines which, during the last two days, showed to the physicians that something was wrong, but what it was they never knew to a certainty until they made the autopsy to-day. THE BULLET A MYSTERY. "Lodgment of the second bullet in the abdominal wall back of the stomach had nothing to do with the President's death. It did all of its damage in- the abdominal cavity. That bullet remains a myster}-. It was not located during the President's life, and two hours of careful search for it alter death failed to find it. The fact that this bullet remained in the President's body without setting up an}- disorder where it stopped, militates against the theor}^ that it might have been poisoned. "The fatal bullet did more damage to the President's vital organs than even they knew until to-da}-. The}- have assumed that when the}' had repaired the wounds of the stomach the}- had attended to all that was necessar}'. Damage to the suprarenal capsule and the left kidney was never discovered by them during the operation which was expected to save the President's life. Why this was so has not yet been explained. "The autopsy shows that the bullet passed through the stomach near its lower quarter and then entered the muscles of the backbone behind the kidneys and aorta. From that spot surgical skill would have been utterly powerless to extract it if it had been discovered. On its way the bullet tore away the suprarenal capsule and pierced the left kidney, destro^'ing the upper part of that organ. 286 HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. " When the gangrene which developed also affected the pan- creas, this set free poisons which entered the blood and affected the heart, and so, in the fend, prodnced death. The absorption of these poisons was what caused the weakness and exhaustion of the President. The cathartics administered Wednesday and Thurs- da}^ luay have caused further weakness, but death would have been inevitable without them. The wounded kidne}' of itself was not a serious matter, according to Dr. Mann. He says the injur}' to that organ might have developed in abscess, but that it was not neces- sarily a part of the fatal conditions. The gangrene which developed in the stomach wounds primarily and was communi- cated to the pancreas, which supplies food to the stomach, was the basic cause of death. THE FIRST SHOT. "The doctors commenced work on the autops}' about noon, as soon as Coroner W^ilson had < fficiall}^ viewed the President's body, and had given them permission. The}- found that the first bullet fired at President ]\IcKinley b}^ the assassin did not pass through the skin. It probabU' struck a button on his shirt or vest and was deflected. After the cause of death had been determined the doctors searched for the second, or fatal, bullet. They looked for two hours, Dr. Mann sa3's, and finally gave it up. A suggestion was made that the X-ray apparatus be used to obtain a skiagraph of the wounded region, but it was not done. " x\fter the autopsy the follov\'ing official report, written by Dr. Mann, the surgeon who performed the operation in laparotomy on the President's stomach, was issued after being signed b}- all of the consulting staff except Dr. McBurue}^ Eight other physi- cians also signed. The report follows : — " ' The bullet which struck over the breast bone did not pass through the skin, and did little harm. '' ' The other bullet passed through both v/alls of the stomach near its lower border. Both holes were found to be per fectl}- closed by the stitches, but the tissue around each hole had become gan- grenous. After passing through the stomach the bullet passed llOrF. ENDING IN DHSfAIK. 2ST into the back walls of the abdomen, hitting and tearing the upper end of the kidney. This portion of the Inillet track was also gangrenons, the gangrene involving the pancreas. Tlie bullet has not been found. " 'There was no sign of peritonit"s or disease of other organs. The heart walls were very thin, and there was no evidence of any attempt at repair on the part of nature, and death resulted from the gangrene, which affected the stomach around the bullel wounds as well as the tissues around the further course of the bullet. Death was unavoidable by any surgical or medical treat- ment, and was the direct result of the bullet wound. '' '(Signed) Harve}^ D. Ga3lord, M. D.; Herman G. Alatzinger, M. D.; P. :^I. Rixey, M. D.; Matthew D. Mann, M. D.; Herman Mynter, :^I. D.;Roswell Park, M. D.; Eugene Wasdin, M. D.; Charles G. Stockton, M. D.; Edward G. Janeway, M. D.; W. W. Johnson, :\I. D.; W. P. Kendall, U. S. A.; Charles Gary, M. D.; Edward L. ^lunson, assistant surgeon, U. vS. A., and Hermanns L. Baer, M. D.' CONCLAVE OF DOCTORS. " Drs. Rixe}", Mann, IMynter, Park and Wasdin were the attendintr surgeons. Dr. Stockton was added to the staff Thurs- dav night. Drs, Janewa}' and Johnson were the heart specialists sent for on Frida3\ Dr. Baer is Abner McKinley's son-in-law. The others were Buffalo practitioners of note, who were merel}' called in to assist at the autops}-." Dr. Roswell Park, speaking of the probable direct cause of the President's death, said : '' Apparenth' the bullet after passing through the stomach penetrated to the pancreatic gland, thongli we were not able to discover this fact while the President lived. The ball cut a small grove through an edge of the left kidney and then reached the pancreas, afterv*'ard imbedding itself some- where in the muscles or tissues of the back. There was nothing to indicate that the pancreas had been struck by ihe bullet in the examinations that were made at the time of the first opera- tion. 288 HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. "After the wound and incision made by the operating surgeons had been closed, it seems that the pancreas fluid escaped steadil}^ into the system. Of course, there was no way for us to know this, or we should have discovered some trace of the fact. We could not cut through to where the ball had embedded itself and trace its course backward from there. The pancreas fluid, which properly aids in the assimilation of starchy stuff's, flowed constantly from the wound and was absorbed by the tissues. It reached the veins, and through them the heart. It likewise provoked gangrene of the tissues. No, the use of the X-ray would not have aided in the discovery of this trouble." " Did the possibility of the pancreas having been entered by the bullet ever enter iuto the calculation of the surgeons when they were in consultation ? " NO WAY TO FIND OUT. " Not until the President took the turn for the worse, after he had taken the solid food Thursday. Then it was only discussed in a negative fashion, not regarded as among the possibilities. In any event, there was no method by which we could have discovered the fact. The President realized that there was no hope for his recovery at least fort3'-eight hours before he passed away. Pie was never told by those at his side that they knew he could not live. The X-ray was brought to the house only with the idea of having it near and in readiness should the occasion arise for its use. We did not find that it could help us at any time." Dr. Park did not explain how President McKinle}'- knew that he was beyond recovery at a time when the physicians were sending out favorable bulletins and all but announcing that he was out of danger. Dr Mynter, who was in attendance upon the President almost from the moment he was struck down, said: "The assassin's bullet, from what our examinations demonstrated, passed first through the abdomen, then through the front and back of the stomach. From there it tore through the mesentery of the colon HOPE ENDING IN DKSI'AIK. 'J«y transversum, notched off a corner of the left kidney and passed througli the rear wall of the peritoncnm. After that it dis- appeared in the muscles of the back, and we could i^et no trace of its resting place. It would not have been possible to cut in and reach it. " I have treated hundreds of gunshot wounds in my experi- ence as a surgeon, but never before have I found that conditions developed such as have come up in this case. From the point of entrance of the ball to where it disappeared there had developed a gangrenous course. There was no peritonitis. "You ask me if the bullet was poisoned? I must tell you that I do not know. I have never come in contact witli an instance of a bullet being poisoned, but there is this gangrenous course, such as neither I nor au}^ of the other surgeons attending the President had ever encountered. I cannot account for it. THERE WAS NO HOPE. "The President's stomach was amply capable of retaining what food was given to him, but the gangrenous spots in the wall of the organ were working the mischief. Had he survived the night, I am satisfied that to-day would have found these mortified portions falling awa}-, dropping the contents of fhe stomach into the abdomen, and then death would have ensued quickly. " Most assuredly the solids given him worked not one whit of harm. We only permitted him to have a few nibbles of toast, that he might chew on them and remove the secretions from his tongue. It was absolutely necessary and worked no injury. The coffee was beneficial, what little he had of it. I give coffee as a stimulant where people suffer from heart trouble." Dr. Matthew D. Mann, the surgeon who performed the opera- tion on President McKinley immediately after the shooting, and who was principally in charge of the case during the President's prostration, said that the autopsy showed two unquestionable facts: First, that the President never had the slightest chance to recover; and Second, that the surgical steps taken immediately after he 19 290 HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. was sliot were wliat might have saved his life under favorable couditious. Dr. Mann said that the President's hurt was one that under nearly any circumstances would be fatal. In the case of a young man in perfect health and vigor the same prompt surgical atten- tion after the same injuries might save life. "The evidence we find after the autopsy," said Dr. Mann, "is to this effect. Even the first impulse toward recovery never existed in the President's case. The bullet w^ound showed abso- lutely no intention to heal. Nature did absolutely nothing to mend the damage. The bullet punctures in the stomach were held together by the sutures, preventing the escape of foreign matter into the abdominal cavity, but the tissues had shown no disposition to unite. The President's death was due to the poison developed by the gangreneous condition of the bullet wound. The poison was absorbed into the system, and killed just as surely as would poison taken b}- the mouth. FAVORABLE SYMPTOMS. " There was no high inflammation. The constant low temper- ature, of course, demonstrates that, and there was no evidence of peritonitis or septicemia. I can only say that the President was in a low condition, and repair by nature consequently did not follow his injur3^ " I do not mean by that that the President was not ph\'sicall3' strong. The condition I define is different from physical weak, •ess. His vitalit}^ was low ; he had no recuperative powers. It was found that his heart was rather thin. I mean b}^ that that like au}^ other muscle of the body which is not kept at a proper development by exercise, it lacked strength." I asked Dr. Mann if it is true that the President died simply from heart failure. "No," said he, "that was not the cause of death. As I said a few minutes ago, the cause of death is absolutely plain. It was gangreneous poison. Man}- a man has a heart like President McKinle3\ Any man who leads a sedentary life gets short of HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR.' 291 wind. That is due to the iact that his heart, uot being sufficiently exercised, is more or less thin/' "How is it," was asked, "that the bullet was not found in the autops}' ? " "The onh- answer to that question is that the bullet was not discoverable. In three hours' search it could not be found. I think that fact is sufficient repl}- to au}- possible critcisni whicli may have been offered concerning the failure of the surgeons to search for the bullet during the first operation. At the autopsy, with the abdomen open and the breastbone removed, it was impossible to find the bullet. How futile, therefore, would have been the effort to find it wheu the President was living?" The following lines are expressive of the tender sympathy felt for Mrs. McKinley : DEAR HEART AND TRUE. Dear Heart, who mourning has the grief Of this wide world to soothe her own ! I'^or but to hear the name of the beloved Bieathed by some other voice full tenderly Hath kept full many a heart from breaking quite ; And thus, so.^he ; to her the silence kept inviolate, Or broken but by harmony of sacred song, Or slow, sweet, music of the vibrant bells That girt the earth with sound ; Sure this must soothe, uplift, inspire. To wait — to wait another daj' — A day when all her da)'s of sorrow Soothed by his dear love ; Wlien all her da\s of sorrow sweetened b)' such memories, Are done. And then — The Silence, Silence ! Then, The Wakening, The Life ! So, fuller, richer, grander, by the depths of this, So, satisf}'ing and eterne ! So, borne above her loss by myriads ; So, wrapt in incense of their prayers ; So, thought on by all women and all men, She still may live — live on, Dear Heart and True ! A very appreciative notice of President McKinley appeared in the "Atlanta Constitution," and was only one of hundreds of 292 HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. similar expressions of grief througliout the South. Nowhere was Mr. KcKinley better loved or more sincerely mourned. ALL IS OVER. "With the final ceremonies of state, rendered in the federal capitol building 3^esterda3% the nation has taken leave of the late president. "Today, in Canton, he belongs to his family. Tomorrow, in his grave, he will belong to eternit}^ "The assassin's work was a shock to the nation. In the desperation of the hour of affliction the public heart was hardened and called for vengeance. By the catafalque upon which the body of the victim laid so reposefully, we almost caught the smile of life — the victim, the offering upon the altar of countr}-, was surrounded by estranged hearts made one. Let no rude voice ever presume to disturb this holy consecration to country ! " Upon the firing line of organized society Mr. McKinley had stood. The society that had fought its battle for recognition through the darkness of patriarchalism ; that had found some consideration in feudalism ; that had been rudely pressed back by absolutism, found its resting place upon a new continent, and its exemplars stood in an honored line, at one end of which was George Washington — at the other, William McKinley ! But though society had fought this battle against power, it has not yet won in the struggle against ignorance and vice. Vice, malig- nant, did its work in Buffalo, but society has shown itself strong enough to rally and stand upon its feet. McKinley has fallen upon the firing line of progress ; his body has been borne awa}^ from the trench to receive the honors due the soldier dead at the post of duty. The President found a mighty nation when he was called into of&ce. Washington had established its independence. Jefferson had outlined its civic purpose. Monroe had warned the world of its growing importance. Lincoln had held it together against an inherited struggle. McKinley found the nation strong and rich, but torn by seeds HOPE ENDING IN DESPAIR. 293 of dissension. ' With a courtesy chiv^alry had never ap])roached ; with a kindliness so apparent that it allowed of no doubt, he touched the sensitive point, and pronounced the words that restored the unity of purpose that had marked the Continentals when they fought and starved together in 1776. This is the man whose body has lain in the nation's Capitol, and from whom we have taken leave. Magnanimous, kind- hearted, patriotic, he has been borne away, and the nation, weep- ing over a fallen leader, feels the stronger for the work he has done. CHAPTER XV. Obsequies of Our Martyred President — Extraordinary Demonstrations of Public Sorrow — Body Lying in State at Buffalo — Immense Throngs of People Passing the Bier — Short and Simple Funeral Services. IT had rained fitfully through the night, but as the morning •1 advanced a genial sun dispelled the heavy clouds. The morning to which Buffalo awoke was balmy, and seemed to have done with its sorrow. But the people had not ; they had learned that services for the dead President would be held at the Milburn house, and that later the body of the murdered President \vould lie in State at the City Hall. B}^ general consent they resolved to await the latter oppor- tunit\' of looking upon his face in death which a short nine days before the had seen in ruddy life. The streets were astir early, but the movement was that of a people sorely oppressed with grief, and the gentle sunlight did but give it a silver lining. At the roped barriers drawn around the City Hall they gathered and waited patiently. Down the abutting streets they stretched out, two abreast, for half a mile in two directions, silent or talking in low tones, most of them wearing white badges with "We mourn our loss" and the late President's portrait in black. As for a brother, a father, were they mourning, without the smallest tinge of affectation. Along the main streets mourning insignia of black, black and white and purple had been placed. The displays were many, but scarcely one was worthy of particular note. A broad crape streamer dependent from a half draped flag was the most effective emblem seen. The washed out flags put up in joy over the Exposition were too many for the little mourning material used, but the tender respect was there all the same. As it was Sunday, the commercial false note common to such 294 i OBSEQUIES OK OL'R MARTVREU rRKSlDK.NT. 20.-, occasions was not heard. The street fakirs wlio on Satnrday had hidden their Pan-American sonvenirs and liad snbstitnted for them stocks of fnneral emblems, were (Uit of sijj^lit. Nothinj; marred the dignit}^, the decornm of the day. The police had little to do in managing the crowds. A word was silently obeyed. Democrac}' was preaching a powerfnl sermon, and all that happened nntil nightfall bore it out. All was for ordered liberty among equals before the law. The thrill of emotion made it as liuman and living as it well could be. The new President, bodil}- tired and mentally worn out, had slept well in the pillared house on the avenue. There was no waking, alas, for him whom the new one had succeeded. At the Milburn cottage, where lay the remains of William McKinley, the sunshine was fitfully busy, making arabesques of shadows on the lawn, over which the sentries still were pacing. At the distant barriers of rope there was no great crowd. ON THE WATCH FOR ASSASSINS. There was close scrutiny of all who wished to pass. This was .so not merely because of the desire to limit the number near the house of death, but also because of the dread that in some friendly guise another murderer would pass, and this is the curse of crime. Like the enemy in the night, it scatters tares of dis- trust between man and man where the wheat of loving confidence should grow. The uniformed police were watchful and not a little feverishly nervous, and secret service men swarmed at every elbow. In the cottage the simple preparations had been made for the service. Perhaps in holding the .services at the cottage simplicity had been over strained. The smallest church will hold nu.re people than the parlor of the largest cottage. Great care had been taken in limiting the invitations, but even nearly halt of those who came could not enter and remain. Doubtless other and more delicate considerations ruled in making the order o{ things what it was. By half-past ten a goodly number had arrived. In tall silk 296 OBSEQUIES OF OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. hats, black coats and black gloves they stood in groups upon the lawn and waited. Some came on foot, but most in carriages, the ropes being lowered and raised as the carriages went past. Hard on eleven the hearse with its four high stepping, coal black Flem- ish horses, its fringed black hammercloth and silver-plated carriage lamps, drove up — a simple equipage enough, such as any well to do private family might engage. Why not a catafalque for the nation's dead? Again a nice discretion ruled, a deference to the well known law of the simple ways of life and death that marked William McKinle}'. Anon the rhythmic tramp of many feet is heard, and the armed escort is marching bj^ Barely two hundred men the}^ seem, and chosen from all the arms of the service. Sailors in their brown-legginged short dress, marines with a touch of red on their blue uniform, a company of regulars, a couple of companies from the National Guard, a handful from the Hospital Corps — that was all. THE CABINET IN ATTENDANCE. Members of the Cabinet began to appear. Postmaster-Gen- eral Smith and Secretary Wilson, the latter the more venerable looking, with his gray beard, entered the house. Governor Odell, very erect, waited on the lawn. General "Dan" Sickles, in a Grand Arm}- hat, hobbled out of his carriage on his crutches. He was coming to see another old soldier of the civil war — another comrade — laid to rest. Secretary Root, very careworn, came on foot with some ladies. Senator Hanna, the gravity of a great loss brooding over him and making him forgetful at moments of what was said and done about him, stood apart. Secretary Long, Avho is proverbially forgetful of the small things of life, came in a straw hat ; but the hat was so much in his hand, and his strong, earnest face was so seamed with grief, that the unconventional headgear was noticed b}- few. Six members of the Cabinet were on the lawn or in the house when, at a minute or two before eleven, President Roosevelt stepped out of his plain carriage. He was dressed in tasteful OBSEQUIES OF OUR MARTYRED TRESIUENT. 297 black, and raised his tall hat in salute many times as he walked through the crowd on the lawn, now lined up with a passage between. The sun was still shifting from glow to shadow as the lines on the lawn followed the President into the house. Entering beneath ivied porch and turning to the right in the wide hall, one was at once in the room where all that was not im- mortal of President jMcKinley lay. No attempt had been made to alter this parlor and library into a mortuary chamber. So the black shadow did not fall so heavily across one on entering. Another step, and the coffin on its trestle was before one. THE HISTORIC ROOM. It IS a large, oblong room, and book shelves line it in places. It has two windows that let light in through thin white curtains. A large photograph of the mutilated winged victory caught much of this light, and seemed painfully emblematic of what was doing there, standing out as it did from the wall paper, which showed great bunches of red flowers on a white ground. The upper part of the cofiin cover had been removed, and a national flag draped about the lower part, on which rested wreaths of white asters, yellow roses and a large one of purple asters. Other wreaths there were around the trestles. As the mourners entered they passed up to the windows and down on the left side of the coffin, gazing on the dead face with his own tide of emotion within his breast. Some lingered and gazed, and many tears fell, but not a word was spoken, save a whispered one to those w4io wished to pass out rather than bear the oppressive moments that were to follow. The dead President's head rested on a pillow of tufted white satin ; his left hand lay across his breast. They had dressed him in black, a black tie, a white .stand-up collar. In the lapel of his coat was a bronze Grand Army button, sole ornament, sole emblem of what he had been — a lover of his country, faithful unto death. The features were somewhat shrunk and drawn with suffering, and the skin was yellowish ; but the sacrament of a great peace was upon his closed eyelids, and the bony modeling of chin and 298 OBSEQUIES OF OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. forehead and the clear line of the silent lips showed that his type was noble, and that the heart which refused to beat longer was true while it could pulsate. Opposite the house on the other side of the avenue the band of the Sixty-fifth was stationed, and, as the cofiin was borne on the shoulders of eight corporals, one from each branch of the united services, came down the patu a long roll came from the muffled drums, and then the President's favorite h 3" mn was played as the coffln was placed in the hearse. The following are the words of the hymn : I. — Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee ; E'en though it be a Cross Tliat raiseth me ; Still all my song shall be, Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee ! II. — Though like the wanderer, The sun gone down, Darkness be over me, My rest a stone, Yet in my dreams I'd be, Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee ! III. — There let the way appear Steps unto heaven ; All that Thou sendest me In mercy given ; Angels to beckon me Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee ! IV. — Or if on joyful wing, Cleaving the sky. Sun, moon and stars forgot, Upward I fly — Still all my song shall be, Nearer, my God, to Thee, Nearer to Thee ! OBSEQUIES OF OUR MARTYRKU PRESIDENT. 299 President Roosevelt and the Cabinet followed the coffin and entered the first two carriages. Governor Odell and Senator Hanna rode together, the latter's broad face still wet. So they followed, j foreign diplomats with stolid faces. Senators and officials and former officials. The son of former President Harrison was abont. Former Attorney General Bissell, a relic of Cleveland's time, and I so like Mr. Cleveland, passed from the house on foot. The military escort deployed from column of four to column of platoons, and, led by the band, to the tap of a single drum, passed slowU* down the avenue, the regulars carr^-ing a furled flag, with a draping of crepe. On each side of the hearse was a guard of honor of eight sailors from the Michigan. The people j below the barriers awaited the passing of the funeral cortege in respectful S3-mpathetic silence, and so saw it pass slowly by in solemn dignit}-. CROWDS AROUND THE CITY HALL. Down about the City Hall, a handsome pile of granite in the heart of Buffalo, two miles away, the crowd had become enor- mous, but Chief Bull has learned to handle crowds, and there was no pushing, no confusion. Such of us as did not go with the funeral procession went at once to the City Hall, where the pre- parations for a public view of the dead President had been admi- rabU' made, and, as it proved, strictl}" carried out. Scarcelv, however, had we entered the hall than a torrential downpour of rain began. The procession was still nearly a quarter of a mile away, the strains of Chopin's funeral march coming faintly to our ears. Every man not in a closed carriage must have been soaked through and through. On the spacious main floor of the City Hall, which is reached bv a flight of stone steps, the walls were hung in black and the |v large recesses on either side tastefully banked witli palms and palmettos. Near the center of the hall, at a point midway between four lighted six branch chandeliers, was the slightly inclined platform for the coffin. Up the steps it was borne by its eight bearers, who turned deftly — they carry the dead, feet foremost — and 300 OBSEQUIES OF OUR iMARTYRED PRESIDENT. lowered their precious burden gentl}' into its place, the lid was removed, some adjustments made, and then the lower part of the lid replaced, while President Roosevelt and the chief mourners stood on either side. When all was in place, the President and Cabinet, again looking on the body within, passed out of the rear of the hall to their carriages. The rain was falling at intervals, but it could not keep the crowd of citizens away. It was the hour of the people, and a little rain could not keep them back. On, in moist garments, they came, two by two, in two streams, looked sharply down at the form in the coffin and were hurried along and out. Hour after hour the living stream continued. At each side of the coffin and at each end stood a man on guard. A sailor with drawn cutlas, an officer with drawn sword, a marine and a regular with fixed bayonets. There was no time for incidents beyond hurr\-ing the few, inconsiderate of those behind, who wished to linger because the}^ loved and pitied. But all was done gentl}', and the tide was kept flowing. INDIANS AS MOURNERS. It was toward four o'clock that the most picturesque visit was made. One hundred and fift}^ Indians, chiefs, braves, squaws, and pappooses from the Exposition, dressed in their many colored blankets, with painted faces, entered the hall. A great wreath of asters had preceded them, bearing an inscription to the Great White Chief. As they came into the hall in a great group they looked wildl}' about them, but the hush of it all, the solemnity, the casket under the lights, the statue like figures of the guard, had an awesome effect upon them, and thc}^ fell into a line of two abreast at a word from their w^hite leader, and so passed up to where the coffin la3\ As each Indian chief or brave came up he halted, drew a white aster from the folds of his blanket and gently placed it on the coffin. Then with some muttered word passed on. Long had the}^ wished to see the Great White Father ; that wish was the final lure that drew man}- of them to the Exposition. Day after day they had come to their white leader. " When w411 the Great Father come ? " He came, thev saw him, and then thev OBSEQUIES OF OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. r?Ol heard he was shot. Great was their anger, great their desire to see vengeance wreaked upon the murderer. They would hunt him. He was caught, they were told. If the President died the murderer would be put to death. Oh, no ; that was not their idea. Give him to them and let them give him the terrible Apache formula. The Siou.v, the Arapahoes could torture him with many varieties of pain, but to kill him quick, like that, clapping their hands, Oh, infamous. Do you love your great chief that you kill the treacherous murderer in a flash ? Long after the Indians had passed the grave white people continued to come and go. A 1 river of love and compassion, and as night was falling and the stars were coming out in the clear vault of the deep blue sky the line still was moving without apparent end. RED MEN'S FAREWELL TO THE GREAT CHIEF. The following touching inscription accompanied a wreath oi purple asters, the tribute of the Indians at the Pan-American Kxposition : ''Farewell of Chief Geronimo, Blue Horse, Flat Iron and Red Shirt and the 700 braves of the Indian Congress. Like Lincoln and Garfield, President McKinley never abused authority except on the side of mercy. The martyred great White Chief will stand in memory next to the Saviour of mankind ; we loved ; / him living ; we love him still." f The cruel wound beneath the flowers and the flag had set free an honest upright soul. By the head of the coffin on its right stood President Roosevelt, upright as at attention, his hac held to his breast, his eyes fixed on the face of the dead. Secre- tary Root and the other members of the Cabinet were in line with him, and below these was Governor Odell and behind him Senator Hanna. The room was now uncomfortably full. The hall was full and across the dining room was full. Many passed out and stood bareheaded on the lawn, for now the services were beginning. Unseen of all below and on the floor above the widow of the :i02 OBSEQUIES OF OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. dead remained with Mrs. and Miss Barber by her, and Dr. Rixe}' caring- for her. She said little one heard, only begging that if her dead were to be taken awa}^ for the people to see that he be brought back to the house again, that she might watch with him till morning — and all this with little or no outward sign of grief, for she sees but diml}^ through the veil. Those who are without and within think of her. Magnificently impressive, by reason of their simplicity, were the services at Buffalo over all that remained of William McKinley save the memory that will linger in the hearts of the American people, whom he loved and who loved and trusted him. The grandeur and pomp that ofttimes lift, at the last, men of mean attainments to a pinnacle of suppositious greatness were not present. They would have been so far out of place as to be 'a shock to the sorrowing hearts that gathered at the Milburn cottage in Delaware avenue at eleven o'clock. EXTREMELY SIMPLE CEREMONIES. Could President McKinley have directed the ceremonies him- self, those who knew him best are united in the belief that he would have changed none of the details. It was a simple cere- mony. Except for the presence of many of the most distinguished men in the nation, the services in the house might have been the last words said over any one of a hundred thousand men, so far as one unacquainted with the facts could have observed. Barely two hundred people were admitted to the house, and those only by special invitation. Except for the newspaper men, the military escort, and the guard of police there were few people within a block of the cottage while the services w^ere in progress. During the morning the casket was taken down stairs and was placed in the large library at the front of the house, just off the hall. It rested between the two front windows, with the head toward the street and about two feet from a large pier glass. The upper half of the casket was open, and on the lower half rested a large wreath of purple violets, red roses and white chrysanthe- mums. Two other wreaths of red roses and white chrysanthe- i OBSEQUIES OF OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. ?M mums rested ou a marble shelf at the base of the mirror. The carpet itself was draped with a large American flag. Shortly after lo o'clock those invited to the ceremony began to arrive. At first the}- came singly or in small parties, and there was considerable intervals between the arrivals of the carriages, but as the hour for the service drew nearer, carriages drove up in rapid succession. Until just before eleven o'clock verv few entered the house, preferring to remain on the lawn, where tliev, for the most part, stood in silent groups, awed by the sad missiou on which they had come. Most of them, however, had gone in when, at three minutes of eleven, President Roosevelt drove up in a carriage with j\Ir. and Airs. Ansley \\ ilcox. He shook hands in silence with several members of the Cabinet, who met him at the carriage, and then slowly walked to the piazza and into the house. MILITARY AND NAVAL ESCORT. Meanwhile, a compau}- of regulars of the Fourteenth Regi- ment, from Fort Porter; a detail of marines from Camp Haywood, at the Pan-American Exposition; a company of marines from the steamship ''Michigan," and a company each from the Sixty-fifth and Sevent3'-fourth Regiments, of the National Guard of New York, had drawn up in Delaware avenue, and, stretched out in a long line, facing the house, stood at rest. At each door and window in the room in which lay the casket a regular or marine had been posted. At one of the front win- dows stood a soldier and at the other a sailor. At the door leading into the hall stood a marine and a regular ; at the door leading into the dining-room at the rear a marine was posted, and a sergeant stood at the door leading into a smaller librar\- on ihe north side of the house. In this small library were most of the members of the McKinlev familv and a few of their closest friends. Mrs. McKinley, the chief sufferer of all, did not come down stairs during the services. With Mrs. Barber, Miss Barber, Mrs. Hobart and Dr. Rixey, she sat at the head of the stairs leading into the main hall. All the doors were open, and she could hear 304 OBSEQUIES OF OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. every word of the minister's earnest pra3'er, and the sweet strains of the choir reached her in her seclusion as they sang the Presi- dent's favorite hymns. Not once did she break down, but sat through it all silent and possessed. It seemed as if her great grief had exhausted her power for suffering. With a handkerchief at her eyes, she buried her suffering in her broken heart as she sat there, hardly stirring, until just before the casket was carried out. Then she was gently raised from her chair and led awaj^ to her own room. It was a quarter before eleven o'clock when the people who had been waiting on the lawn entered the house and in single file passed into the room where the casket lay. Casting a last look on the features of the President, most of them returned to the main hall, but enough remained to fill every available spot in the library. Senator Hanna was the first man of national prominence to enter the room. He was followed b\' the Cabinet members, who took seats on chairs that had been reserved for them to the left of the casket, while ^he Senator sat down beside Governor Odell on the right side of the room. COMPANY ROSE IN HIS HONOR. President Roosevelt entered the librar}^ from the small room where the members of the family sat at one minute before 1 1 o'clock. As he came in ever}' one rose. Gravely he walked past the line of the Cabinet members to the head of the casket. For a moment he gazed on the face of McKinley. His e3^es were suffused with tears and his mouth twitched, but with a superb effort he mastered his ejnotions, and during the remainder of the service his face was set and grim. Turning, Mr. Roosevelt spoke in a low voice to Secretar}^ Long, who stood next to him. He evidently requested that Cabi- net precedence be observed, for Secretary Root took Secretary Long's place in the line. Back of Mr. Root stood Postmaster- General Smith, and then, in order, Secretary Long, Attorney General Knox, Secretary Hitchcock and Secretary Wilson. At this moment the Rev. Dr. Charles Edward Locke, of the i OBSEQUIES OF OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. 305 Delware Avenue Methodist Episcopal Cliurcli, son of that Dr. Locke who for many years was the McKinley pastor al Canton, entered the room through the double doors connecting with the dining room. He went to the door leading into the outer hall so that his words might be audible to Airs. McKinley, who sat at the head of the stairs leading up from the hall, and there took his stand. The quartet from the First Presbyterian Church had been sta- tioned in the dining room, and with the sweet strains of " Lead, Kindly Light," the services were begun. Eyes that before had been dry and hard filled with tears as this verse was sung with exquisite feeling and pathos. DIVINE AID EARNESTLY SOUGHT. Dr. Locke raised his hands as the music died away. For a moment there was intense silence, then in prayer, his words uttered so that they reached the ears of the woman sorrowing for her dead, he made this eloquent appeal : — " ' O God, our help in ages past, Our hope for years to come, Our shelter from the stormy blast, And our eternal home.' " We, Thy servants, humbly beseech Thee for manifestations of Thy favor as we come into Thy presence. We laud and mag- nify Thy holy name and praise Thee for all Thy goodness. Be merciful unto us and bless us as, stricken with overwhelming sorrow, we come unto Thee. Forgive us for our doubts and fears and faltering faith ; pardon all our sins and shortcomings, and help us to say, ' Thy will be done.' In this night of grief abide with us till the dawning. Speak to our troubled souls, O, God, and give to us in this hour of unutterable grief the peace and quiet which Thy presence only can afford. We thank Thee that Thou answerest the sobbing sigh of the heart, and dost assure us that if a man die he shall live again. " We praise Thee for Jesus Christ, thy Sou. our Saviour and 20 306 OBSEQUIES OF OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. Elder Brother, that He came 'to bring life and immortalit}- to light,' and becanse He lives we shall live also. We thank Thee that death is victory, that 'to die is gain.' Have mercy npon us in this dispensation of Thy Providence. We believe in Thee — we trust Thee — our God of L-ove, 'the same yesterda}-, to-day and forever'. "We thank Thee for the unsullied life of Th}^ servant, our martyred President, whom Thou hast taken to his coronation, and we pray for the final triumph of all the divine principles of pure character and free government for which he stood while he lived and which were baptized by his blood in his death. PRAYER FOR NEW PRESIDENT. " Hear our prayer for blessings of consolation upon all those who were associated with him in the administration of the affairs of the Government. Especially vouchsafe Thy presence to Thy servant, who has been suddenly called to assume the hoi 3^ responsi- bilities of Chief Magistrate. O, God, bless our dear nation, and guide the Ship of State through stormy seas. Help Thy people to be brave to fight the battles of the Lord, and wise to solve all prob- lems of freedom. "Graciously hear us for comfortable blessings to rest upon the family circle of our departed friend. Tenderly sustain thine handmaiden upon whom the blow of this sorrow most heavih^ falls. Accompany her, O, God, as Thou hast promised, through this dark valley and shadow, and may she fear no evil, because thou art with her. "All these things we ask in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who has taught us w^hen we pray to say : "Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Th}^ name. '' Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our dail}^ bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen. " May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God OBSEQUIES OK OUR MARTVKKl) I'KKSIUENT. ,'5,,; the Father, and Comin union of the Holy vSi)irit hr with n^ .ill, evermore. Amen." As Dr. Locke began the Lord's Prayer tlic mourners jdined with him, and all bowed low their heads as he prononnctd the benediction. For a moment there was a hush. The services were finished, but no one moved. President Roosevelt stood immovable at the head of the casket, the Cabinet members in a line at the side. Then a man who seemed suddenly to have grown old slowly rose from his seat beside Governor Odell and slowly, very slowl}-, walked alone past the line of Cabinet officers and to the side of the new President. His hands clasped behind his back, his head bent down on his great chest, Senator Hauna stood and gazed on the face of the man he loved. SADLY LEFT THE ROOM. It seemed to the mourners that he stood looking down at his dear friend's face for full}' five minutes — in reality it was nearl}- two minutes — before he turned and slowly, sadl}' retraced his steps across the room. His eyes were suffused with tears and on his face was a drawn, haggard look that was almost startling in its intensity. His were the last eyes to look on the face of the martyred President in the house where he had died. As Senator Hanna sat down the casket was closed, and the soldiers and sailors advanced from the points where they had been stationed, and lifting it gently but firmly on their bioad shoulders they slowly began their solemn march to the hearse which stood waiting outside. Close behind the casket followed President Roosevelt, with Secretary Root on his left and the other members of the Cabinet following. Slowly they made their way into the hall, out the front door, down the steps and down the walk to the hearse, while a band posted across the street softly played "Nearer, My God to Thee." Lifting their precious burden into the funeral carriage they closed the doors. The hearse was driven across the street, and one after another the carriages came to the curb. In the first carriage President Roosevelt, Secretary Root, Postmaster-General Smith and Attor- 308 OBSEQUIES OF OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. ney-General Knox took seats and started out on their long drive to the City Hall. In the second carriage sat Secretaries Wilson, Hitchcock and Long and Secretary Cortelyou, that marvelous man who bore up so well during all these trying days. General Brooke sat alone in the third carriage, and Dr. and Airs. Locke occupied the fourth. Then came the hearse, drawn by four black horses. Walking beside the hearse were the active bearers, the soldiers and marines and a detail from the Grand Army of the Republic followed close behind. Next came a company of marines from Camp Haywood at the Pan-American Exposition. Then the Sixty-fifth Regiment band, a company of the Fourteenth Regiment stationed at Fort Porter, a company each from the Sixty -fifth and Seventy-fourth Regiments, and a detail of sailors and marines from the Michigan. The glories of our birth and state Are shadows, not substantial things ; Man has no armor against fate. Death lays his every hand on kings ; Sceptre and crown must tumble down, And in the dust be equal made. MIGHTY CONCOURSE OF MOURNERS. Even nature mourned for the poor clay that but a few hours before was ruler of a mighty people, while Church and man paid obsequious tribute of grief to the slain chieftain. Sable clouds darkened the skies and mourning winds lamented in the tree tops, and when the pomp of state unfolded banner at his bier, and sounded requiem with trumpet and drum, the heavens were riven and a deluge fell. It could not drown the reverent sorrow of the might\^ con- courses gathered for these solemn rites. Thousands upon thou- sands pressed and surged into a seemingly endless stream, and stepped with gentle footfall and hushed breath past the crape- garbed catafalque, where the waxen frame of greatness reposed in the supreme indifference of death. At night the doors were closed, and in the dread silence of its chamber, where time and flickering gas jets threw fearful shadows round, for servants of f OBSEQUIES OF OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. .'{oy the Republic kept guard and vigil over the dust of the Com- mander-in-Chief. Simplicity that had in it something of majesty marked the ceremonies of the da}^ Huge banks of gray cloud hung low in the sky and a dismal wind crooned in the thick foliage of the gardens when the assemblage began to gather before the Milburn house, and those with cards of authorization passed within. Ranked along the opposite curb were Compan\' I, of the Four- teenth Regular Infantr}-, a corps of marines in command of young Captain Leonard, who lost his arm in China, and a body of sailors from the battleship Indiana and the old frigate Michigan. In front of these stood the Sixtj'-fifth Regiment band, and at the intersection of the two streets a platoon of mounted policemen, the officers in helmets and uniforms, tricked out with full dress, white and gold. LYING IN STATE. On a creped platform between the two windows of the spacious library, which looks out on the lawn, rested the casket. It was of massive mahogany with an outer covering of unrelieved crepe, and with double doors of glass and wood interlaid. The upper half of the casket was open, revealing the face and shoulders of the dead President, and across the lower half lay an American flag upon which rested a hugh wreath of purple violets, red roses and white chrysanthemums. Between the windows a mirror reached almost from floor to ceiling, reflecting the solemn panto- mine-like, sinister mockery of destiny. On its marble shelf at the bottom were two wreaths of roses and white chrysanthemums, with pendant purple ribbons. Throughout the services a soldier and sailor stood like statues at either window, and at front and rear doors were a ser- geant of infantry and a private. Thus far were the formalities of state regarded in that hall of the illustrious dead. But in ever}' soul gathered there stirred an emotion more vital and human than any panoply of power could give. It was for the woman and the wife, the fragile leaflet, buft't-ted and wounded bv the storms of circumstance, who had known the 310 0BSEC2UIES OF OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. moulding tenement lying there as more than chief and ruler, as lover, friend and husband, in whom the exigent ceremonies of statecraft had never touched except to loftier and grander values, the tender humanities of the home. Every eye mutely asked for her. Ever}^ heart throbbed quicker for her poignant anguish, but no one save a few cherished friends and guardians saw her. Until the verbal services began she sat in a room above with her sister, Mrs. Barber ; the latter' s daughter, Dr. Rixby and Mrs. Garrett A. Hobart, widow of the former Vice President. They brought her to the head of the stairs, and there she sat, while the clergyman brokenly framed his devout phrases. Like a statue she sat, her delicate face clothed in spectral pallor, her eyes staring blankly into space, her thin hands folded placidly in her lap. The striking lines here inserted are from the pen of the gifted poetess, Ella Wheeler Wilcox : " In the midst of sunny waters, lo ! the mighty Ship of State, Staggers, bruised and torn and wounded by a dereHct of fate, One that drifted from its moorings, in the anchorage of hate, On the deck our noble Pilot, in the glory of his prime. Lies in woe-impelling silence, dead before his hour or time, Victim of a mind self-centred, a godless fool of crime. One of earth's dissension-breeders, one of Hate's unreasoning tools, In the annals of the ages, when the world's hot anger cools, He who sought for Crime's distinction shall be known as Chief of Fools. In the annals of the ages, he who had no thought of fame (Keeping on the path of duty, caring not for praise or blame), Close beside the deathless Lincoln, writ in light, will shine his name. Youth proclaimed him as a hero ; Time, a statesman ; Love, a man Death has crowned him as a martyr, so from goal to goal he ran, Knowing all the sum of glory that a human life may span. He was chosen by the people ; not an accident of birth Made him ruler of a nation, but his own intrinsic worth. Fools may govern over kingdoms — not republics of the eann. He has raised the lover's standard, by his loyalty and faith. He has shown how virile manhood may keep free from scandal's breath. He has gazed, with trust unshaken, in the awful eyes of death. In the mi^^hty march of progress he has sought to do his best. Let his enemies be silent, as we lay him down to rest, And may God assuage the anguish of one suffering woman's breast CHAPTER XVI. Great Outpouring of People to Honor the Martyred Presi- dent—Tokens of Grief— New President and Members of the Cabinet at the Bier — Memorable Scene. OUCH a spontaneous outpouring of men and women desirous ^ of paying their respects to a man whom they had loved and admired as that which took place in Buffalo never before occurred in this countr}'. As early as five o'clock in the morning crowds l)egan to gather at the points of vantage around the City Hall. The}' stood there all da}', constantly increasing in numbers, and regardless of the wind and rain, which drenched them to the skin, in order that they might have a last look at the face of the dead President. No fewer than one hundred and fifty thousand persons were L massed at one time behind the lines of police which held them in ' check. For hours, in double lines, two abreast, they filed past the coffin containing Mr. McKinley's body. Though they went through the City Hall at the rate of from one hundred and twent3'-five to one hundred and eighty a minute, the stream never slackened. Late in the afternoon there were two lines, each nearly, if not quite, a mile long, in which were standing men and women who waited patiently for hours, many of them wet through and nearly all of them without food, in order to see the President's face. When Mrs. McKinley consented to permit her husband's [ body to lie in state in the Cit}- Hall, she would not permit it to be taken from the ^lilburn house until the committee in charge of the arrangements had promised to return it to her at six o'clock. She could not bear to have it out of her sight. The promise was made, 1)ut when it was seen what a vast outpouring blocked the streets, she was persuaded to forego it. It was planned originally to close the doors of the City Hall at five .'ill 312 HONORS TO OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. o'clock. When tliat hour came 35,000 people had seen the body, and more than 100,000 more were waiting. It was evident to all who watched the sad faced procession that morbid curiosity had very little to do with the enormous assembly of people. Their attitude and expression signified a genuine and affectionate interest. Many \vere profoundly affected at the sight of the pale face in the coffin. Special trains brought thousands from Lockport, Niagara Falls, Rochester and other cities and towns in the western part of the State, while many Canadians crossed the Niagara river. Members of the Buffalo committee, who watched the crowd pass, said that not more than half of those who saw the body were residents of this city. EMBLEMS OF SORROW. All night decorators were preparing the City Hall for the reception of the body. Funeral bunting was draped both inside and outside. During the storm of the early morning, however, the exterior decorations* were torn down and some of the bunting became entangled in the machinery of the great clock on the tower, causing it to stop. It was said that the hands pointed to a quarter past two, the time at which the President breathed his last on the preceding morning. A block away ropes had been stretched across the streets leading to the City Hall, and behind those the crowd massed itself to the number of thousands. Though the assemblage was patient its mere weight pushed the ropes out of place, and the police were constantly emploj^ed in holding the lines. Though the sky clouded in the early moruing it was not sufficientl}' threatening to cause preparations to be made for rain, and man}' of the crowd were wholly unprovided wdth protection. The fact that it was Sunday accounted for more elaborate costumes than would have been worn on any other day. As the hour drew near for the appearance of the procession, which was to bring the President's body from the Milburn house, the clouds grew blacker, and a few warning drops began to fall. It was then too "late to HONORS TO OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. 3,^ seek storm coats or umbrellas, and the dense masses of people held their places. Leaving the Milburn house, the cortege started down Delaware avenue slowl}^ and solemnly. So slowl}-, in fact, did it proceed that it took nearh' two hours and a half to traverse the two and a half miles between the Alilburn house and the City Hall. Thousands accompanied it or watched it go bv from the broad sidewalks. The mournful and deliberate pace with which it proceeded added much to the impressiveness of the scene. The City Hall occupies an entire block between Delaware avenue on the west and Franklin street on the east ; on the north is Eagle street, and Church street is on the south. Around the hall are grassy spaces and the streets on all sides of it are more than the usual width, so that there was plentv of room for the funeral procession and for the crowds which sought the hall after it arrived. STRAINS OF THE FUNERAL MUSIC. Outside the hall the crowds waited, silenth' and patiently, until oneo'clcck, when the strains of Chopin's funeral march were heard in Delaware avenue, to the north. In a few moments the head of the procession swung from Delaware avenue into Eagle street, and then into Franklin street, before the main entrance. The soldiers and marines wheeled into line along the curbs and grounded arms. At this moment the threatening clouds opened and let fall a drenching torrent of rain, which was swept across the square by a strong, gusty wind. The horses attached to the carriage in which were President Roosevelt and Secretary Root became excited just as. they were turning into Franklin street and began to rear and plunge. Policemen caught their bridles, however, and succeeded in quieting them. The hearse drew up before the door and the band began to play the music of the hymn " Nearer, M3' God, to Thee," as the military bearers took the coffin upon their shoulders. Before this President Roosevelt, the members of the Cabinc. and the principal ULOJirners had gathered in the rotunda. Presi- 314 HONORS TO OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. dent Roosevelt was the first to enter. From the pillars and the staircases hung draperies of black and white bunting. The in- terior of the hall forms a cross, a wide corridor running through it from east to west, and another corridor, somewhat narrower, crossing this at right angles from north to south. It had been arranged that the crowds should enter the wide corridor at the eastern entrance and pass out at the western entrance. Half way a low, sloping platform, draped in black, had been placed for the coffin. It was so arranged that the head of the coffin should be slightly higher than its foot, which was toward the east. On either side of the entrances to the transverse corridor had been blocked by banks of palms and ferns. Directly above the spot where the coffin was to lie is a circular opening to the second floor. This had been completely covered by a dome of black bunting within, which hung straight down above the coffin, four American flags forming with their lower edges a cross which pointed to the four points of the compass. DRAPED WITH THE STARS AND STRIPES. President Roosevelt and the members of the Cabinet ranged themselves about the spot where the President's body was to rest. President Roosevelt stood at the foot of the coffin on the right hand, with Secretary Root opposite and facing him. On President Roosevelt's left were Attorney General Knox, Secretary Long and Secretary Wilson. On Mr. Root's right hand were Postmaster General Smith, Secretary Hitchcock and Mr. Cortelyou, the pri- vate secretary. As soon as these lines had formed the bearers brought the coffin slowly into the hall and lowered it carefully into place. The lid was removed so that the upper half was open, and the lower half was draped with a flag, upon which were masses of red and white roses. There were no flowers inside the coffin. The body of the President la}^ on its back, clad in a black frock coat, with the left hand resting across the breast. One glance at the face, startingly changed from its appearance in life, told the story of the suffering which had been end'n-ed before death came. HONORS TO OUR MARTYRED i'RLblUENT. ;^jr, Not a word was said, and as soon as the coffin bad 1)ccn arranged, President Roose\elt and Mr. Root, followed b}- tbc (jtbcr ». Secretaries, led the way p'ast the coffin on either side, each glanc- ing for moment on the dead face. The}- then passed qnickl}^ out of the western entrance. Beliind them came Senator Hanna, Senator Fairbanks and about one hundred men and women who had been waiting in the City Hall or who had accompanied the body from the Milburn residence. President Roosevelt and those wlio iinmcdiatcl}' followed him had passed out of the building at eighteen minutes after one o'clock. There was a slight delay while the guard was posted. At the head of the coffin stood Sergeant Galway, of the Seventy- fourth Infantry Regiment, of the regular army with his rifle at attention. Chief ^laster-at-Atms Lnze, of the " Indiana," stood facing him at the foot, with his drawn cutlass at his shoulder. On the south, facing the coffin, stood Sergeant Gunther, of the Four- teenth Regiment. A. D. Coburu, a sailor from the " Indiana," stood facing him on the north. THOUSANDS TAKE A LAST LOOK. These men stood absolutely motionless, looking neither to the right nor left when the first of the crowd was admitted The lines approached the eastern entrance from Eagle street on the north and Church street on the south. They were formed by the police, two abreast, and approached the hall in a wide sweeping curve, w^hich was drawn in constantly where the currents joined. Both passed quickly out at the western entrance and down the steps, dispersing in various directions. Nothing was heard in the beginning but the tread of feet on the marble floor, as the crowd passed through without stopping. Each individual had time only for a hasty glance as he was urged forward bv the police and by those who followed. The plan was so arranged that four persons could pass the coffin, two abreast on each side, at the same moment. As the afternoon wore on and the lines grew longer at their source, much histc-r tlian iIk-v were melting away at the hall, the police found it necessary to urge 316 HONORS TO OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. greater haste in order that as maii}^ as possible might be admitted. Among the foremost to reach the coffin was a slender man, poorly dressed, with iron gray hair and moustache. Beside the coffin he leaned over and made a menacing gesture with his hand. "Curse the man that shot 3'ou !" he said. The police urged him forward and he went out shaking his head and muttering threats against the anarchists. CHILDREN IN THE CROWD Many men and women brought with them young children, whom they raised iu their arms in order that the}^ might see, and perhaps remember in after life, the face of the Presideut. A tattered and grimy bootblack, with his box slung over his shoulder, leading by the hand his sister, smaller but no less grimy than he, filed by, walking on tiptoe in order to look into the coffin. Many of those who came wore mourning badges or buttons bearing portraits of the President, edged with black. At frequent intervals in the crowd could be seen men wearing the buttons of the G. A. R., who had come to pay their last respects to their fallen comrade. Some of them walked with crutches, while others carried empt}^ sleeves. The}^ bowed their heads reverently as they passed and their eyes were moist as they made their way toward the exit. There was a cessation of the rain soon ifter the coffin had been brought into the building, and for half an hour it held up. At a quarter before two o'clock, however, the storm began again, giving tens of thousands of men and women another drenching. The wind was so high that umbrellas afforded little protection. In many cases they were turned inside out or torn from the hands of their owners. In all the downpour, how'ever, every one main- tained his place in line. Women wearing shirt waists which had been wet through were in the procession, regardless, apparently, of their discomfort so long as they could gratify their desire to see the President. Toward the end of the afternoon some Indians, in their blankets and feathers, followed by their squaws, filed b}-. As HONORS TO OUR MAKTVKEI) I'RESIDENT. .'117 lliey passed each of them dropped a wliite carnation upon the President's coffin. Two chubby little Indian girls forgot their ceremony, and went out each clasping her flower tightly in her brown hand. The officials of the Exposition and the representa- tives of foreign governments commissioned to attend the Exposi- tion with exhibits from other countries were in line. Soldiers of die regular ami}', in their blue cape coats, went by, and policemen off dut}-, holding their helmets in their hands ; National Guardsmen with khaki gaiters ; colored men, among them James Parker, who felled Czolgosz before he could fire a third shot at the President ; little girls in their Sunday dresses, with their braided hair over their shoulders ; 3'oung men, husbands and wives, mothers with their sons or daughters went by in the never ending stream. One wrinkled old woman with a child in her arms, which she seemed almost too feeble to carry, had waited for hours outside, and finally succeeded in seeing the President when her turn came. Flowers were received at the hall from Helen Miller Gould. Tent No. 8, Daughters of Veterans ; from the Commissioners of Chili to the Exposition ; from the Alexican Commissioners, and from General Porfirio Diaz, President of Mexico, and many others. DOORS OF THE HALL KEPT OPEN. Monotonously the streams of people flowed past the coffin while twilight fell and darkness gathered. The interior of the City Hall was illuminated by electricity, and the streets in the vicinity were brightly lighted. Toward sunset the sky cleared and there was an immediate increase in the already enormous crowds. Though it had been planned to close the doors of the hall at 5 o'clock the committee in charge of the ceremonies were unwilling to disappoint the great throngs, and it was decided to keep the hall open until the streams were exhausted. Senator Hanna selected the President's coffin. The frame was of red cedar, covered with black cloth, and inside was a copper box with a white satin lining. The handles were of ebony finish. The cover of the copper box consisted of a full length pane of 318 HONORS TO OUR MARTYRED PRESII/ENT. plate glass, which rendered the box air tight. Upon the outer box of the casket was the inscription: "William McKinley, born January 29, 1843, died September 14, 1901." Instead of falling away, as was expected, the crowds waiting to see the President's body seemed to diminish very little during the even- ing. LAMENTED BY THOUSANDS. The following additional account is from the pen of an eye witness of the wonderful scene : "All Buffalo is at the bier of the dead President to-night. From I o'clock to-day, through fierce storm and sweltering sun, two apparently endless lines of humanity have been moving steadily past the black, rose-covered coffin in the rotunda of the City Hall of that which in life was William McKinley. " The throng which pressed up through the barren, grass- worn shelters of City Hall Park in New York sixteen years ago to look on the set features of the hero of Appomattox was not more reverent, eager or patient than this throng is to-night. The press began when President Roosevelt left the coffin side shortly after i o'clock. From indications the rotunda of City Hall will not be deserted before daylight to-morrow, though the crowd, by twos, passes the casket at the rate of nearly 200 per minute. " As the placid, pallid features appear beneath the plate glass of the coffin bed they are sunken and slightly discolored. The body is robed in a black frock suit and in the left lapel of the coat is the button of the Legion of Honor. There are no other medals, marks or insignia ; nothing to indicate, that beneath the rose and autumn leaves repose the remains of the Chief of the greatest nation of the age. " The scenes at the historic Milburn house in the morning were simple in the extreme. Services which, beyond the signifi- cance of the prayer, would have marked the last rites over the body of the plainest citizen. Two hymns, a Scriptural reading, a prayer — and all was over. Then the shuffle of feet marking time, the low word of command, the mournful dirge and the march to the City Hall began. HONORS TO OUR MAKTVREU PRESIUENT. .'',i;» "President Roosevelt reached the Milbiiru house at ii o'clock, half an hour before the time set for the services. He was apparently unaccompanied, but an instant after he alighted three commonplace looking men, they might have been bookkeepers or clerks or grocers, slipped out of a carriage that followed. It was the secret service and local detective guard over the new President. A few minutes later the Cabinet arrived. Then Rev. C. E. Locke, of the Delaware Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, a sallow, dark-haired intellectual man, came with his wife. At intervals the invited personages, mostl}' Buffalo folks, the statesmen in the cit}-, walked slowly up the flagstone pavement. TRAMP OF POLICE. " Before the services began there was a sound of feet keeping time on the asphalt and a small squad of police appeared, and were quickly and quietly distributed around the house. A few moments later a compau}' of the Fourteenth United States Infantry marched almost noiselessl}^ up Delaware avenue and took up a position opposite the house. Then a company of marines, under the one-armed hero, Captain Leonard, took a position to the right of the infantr}'-, and in quick order came a picked company of the Sixtj'-fifth and Seventj'-fourth Regiments of the National Guard of New York. " Stretching up Delaware avenue was a line of black car- riages headed by the hearse. The latter was sombre black, without plumes, drawn by four black horses, each led by a policeman. Down West Ferry street a dozen mounted policemen stood beside the horses waiting the order to lead the escort. " Meantime the services in the house of death had begun. The bodv reposing in a black, lusterless, hood cloth casket with A black handles, lay near the centre of the library, the head toward the Hast, where the light from a large bay window fell full upon it. Around the foot of the coffin was wrapped a large silk flag. "When the services began President Roosevelt took a posi- tion standing near the head of the casket. To his right were the members of the Cabinet, each dressed like the President, in black, 320 HONORS TO OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. with, a tin}' band of black silk crepe around the left arm above the elbow. Outside the lawn was filled with persons unable to obtain entrance to the house. "Grouped around the parlor were men whose names are known throughout the world, and w^hose faces in pictorial present- ment are known everywhere : Senators Chaunce}- Depew; Keene, of New Jersey ; Mark Hanna, of Ohio; Fairbanks, of Indiana ; Burroughs, of Maine ; Congressmen Alexander, of Buffalo, and Olmsted, of Pennsylvania, w^hile the attendant ph3'sicians in the last illness and every principal official of the Pan-American Ex- position were also present. " None of the family or personal friends of the dead President was present in the librar3\ Upstairs where she could hear all that was said, but out of sight of the casket and concealed even from intimate friends, Mrs. McKinley sat attended by Dr. Rixey. The other relations, Abner McKinley and family, the President's sister and sister-in-law, w^ere all seated near the head of the stairs. THE FUNERAL HYMNS. " A selected quartet with splendid effect sang "Lead, Kindly Light," and then Dr. C. E. Locke, of the Delaware Avenue Metho- dist Episcopal Church, advanced to the head of the casket and read the fifteenth chapter of the First Corinthians. Again the quartet sang, this time, "Nearer, My God, to Thee." Then Dr. Locke prayed fervently. (His prayer has been inserted in a pre- ceeding chapter.) " This ended the services. There was a slight pause and President Roosevelt advancing took a long look at the calm fea- tures in the casket. It was manifest that he was moved b}'- deep emotion. Then the members of the Cabinet, the men who in re- cent years perhaps have known President McKinley more inti- mately than any others, looked their farewell. Among the last was Senator Mark Hanna. He gazed long and earnestly at the face of his friend, his frame betraying the intensity of his feelings. Then turning suddenly he sank into a chair and buried his face in his hands. ONE OF PRESIDENT McKINLEY'S FAVORITE HYMNS. Ws & 4s. ^^^^^^^^^P^^^ -^ -^ ^ m ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^-r^^' S=f^- :P2= m p^ e-- m "p ^^ r~~rr^"^ ris?" ^^?^eSeJ= Al (^ I r r =g ="^^=p 1^ ^ fel^^£^^ -i^: ^- ^-ii±=«i:£^: tfrLS= ^ i Ci -fS^ ip; i^ HS— =-- -m — m- — ?^ — r ^' ^-; £-i^H^ ^ 1 Lead, kindly Light! amid the encircling gloonJ, Lead thou me on ; The night is dark, and I am far from home; Lead thou me on ; Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see The distant scene ; one step enough for me. 2 I was not ever thus, nor prayed that thou Shouldst lead me on ; I loved to choose and see my path ; but nftwr Lead thou me on ; I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears, Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years. 3 So long thy power nast blest me, sure it still will lead me on O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and toirent, till Tiie night is goiu*, And with tlie morn those an^'el faces smile Which 1 have loved long since, and lost a while J 21 321 322 HONORb lO OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. '* Tlie crowd on the lawu was scattering now, the mounted police had wheeled into compan}^ front and were waiting the order to march. Swiftly a hush fell over the crowd. The hun- dred or more new{;paper correspondents over by the telegraph tents became more attentive. The President and Cabinet emerged from the house and lined up on either side of the walk, bare headed. General Brooke and his aides, adding a touch of brilliant color in their uniforms, fell further to the rear, there was the low mellow roll of a snare drum and then the casket appeared in the doorway, borne aloft on the shoulders of four sergeants of infan- try and artillery and as many gunners' mates from the revenue cutter " Michigan." "NEARER, MY GOD, TO THEE." " As the leader of the Sixt3'-fifth Regiment band caught the gleam of the flag-draped coffin through the ivy over the porch, he gave a quick signal and the band softly played the President's favorite hymn, "Nearer, My God, to Thee." Every head was bared. Absolute silence reigned. The top of the casket bore a pillow of roses, banked in brown autumn leaves, a wreath of royal purple immortelles, a handful of brilliant red flowers and then over the head another pillow of white roses. " The mounted police led off, followed by regulars and marines, and the rest of the soldiery. After them came the car- riages of the Cabinet Ministers. In the first carriage with Presi- dent Roosevelt were Secretary Root, Attorney-General Knox and Postmaster-General Smith, the three latter being the senior Cabi- net officers now in the city. The second carriage contained Sec- retaries Wilson and Hitchcock and Secretary Cortelj^ou. The third carriage contained General Brooke, of the United States array, and two aides. Following was a carriage with Senators Hanna, Fairbanks and Burroughs, and Governor Odell, of New York. Immediately preceding the hearse was a carriage with Rev. Dr. Locke and his wife. None of the famil}^ accompanied the body to the City Hall. "The procession moved down Delaware avenue, just as noon J HONORS TO OL'R MARrVRKD PRLSIDENT. _^oo was striking, between parallel lines of nionrning thousands. As the flag-wrapped coffin went past every hat was raised and a silence as of the grave fell over the host. Down in the vicinity (if the City Hall, meantime, a great concourse had assembled, held within bounds b}'- restraining ropes. Policemen were stationed ever}' dozen feet inside these barriers, while the entire force of mounted police kept the more eager and restless ones in submis- .siou. It was not a turbulent crowd, but its very mass made it •restless. On Franklin street, at the junction with Kagle, the crush was something terrible, and half a dozen women fainted and were rescued and cared for by the police. " The rotunda of the Buffalo City Hall with its entrances east and west and its cross sections is shaped like a cross with a circular dome rising at the intersection of the arms. This was roofed with black festoons, while both sides of the rotunda, north and south, were a solid mass of green palms. In the center of this, directly tinder the dome, was a platform draped in black cashmere, and raised ten inches above the floor, the western end being five or six inches higher than the eastern. On this the body of the President reposed. SET FLORAL PIECE. " In the center of the south bank of palms was a huge set piece of immortelles, the flags of the United States and France crossed beneath a door with oustretched wings. It was the gift of the Society Francaise, of Buffalo, and was the onh- set floral piece in the Cit}^ Hall. All around the circular balcon}- were festoons of black and white and flags draped with crepe. '' The day opened brilliantl}-. The sun streamed in un- dimmed radiance over tlie closing scenes at the Milburn liou.se, but as the cortege moved slowly down the wide avenue the west became darkened with clouds, purplish-black and within an hour, light raindrops, heralds of the coming storm, caused thousands of umbrellas to be lifted like great black mushrooms over the heads of the packed thousands. "Then appeared a starllin;^- and dramatic climax to the 324 HONORS TO OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. movement of the procession. Just as its head appeared at the City Hall square and while the full rich notes of Chopin's fune- ral march swelled out over the heads of the multitude and came back in mellow echoes like a benediction from the towering walls on either side, the storm burst forth in all its fury. " It swept blinding gusts of rain around the coiners of the great granite building, that stung the face like whipcords. It seemed for the space of five minutes as if every window of heaven had been opened. The gutters rose like mimic mountain torrents, waterspouts and gargoyles bubbled and foamed out little cata- racts. But in the midst of this torrent not a soul stirred. The soldierly, drenched and unprotected, stood like statues. The packed crowds never wavered, only here and there on the high rooofs of adjoining buildings the spectators sought shelter. MOURNERS ENTER ROTUNDA. " Before the coffin had been deposited on the catafalque the official mourners entered the rotunda. President Roosevelt walked up the steps of the main entrance under an umbrella held by Secret Service Operative Foster. Others performed a similar service for the Cabinet ministers. President Roosevelt took his position to the left of the casket with Secretary Root to his left and then Secretaries Long and Hitchcock beyond in a line. Onthe opposite side of the casket were Secretary Wilson, Post- master General Smith, Attorney General Knox and General Brooke, of the army. As soon as the body was deposited in the catafalque, President Roosevelt, with Secretary Root by his side, and followed by the other Cabinet officers, left the building. " Within five minutes the signal was given and the patient populace was admitted. The police kept it moving steadily. At the head of the coffin was a sergeant of infantry with fixed bay- onet, at the foot a sailor, a gunners mate with drawn cutlas, while on either side were another sergeant of artillery and a marine. "The scenes during the day will never be forgotton by those who witnessed them. Men, womeu and children, the halt, the HONORS TO OUR MARTYRED I'RESIDENT. oor lame and blind, rich and poor, Jew, Gentile, Greek and harharian ; the minister of the gospel and the habitnc of the slums ; the sweet-faced matron from a home of refinement and the scarlet Jezebel of the curb ; the canting fanatic, who had cursed ihc canteen and President McKinley during his life and the besotted dram drinker from the groggery in the alley, all, all were in line to look with love and sorrow for the last time on the face of the dead. LONG UNBROKEN LINE. "The rain descended, but still the liut^ remained unbroken, stretching away for three squares. ^len and women were in line for four hours. Some had children in their arms. When at last the police got the people in order two compact lines were formed, one passing on each side of the casket. What a picture it was. \\'omen wept and men with eyes full of tears held their children on high that they might see and remember, even in death, the face of the splendid Christian, and upright statesman. As I write near to midnight the lines still wind their sinuous way around the square and past the black casket and white face of the voice- less, pulseless inmate. " The wretched, God-forgotten degenerate who wrought thi^, splendid ruin is hidden somewhere in the city. He was spirited away when the fear grew that he might be the subject of a frenzied attack. It is said that to escape the crowd he was disguised as a policeman. Back at the Milburn house, Mrs. McKinlev rests under her great affliction with the physicians fearful of the final outcome. Her vitality is ver}- near the point of exhaustion. The golden thread is strained very nearly to the snapping point.'' The following comment by a prominent journal voiced the sentiments of our whole people respecting Mr. McKinlev : "The mournful news from Buffalo falls heavih- on the hearts of a sorrowing nation. William McKinlev is dead. The hopes of the nation, but yesterday so high, and apparently so well justified by the confidence of the physicians, are thus abruptly and cruelh' crushed. For the moment the American people will think only of the great, gentle-hearted man whose name has been S2G HONORS TO OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. added to those of Lincoln and Garfield on the Republic's roll of martyr-Presidents. Perhaps the bitterest drop in this cup of national grief is that the assassin has taken from the nation's highest post of duty a man who, in all the relationships of life, public and private, and no less in his official than in his domestic character, was amiable and generous to a fault, kindly to the point of tenderness and devotedl}^ true in all things. "His blameless and really beautiful home life, the typically American constancy of affection which bound him to his wife and her to him, making each the first object of the other's solicitude, so that the public rarely saw and never thought of the President without seeing and thinking also of Mrs. McKinle\-, especially endeared him to the masses of home-loving Americans. This side of his character gave him while he lived, and will keep for him now that he is dead, the same kind of profound popular re- spect and liking which the other branch of the Anglo-Saxon family felt and still feels for Queen Victoria. REMARKABLE PROSPERITY. "This is neither the place nor the hour for any extended re- view of Mr. McKinley's administration or political policies. It is merely stating facts in a brief and comprehensive wa}^ tc say that the country has enjoyed a remarkable period of material pros- perity since he was first inaugurated ; that his financial policy, which held the country fast to the moorings of a sound and honest currency, was a fundamental condition of that prosperity. For this alone the nation will ever remember his two elections with gratitude. Beyond this, as his last speech at Buffalo clearl}^ showed, Mr. McKinley had an open, receptive and therefore pro- gressive mind, and, had not the hand of the assassin interposed, was ready to lead his party and the country in the inauguratirn of a broader, freer and sounder commercial policy. " To lose such a man at such a time is indeed a great national misfortune. To lose him in such a manner a sacrifice to the motiveless mania for murder of the anarchists — is the most lamentable feature of it all. Yet will he not have died in vain if his HONORS TO OUR MAKTVRLD I'RESIDKNT. o.-,- death leads to a concentration of all the resources of civilization in a stern and effective effort to repress the international Ishniael- ites whose hands are against all law-abiding men, and against whom, theiefore, the hands of all law-abiding men must be joined. " One of the best and best beloved of :\nierican Presidents falls a victim to the worst and most abhorred of evil passions. The nation is plunged into mourning for him who had, through his patriotism, his labors and his wisdom, given it cause for its highest rejoicings. The trusted leader, under whose benign administra- tion the last scars of old fraternal strife disappeared, unprece- dented prosperity was given to the whole land, and the power and fame of America were wondrouslj^ magnified, is taken from us through the vile machinations of an alien growth which never should have had so much as a foothold upon American soil. ONE OF THE COMMON PEOPLE. " As we review his pure and loft}- career, literally without fear and without reproach in public and in private life, there comes a thrill of pride at the thought that this man was an .American citizen, one of the " common people," a t\'pical product of our race. But as we think of the manner of his taking off it is im- possible to restrain a passionate disgust and loathing at the thought that the soil upon which such a man grew should be polluted by the presence of even one single anarchist. The nation, boM-ed in grief for its irreparable loss, offers to Mrs. McKinley. recentl}' so near to death herself, now so brave and calm, the as- surance of its tenderest SA'mpatlu- in her utter desolation. " Whether the President recovered or not from his would-be murderer's assault — an assault from which of all men the broad hnmanitv of his character and purposes should have defended him — his place was already secure in the great line of American rulers and statesmen. Whether his fate was to couple itself with Lin- coln's, stricken down at the ver\' thresh (dd of a second term of office, or he was to be spared to imitate the example of Washing- ton and retire, his work completed, amid the plaudits of his coun- trymen, he could safely count on the impartial judgment of m 328 HONORS TO OUR MARTYRED PRESIDENT. history to link his name with those of the two great Presidents to whom be3^ond. all others this country owes the impulses of which have made it an indivisible and sovereign Union. " To the work of nationalization begun b}^ Washington and completed in the clash of arms by Lincoln, it fell to President McKinley's statesmanship to give the final healing and harmon- izing touches, and his administration has seen the nation emerge at last from the shadows of sectionalism and realize, after a centur\^ of effort, that * more perfect union' which it was the fundamental purpose of the Federal constitution to promote. SET UP A NEW MILESTONE. " Though supplementar}' in their character, President McKinlej^'s contributions to the creation of a truly national spirit have therefore been as genuine and as vital as either Lincoln's or Washington's. His first administration must, in fact, be accepted as marking a new and important milestone in our political development. Three distinct services in broadening and unifying our national life are to be credited to William AIcKin- leys' political leadership. His first Presidential campaign broke at last the lines of the Solid South, and his second showed that the wedge driven into that crumbling fabric of sectional passions and sectional prejudices had been driven in to stay. The war with Spain hastened the process which the canvass of 1896 had so happily begun, and the call of the Government for troops reunited old foes in war and politics under a single flag. " But the first McKinley administration did more than merely soothe sectional resentments ; it saw uprooted two political issues which had long been used to inflame internal dissensions — to set class against class and section against section. The tariff question which had been artfull}- employed to array the agri- cultural against the manufacturing States and Southern interests against Northern interests, ceased, after the passage of the Ding- ley act, to be a bone of partisan contention, while the silver question, which was depended on to pit the poor against the rich, and the far West and South against the rest of the Union, dropped HONORS TO OUR MARTYRED I'REblDENT. with the election of 1900 out of the category of di.sturi)iiij; political problems. "Sectional prejudices beaten down and sectional questions thrust aside, American political life has naturally entered its last and truest national phase. In the train of our victor}- over Spain new responsibilities and new opportunities have come, which force the nation more and more to forget internal distractions and to face the problems of our changed relationship with the outside world. THE TREATY WITH SPAIN. "With the conclusion of the Treaty of Paris American energy felt itself turned to new tasks and new questions of statecraft, and a new ferment of national spirit has signalized the final acceptance by the United States of its true role as one of the greatest powers in the civilized world. President AIcKinley's first administration promises to take its color in history from the Paris convention and the consequences flowing from that epoc)' making instrument; and with this last rounded development of American nationality his name is certain to be as fitU^ associated as Lincoln's is with its middle phase, or Washington's is with it earliest beginnings." Mr. McKinle}' was alwa\'s actuated in his administration of public affairs by the homely tenet of Lincoln to act as " God gives us to see the right," blended with that ancient democratic axiom, "Vox populi, vox Dei." Like General Grant, he put the will of the people paramount and tried to make sure the greatest good for the greatest number. He believed in the mandate of the majority, and obeyed it, holding that the citizen had the supreme power. He believed that the popular will of educated masses could hardly give unjust orders or make unfair demands. ' b Having long been a member of Congress he knew and re- spected the authority of that body. He had policies of his own formulation which he urged upon the representatives of the people, but when they refused to adopt them, he bowed to their decision and executed the laws they passed as cheerfully as he would those of his own suggestion. CHAPTER XVII. Funeral Cortege Reaches Washington — A Nation's Tribute of Respect and Love — Services in the Capitol — Memo- rial Address of Bishop Andrews. BENEATH the great white dome of the Capitol funeral services of state were held over the remains of the dead President. It was eminently fitting that the services should be conducted in that beautiful rotrmda hallowed by the history of the last sad rites of two other martyrs to the cause of the Republic. As befitted the occasion and the character of the man whose remains were lying cold and rigid in the narro^^' embrace of the metallic casket, the services were simple. They were conducted in accordance with the rites of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which President McKinley was a lifelong member. Consisting only of two nymns, a song, a prayer, an address and a benediction, the}^ were beautiful and solemnly impressive. Gathered around the bier were representatives of every phase of American national life, including the President and the only surviving ex-President of the United States, together with representatives at this capital of almost every nation of the earth. Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and all the Republics to the southward of the United States mingled their tears with those of the American people. Despite the fact that no attempt had been made to decorate the interior of the rotunda, beyond the arrangements made about the catafalque, the assemblage presented a memorable sight. The sombre black of the attire of the hundreds of civilians present was splashed brilliantly with the blue and gold of the representatives of the army and the navy and the court costumes of the Diplo- ■ matic Corps. As the sweet notes of Mr. McKinley' s favorite hymn, "Lead, Kindly Light," floated through the great rotunda, the assemblage rose to its feet. Bared heads were bowed and eyes streamed with tears. At the conclusion of the hymn, as Rev. Dr. 330 iMrKEssn'i: sekx'ices at thi: cai-itol. ^.'^l Na3'lor, Prcsiding^ Ivldcr of the Washini^ton District, rose to offer praj-er, the hush that fell upon the people was ])rofoiiii(l. Wlieii, in conclusion, he repeated the words of tlie Lord's Prayer, the J great audience joined solemnly with him. Tlie murmur of tlieir voices resembled nothing less than the roll of far distant surf. Scarcely had the word amen been breathed when the liquid tone of that sweeth' pleading song, "Some Time We'll Under- stand," went straight to the heart of every auditor. The solo was sung b}' Mrs. Thomas C. Noyes, and the beautiful refrain was echoed and re-echoed by the double quartette choir. ELOQUENT TRIBUTE TO THE DEAD. The venerable Bishop Edward G. Andrews, of Ohio, the oldest Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, then took his position at the head of the bier. A gentle breeze through the rotunda stirred the delicate blooms which lay upon the coffin, II and the " peace that passeth all understanding" seemed to rest upon the venerable man's countenance as he began his eulogy of the life and works of William McKinley. His words were simple, but his whole heart was in every one of them. His f tribute to the Christian fortitude of the dead President was im- pressive. Upon the conclusion of the sermon, the audience, as if b}' pre-arrangement, joined the choir in singing ''Nearer, My God, to Thee." All present seemed to be imbued with a senti- ment of hallowed resignation as the divine blessing was asked by the Rev. W. H. Chapman, acting pastor of the Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church, upon both the living and the dead. Mrs. ^IcKinley, bereft of hu.sband and prostrated by her overwhelming sorrow, did not attend the services at the Capitol. It was deemed wise by those now nearest and dearest to her that she should not undergo the ordeal her attendance would entail upon her. She remained at the White House, comforted by every attention that loving thoughtfulness could suggest. Arrangements for the movement of the funeral cortege from the White House to the Capitol were completed last night aftei the remains of the President had been deposited in the historic 332 IMPRESSIVE SERVICES AT THE CAPITOL. East Room of the mansion. It was a perfect autumn day, but the morning dawned gray and dreary. The sky was overcast with low flying clouds. Nature itself seemed to be in mourning for the nation's dead. iVs the hours passed dashes of rain fell at intervals, but, despite this discomfort, tens of thousands ol' sor- rowing people appeared early upon the streets. Both sides of Pennsylvania avenue, from the White House to the Capitol, were massed with an impenetrable cordon of people, wishing in this way to pay final tribute of love and respect for the dead. DISTINGUISHED ESCORT. As the funeral cortege, escorted by troops representing every department of the nation's martial service, and b}- representatives of religious and civic organizations, passed down the broad thor- oughfare to the solemn notes of the Dead March from "Saul" wailed by the bands, the sorrowing people bared their heads despite the rain, and the many tear-stained faces bespoke their grief more eloquently than words. It was a silent throng. NoJ" a sound was heard. With aching hearts all remembered that only a few months ago, the dead President, then in the fulness of life and triumph, had passed along that same thoroughfare to be inaugurated a second time President. The flags that had flut. tered greeting to him in March were furled and crepe bedecked in September. The cheers of spring became the sobs of autumn. Grief had usurped the place of joy. As with solemn and cadenced tread tiie procession moved down the avenue, the people recognized as one of the mourners their former President, Grover Cleveland, who had come to pay his tribute to his successor. They recognized, too, their new President, upon whom the responsibilities of Chief Executive had been thrust so unexpectedly. With silent salute the}^ greeted liim, and with them he mingled his tears in sorrow for the dead. Among the hundreds of other distinguished persons who were in attendance upon the funeral services were : Governor Gregory, of Rhode Island ; Governor Yates, of Illinois ; Governor Hill, of Maine ; Governor Crane, of Massachusetts ; Governor A LMl'RKSSIVE SKKVICKS AT THE CAl'lTOL o,-^-) Aycock, of North Carolina; Governor White, of West Virginia; Governor Sticknev, of \'erniont, and Governor Voorhees, of New- Jersey. Colonel Stone represented the Governor of California, and Colonel A. C. Kanffnian, of Charleston, represented Govern(ir McSweenev, of Sonth Carolina, and conveyed the Governor's regrets that he was nnable porsonally to attend; District Commis- sioners; J. Pierpont Morgan, of New York ; John Kasson, former Special Reciprocitv Commissioner; Pension Coniniissioncr Ik-nry Clay Evans. The Grand ]\Iaster of the Knights Templar of the United States, was represented by Grand Jnnior Warden Frank H. Thomas. Among the prominent women present were Mrs. Garret A. Hobart, *vidow of ex-Vice-President Hobart, who was escorted by her son, pnd ]\Irs. Rnssel A. Alger. LAST LOOK AT THE DEAD PRESIDENT. At the conclnsion of the fnneral services in the rotnnda, the casket lid was removed in order that the immediate friends of the dead President might be afforded the comfort of a last glance at his featnres, and that the people whom he loved and who loved him might pass the bier for the same pnrpose. At half-past 12 the crowds began to file through the rotunda, and during tlie six- hours in which the bod}' was lying in state, it seemed that 55,000 people viewed the remains. Just at I o'clock a frightful calamity was narrowly averted at the east front of the Capitol. For hours the ^•ast throng of peopl: had been massed in front of the Capitol awaiting an oppor- tunity to enter the rotunda. When the doors were opened tens of thousands of people rushed almost frantically to the main staircase. The police and military guards were swept aside and almost in a twinking there was a tremendous crush at the toot of the great staircase. The immense throng swept backward and for- ward like the surging of a mighty sea. Women and children, a few of the latter babes in arms, were caught in the crowd, and many were badly hurt. Strong men held children and even wcmieii high above the heads of the surging crowd to protect tlieni fn)m 334 IMPRESSIVE SERVICES AT THE CAPITOL. bodily injur}'. Despite the efforts of tlie police and military and the cooler heads in the throng, approximately a hundred people were injured. Some of the more seriously hurt were carried intc the rotunda and into various adjoining apartments of the Capitol where first aid treatment was given them. A number were hurried to hospitals in ambulances, but the majority either were taken to or subsequently went unassisted to their homes. i After the crush had been abated upon the staircase and i plaza, immediately in front of it were found tattered pieces of men's and women's wearing apparel of all kinds, crushed hats, gloves and even shoes, watches, pocketbooks, keys and knives were picked up. MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED FLORAL OFFERINGS. When the remains of the dead President were finally closed forever to the view of Washington people, the cavalry escort again was formed and conveyed them to the special train which now is carrying the body to Canton. The magnificent display of floral offerings, numbering no less than 125 pieces and making the most remarkable floral tribute ever seen here, were taken to the station from the Capitol in carriages and wagons, and there placed aboard a special car which had been provided for them. Three sections, comprising in all twenty passenger coaches, were necessary to accommodate all those who accepted invitations to make the journey to Canton. An eye-witness thus describes the impressive scene : " Early this morning the chief of&cers of the Government, civil, military and judicial, began to arrive, and many others whose names are familiar the world over came singly and in groups to pay their tribute at his official home to the nation's illustrious dead. Several members of the diplomatic corps in court costume were among the early comers. Ex-President Cleveland and ex-Secretary of War Lamont arrived about 8.30, and were shown at once to seats in the Red Parlor. The mem- bers of the Cabinet began to arrive soon after, and were imme- diately followed by the members of the Senate Committee and the IMPRi:SSI\-K SF.R\'ICES AT THK CAl'ITOL. p,^r^ members of the United States Supreme Court, headed In- Chief Justice Fuller, in their robes of office. "President Roosevelt arrived at 8.50 o'clock, accompanied by his wife and his sister, and went immediately to the Blue Parlor, where they were joined by the members of the Cabinet. The President wore a frock coat, and a band of crepe on the left arm. Mrs. ]McKinle\^ arose earlier than usual to prepare for the ordeal. She had rested quite well during the night, but her pale face told plainly of her sufferings. She gave no sign of collapse, however, and her physician confidently believes that she will keep up her strength and courage to the end. GRAND ARMY REPRESENTED. "Senator Hanna reached the White House only a short time before the procession was to move. His face looked drawn, and, leaning heavil}^ on his cane, it was plainly evident that he was suffering. While the men of note were arriving at the White House, the funeral escort, under command of Major General John R. Brooke, was forming immediately in front of the White House. Besides regular soldiers, sailors and marines, the escort was made up of a detachment of the National Guard, members of the Grand Army of the Republic, Loyal Legion and kindred bodies and civic organizations, and representatives of all branches of the National Government, and the Governors of States and their staffs. "The public had been astir earlv, and the streets were crowded with people. Wire cables strung along the entire route of march from the White House to the Capitol, kept it clear for the funeral procession. '' At precisel}^ 9 o'clock a silent command was given, and the body bearers silenth' and reverently raised to their stalwart shoulders the casket containing all that was mortal of the illus- trious dead. They walked with slow, cadence step, and, as thev appeared at the main door of the White House, the ^Larine Band, stationed on the avenue opposite the mansion, struck up the hymn the dead President loved so well, " Nearer, My God, to 336 IMPRESSIVE SERVICES AT THE CAPITOL. Thee." There was perfect silence throughout the big mansion, and as the last sad strain of the music died away the throng in the building lifted their heads, but their eyes were wet. " As the hearse moved away, the mourners from the White House entered carriages and followed the body on its march to the Capitol, where the funeral services were to be held. It was thought earl}^ in the morning that Mrs. McKinley might feel strong enough to attend the services there, but it was finall}' decided that it would be imprudent to tax her vitality more than was absolutely necessary, and so she concluded to remain in her room under the immediate care of Dr. Rixey, Mrs. Barber, her sister, and her niece, Miss Barber. BUGLE SOUNDED "MARCH." *' Slowly down the White House driveway, through a fine drizzling rain, the solemn cortege wound its way down to the gate leading to the avenue, and halted. Then with a grand solemn swing the artillery band began the ' Dead March from Saul,' a blast from a bugle sounded ' march ' and the head of the proces- sion was moving on its way to the Capitol. The casket in a black, carved hearse and drawn by six coal black horses, caparisoned in black net with trailing tassels and a stalwart groom at the head of each, moved down through the gateway and came to a stand alongside of the moving procession. " Major General John R. Brooke was at the head of the line, mounted on a splendid charger. Behind him came his aides, the red coated artillery band, a squadron of cavalr}- with red and white guidons limp in the damp air, a batter}- of field artillery, with the men sitting straight and stiff as statues, a companv of engineers, two battalions of coast artiller}^ and a detachment of thfc hospital corps. Then came the naval contingent of the first section, headed by the Marine Band, who were followed by a bat- talion of marines and one of sailors from the North Atlantic squad- ron, very picturesque and strong. " As the National Guard of the District of Columbia brought up the rear of the first section of the parade, the civic section of IMPRESSIVE SERVICES AT THE CAPITOL ;«7 tlie procession marched into line. It was under coiiniiand of Gen- eral Henry V. Boynton as Chief Marshal, and comprised detach- ments from the Military Order of the Loyal Legion, the Regular Army and Navy Union, the Union Veteran Legion, the Spanish War \'eterans and the Grand Army of the Republic. As these veterans of the Civil War passed the waiting hearse wheeled slowly into line, the guards of honor from the army andna\y took up positions on either side of the hearse, and the funeral cortege proper took its appointed place behind a delegation of the Grand Army of the Republic. "Close behind the hearse came a carriage in which were seated ex-President Grover Cleveland, Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans and General John Wilson. In a carriage drawn b\' four fine black horses coming next were President Roosevelt, Mrs. Roosevelt and Commander W. S. Cowles, the President's brother- in-law. Then followed a line of carriages bearing all the members of the Cabinet, a number of ex-members and behind them the diplomatic corps. BETWEEN SILENT THRONGS. "Solemnl}' the funeral party wound down past the Treasure- Building and into the broad sweep of Pennsylvania avenue amid a profound silence that was awful to those who only six months ago had witnessed the enthusiastic plaudits which greeted the dead man as he made the same march to assume for a second time the honors and burdens of the Presidential office. " The artillery band played a solemn dirge as it with slow steps led the sorrowful way down the avenue. All the military organizations carried their arms, but with colors draped and furled. The crowds were silent. All were sad, mournful and oppressive. The people stood with heads uncovered, and many bowed in apparentl}' silent prayer as the hearse passed along. A sl(»w drizzling rain was falling. " After the carriages, in which were the diplomats, followed a long line of others containing the Justices of the Supreme Court, the Senate and House committees appointed to attend the funeral, 338 IMPRESSIVE SERVICES AT THE CAPITOL. the local judiciary, tlie assistant secretaries of the several execu- tive departments, members of the various Government commis- sions and official representatives of the insular governments. "The remainder of the procession was composed of a large representation of local bodies of Knights Templar, over looo members of the Grand Army of the Republic, the United Con- federate Veterans of the city of Washington and of Alexandria, Va., various religious and patriotic societies, including the Sons of the American Revolution, secret societies and labor organiza- tions of the city. Scattered here and there at intervals were rep- resentatives of out-of-town organizations, including the Ohio Republican Club, the Republican Club of New York city, the New York Italian Chamber of Commerce and of the New York Board of Trade and Transportation, the New York Democratic Honest Money League and the Southern Manufacturers' Club of Charlotte, N. C. THE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE PROCESSION. " The Military Order of the Loyal Legion, of which Presi- dent McKinley was an honored member, with a representation from the New York and Pennsylvania Commanderies, formed a con- spicuous part in this procession, as also did the Knights Templar of this city and of Alexandria, Va., and a battalion of the uniform rank Knights of Pythias. The full force of the letter carriers of Washington, each with a band of black crepe on his arm, walked to the solemn tread of the dirge. "At lo. 12 o'clock the head of the procession arrived at the north end of the Capitol plaza, but instead of swinging directly into the plaza and passing in front of the Capitol, as usually is done on the occasion of Presidential inaugurations, the military contingent passed eastward on B street, thence south on First street, East. Headed b\^ Major-General John R. Brooke and staff and the Fifth Artillery Corps Band, the troops swept around to the south end of the plaza, and then marched to position front- ing the main entrance to the Capitol, As soon as they had been formed at rest, the artillery band on the left and the Marine Band IMPRESSIVE SERVICES AT THE (JAl'lTOL S.'^ti on the right of the entrance, Uu- funeral cortege, with its guard of honor, entered the plaza from the north. As the liearsc halted in front of the main staircase the troops, responding to almost whispered commands, presented arms. ''The guard of honor ascended the steps, the naval officers on the right and the army officers on the left, forming a cordon on each side, just within the ranks of the artillerymen, seamen and marines. "As the eight sturdy body-bearers, four from the army and four from the navy, tenderly drew the flag-draped casket from the hearse, the band sweetly wailed the pleading notes of ' Nearer, My God, to Thee.' Every head in the vast attendant throng was bared. Tear bedimmed eyes were raised to Heaven and a silent prayer went up from the thousands of hearts. With careful and solemn tread the body-bearers began the ascent of the staircase with their precious burden, and tenderly bore it to the catafalque in the rotunda." UNPRECEDENTED DISPLAY OF MOURNING. The display of mourning for the death of President McKin- ley was one of the most remarkable demonstrations that this country has ever witnessed. The testimony of regret and sorrow for the late Chief Magistrate, and the expression of detestation for the hateful blow which removed him from a post of usefulness, were universal and sincere. The evidences of genuine deep sorrow^ were apparent on every hand, in every city and hamlet in the land, and grief at the cruel blow penetrated every patriotic household, and affected every right-minded man in the country. The emblems of mourning which are displayed in profusion on business houses, private dwellings, public buildings and at all the haunts of men were not merely the trappings of woe— tlie sign of a perfunctory observance of the decencies and proprieties of the occasion. They were the eager, voluntary, true expressions of the feeling everywhere prevalent. There probably never was a more genuine, spontaneous national outburst of emotion. In this wonderful expression of feeling great influence is undoubt- 340 IMPRESSIVE SERVICES AT THE CAPITOL. edly exerted by the character and traits of the gentle man, who possessed a singularly winning and healthy nature, and exempli- fied in his life the wholesome and admirable Christian virtues which are the real safeguards of a nation. The manner and circumstance of his taking off ; the infamous character and the deliberate, malignant, base method of the inhuman assassin ; the innocence of the victim, which should have rendered him safe from attack, and the fine and noble bear- ing of the sufferer when the inevitable end came — all conspired to awaken the best sentiments of the whole country. But in addition to all of these contributing causes to the universal expression of grief, there was a cause for indignation and sorrow of equal force. JVn enemy to free government aimed a blow at the Republic and struck down the Chief who was the choice of the people. THE WHOLE PEOPLE ATTACKED. A malignant attack was made upon the whole people in the person of the Chief Magistrate who represented in his high office the majesty, power and dignity of the nation, and, consciously or unconsciously, all citizens throughout the land were not only expressing their grief and sorrow at the grievous blow which had fallen upon a good and true man, but were showing their detesta- tion of a foul blow directed against the Republic, and offering the strongest testimony of their unalterable devotion to that Govern- ment, by and for the people, which was never more strongly entrenched in the hearts of its people than it is to-day. From an observer of the great demonstration at the Capitol we furnish the reader with the following graphic account : " Washington, curiously composite city as to its humanity, is used to public spectacle. It is as much a part of its life to-day as it must have been with the temple cities of Egypt, three thousand years ago. Now it is an inauguration, now the departure of great ones, now the home-coming of victors, now a funeral. It has, in fact, the parade habit, and consequently its emotions are some- what blunted by overwear. ' IMPRESSIVE SERVICES AT THE CAl'ITUL. WI " But it ahvaj^s can be counted on for enonti^h of feelinj^ to make the meaning of its presence on the streets seem real. On cither side of the portico are masses of votive wreaths and flowers in every form to give color to the eye and perfume to the air. Officers of the arm}^ and navy arc ascending the steps and greet- iug each other decorousl}-. "Admiral Dewey, in his full uniform, bland of face and light of movement, stops to talk with the swarthv Rear Admiral Crowninshield, and the tall form of Rear Admiral Bradford joins the group. Melville, Rear Admiral, too, shows his long woolK- white hair and beard. And Rear Admiral O'Neill, clean cut of face and figure, is greeting Rear Admiral Watson, a small, clean shaven man. General Otis, tall, rudd}' faced, and General Gillespie, of fine figure and white mustache, are having a word. It strikes one that all our generals and admirals are on in 3^ears. and one thinks of the days of '64 and '65, when the great com- manders were men in the earU' forties and under. Among the major generals there is Fitzhugh Lee, stout, stalwart, but aging. POTENTATES, FRIENDS AND ADMIRERS. "The waiting catafalque in the centre, beneath the dome. one notes on entering, is set about with chairs in segments of the circle, eight segments, with about one hundred chairs in each. A small harmonium is near the head of the catafalque, which, on a low back platform, stands about two feet high. It is draped in black cloth, and all around are great pieces of flowers from foreign potentates, from States and cities, from friends and admirers. " The import of the scene is heavy in the larger sense on each one gathering there, but the spell of it is not so deep as it was at Buffalo, where the personal feeling was fresher and deeper. The men here have seen great tragedies and great struggles, and were part of them. The whispered talk turned mostly to the event, but often turned awa\' as we waited there, and this was natural, and is set down so as to truly mirror the event. The tragedies of history, the great tragedies, move in their vast solemnity without reference to the seriousness or want of it in 342 IMPRESSIVE SERVICES AT THE CAPITOL. the minor details. Then this was something in a sense spec- tacular, and we are not good at spectacles. " It is lo o'clock and the chairs are filling. After well known faces appear ' Fighting Bob' Evans shows his shrewd face among the naval men. A handful of Senators come from the Senate Chamber — onl}^ six at first, though others drift in later. Senator Allison, gray bearded, looking like a mild version of General Grant ; Senator Clapp, of Minnesota, with his likeness to the strong faced John A. Logan ; Senator Cullom, of Illinois, rough bearded, but shaven of the upper lip, in the style of i860; Senator Nelson, lumbering and rustic looking. After them comes former Senator Gorman, of Maryland, clear of eye, sharp of outline and lithe of movement. General Alger and his wife have come in, and with them former Postmaster-General Gary. ^WOMEN IN FULL MOURNING. '' Women are drifting quietly in through vaany doors, all mostly in full mourning or wearing black hats and skirts, with white waist and a very chic crepe band and bow on the left arm above the elbow. The Rev. Mr. Powers, who preached the fun- eral sermon at Garfield's funeral here, a man of pale minis- terial face with a small white mustache, is seated with his memories. " A delegation of the House of Representatives comes in. 'Joe' Cannon, with his knotty face and chin whisker; Amos J. Cummings, whose eyes are bright as ever, but whose mustache is whitening ; Hopkins, of the Ways and Means, reddish and alert and much chatted to. Whitelaw Reid, former Minister to France, thoughtful looking, comes in slowly, Bishop Satterlee is seated beside an army man. " Around runs a whisper, for Grover Cleveland, twice Presi- dent of the United States and the only living former President, is entering. He looks well and slightl}^ tanned, something thin- ner than when he was at the White House, and also showing the march of whitening time. He sits beside Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans. Whispers run that Cleveland in all his eight years IMPRESSIVE SERVICES AT THE CAPITOL 343 was constantly on the lookout for assassination when he was out of doors. "At twenty minutes to eleven o'clock a bugle call is heard in the court without. It is evidently a signal, for almost simul- taneously the active heads of the government enter. President Roosevelt, with Mrs. Roosevelt, in deep mourning, on his arm, and his son and two daughters following, head the line. Mrs. Roosevelt walks with sympathetically bowed head, her coming a woman's gracious tribute to the widow of her husband's pre- decessor. The Cabinet, headed by Secretaries Hay and Gage, with Secretary Root and Attorney General Knox follow. THE SECRETARY OF STATE. " Mr. Haj' looks white and far from strong, but evidently steeling himself for a ceremony certain to bring his own recent bereavement — the loss of his son — painfull}' before him. His dark beard, with its powdering of white, his parted hair and glasses give him a stern, autocratic look, far from his bearing of the moment. Abner McKinle^^, very pale, poor man ! and leading his wife, heads the famiU' party from the White House, where I\Irs. ]\IcKinley remains for the afternoon — her last in the home of the Presidents. Senator Hanna, still pale and shaken, is with the famil}^ party. " There is a breath of music, the music of the oft-plaved hymn, heard from without, a ring of feet on the marble pavement, and the guard of honor enter from the east porch, followed by the eight men bearing the late President's coffin, now wholh' covered with an American flag, on which are piles of beautiful white roses. Slowly the bearers turn and la}' their burden down, the head to the west and the feet to the rising sun. " While the attendants are arranging matters about the catafalque, the Ambassadors, Ministers and attaches of the for- eign legations enter, two and two, their bright uniforms give an extra dash of color to the gathering. Senor Aspiroz, the Mexicrtn Minister, his dark uniform coat, a perfect dazzle of gold lace, dark skinned and strong faced, gazes sympathetically about. The 344 IMPRESSIVE SERVICES AT THE CAPITOL Turkish and Englisli attaches give vivid reds and greens to the picture. " Minister Wu, in his Chinese garb, beams kindly over his spectacles. He comes from a land where sudden deaths have been much enforced of late. He wears a black faced, conical cap, with a scarlet crown and a gold button on the top. The Spanish and Portuguese Ministers are in diplomatic uniforms, heavily laced with gold. THE SOUTH FULLY REPRESENTED. " Still people are coming. Senator Tillman, General Jere- miah Wilson and General Longstreet, of Confederate fame, are entering, and there is the new Acting Vice-President, William B. Frye, of Maine, his mild blue eyes blinking in the light. He has an earnest face and an appealing expression- Mrs. Garret A. Hobart and her son are seated close together. James G. Blaine, Jr., and his wife are there. Senator Chauncey M. Depew and Senator Piatt, of New York, are across the aisle. With the former is J. Pierpont Morgan. The}^ chat earnestly. Stephen B. Hlkins and Senator Cockrell are noted, but one would have to call a very long roll to tell of them all. " At a few minutes before eleven the double quartet near the harmonium sang ' Lead, Kindly Light.' W^ith fine clearness of tone the Rev. Henry R. Najdor, presiding elder of the Methodist Church, led in a heartfelt prayer, only a word or two of which reached mortal ears at any distance from the speaker on account of the mocking echoes from the dome. "Then Mrs. Thomas C. Noj^es, of Washington, sang, with a soprano voice of great clearness, volume and wide range, the hymn *Some Time We'll Understand.' Mrs. Noyes sang with great feeling and effect, bringing tears to the eyes of not a few. She made a pretty picture, dressed in black and wearing a picture hat, with long black feather, and a high lace collar of a square cut. Nervous for the first few notes, as well she might be, her face as she went on became a study of ingenuous earnestness while her clear notes ran like birds diving on high above our heads, "Bishop Andrews, of the Methodist Church, followed in an IMPRKSSn'E SEKVICKS AT THE CAPITOL. 34.-, • address that lasted some fifteen minutes. He was fluent and earnest, and looked very like Senator Hoar, but the bafflinj^^ echoes once more took up the discourse, and, exaggerating^ what may be called the ministerial tone of the prelate, produced a strange effect. After the singing of * Nearer, My (iod, to Thee,' in which nearly all present joined in subdued tone, producing a touching effect, a brief blessing was given by the Rev. W. H. Chapman. With extended hands and uplifted eyes he prayed for merc}^ and peace and light, and so the service came to an end. " Not man}' minutes had passed before all had departed save the guard, under the charge of Colonel Bingham. The attend- ants rearranged the chamber for the popular view of the remains. The chairs disappeared, except a line each side from east to west. On these were laid the floral offerings. When, therefore, the lid had been lifted from the head of the cofiin the people passed between a lane of costly flowers, each of which told a tale. " Looking out upon the multitude now waiting under a drizzling rain, it seemed as if there were fifty thousand umbrellas in sight where a short time before a flower bed of humanity met the view. There was much crowding and pushing a while, but at length it was straightened out and the stream kept flowing througl; the hall until the time came, with the evening lights, to clos j the coffin lid to Washington forever." CHAPTER XXVIII. Eloquent Eulogy on the Dead President — Floral Offerings — Great Crush to View the Remains — Distinguished Per- sons Present. , 1"^HE funeral services at the Capitol over the remains of the late President IMcKinley were simple and beautiful. They were of the form prescribed in the Methodist Church. Two hymns, a pra3'er, an address and a benediction comprised all of it ; yet the impression left at the end was of perfection. The people were slow in gathering. Among the first comers w^ere the arm}^ officers. General Randolph, Chief of Artillery, and in charge of the militar}^ arrangements at the Capitol, was first among these, and soon afterwards came General Gillespie, Chief of Engineers, and General Fitzhugh Lee, Soon the num- ber of officers became too great to distinguish between them, and the rotunda began to light up with dashes of gold lace and gilt buttons and flashing sword scabbards, scattered through the soberly dressed crowd of civilians. Before lo o'clock the latter had assembled in such numbers as to fill the greater part of the seating space not reserved for the persons in the funeral procession, who were to enter the rotunda. Just at lo o'clock Admiral Dewe}^ made his appearance, ac- companied by General Otis, General Davis and General Ruggles. He glanced over the scene within, and then took up his station at the eastern entrance, where he was joined b\' the other members of the guard of honor, Mrs, Hobart, with her son, and Mrs. Russell A, Alger, escortedb}' Colonel Hecker, also entered during this time of waiting. The clerg3'nien and the choir, the latter from the Metropolitan Methodist Episcopal Church, which Mr, AIcKinley attended, filed in, and were seated at the head of the catafalque. At twent}'' minutes to ii o'clock the Cabinet entered, and were seated to the 346 EULOGY liV BlSHUl' ANDREWS. 347 south of the platform ; and then to the strains of ''Nearer, My God, To Thee/' by the Marine Band ontsidc, the casket was borne into the rotunda. General Gillespie and Colonel liingham led the way, and every one arose. The guard of honor on either side separated, and the casket was placed gently upon the catafalque. THE FAMILY GROUP. Next came members of the family of the deceased, Abuer McKinley leading. They were seated near the head of the casket. Mrs. McKinle}' was not present. Senator Hanna was with the family part}'. Next the diplomatic corps entered, all in full court regalia, and were seated to the south. Former President Cleveland, with General Wilson, his escort, sat in the first row. LastU' came President Roosevelt, escorted by Captain Cowles, and preceded b}- ]\Ir. Cortelyon, secretar}- to the President. He was given a seat at the end of the row occupied by the Cabinet, just south of the casket. Mr. Roosevelt's face was set, and he appeared to be restraining his emotions with difficulty. When the noise occasioned bv seating the late comers had ceased a hush fell upon the people, and then the choir softly sang "Lead, Kindh' Light," Cardinal Newman's divine anthem, while every one stood in reverence. At the conclusion of the hymn Rev. Dr. Henry R. Naylor. Presiding Elder of the Washington District of the Methodist Episcopal Church, delivered the invocation, while the distinguished compan}- listened with bowed heads. Dr. Naylor said : "Oh, Lord God, our Heavenly Father, a bereaved nation Cometh to Thee in its deep sorrov.- ; to whom can we go in such an hour as this but unto Thee. Thou only art able to comfort and support the afflicted. "Death strikes down the tallest and best of men, and conse- quent changes are continually occurring auKmg nations and communities. But we have been taught that Thou art the same yesterday, to-day and forever; that with Thee there is no variable- ness nor the least shadow of turning. So in the midst of our grief we turn to Thee for help. 348 EULOGY BY BISHOP ANDREWS. *'We thank Thee, O, Lord, that years ago Thou didst give unto this Nation a man whose loss we mourn to-day. We thank Thee for the pure and unselfish life he was enabled to live in the midst of so eventful an experience. We thank Thee for the faith- ful and distiui^i^uished services which he was enabled to render to Thee, to our Countr}^ and to the world. "We bless Thee for such a citizen, for such a lawmaker, for such a Governer, for such a President, for such a husband, for such a Christian example and for a friend. " But, O, Lord, we deplore our loss to-day ; sincerel}^ implore Thy sanctifying benediction. We pray Thee for that dear one who has been walking by his side through the years, sharing his tri- umphs and partaking of his sorrows. Give to her all needed sustenance and the comfort her stricken heart so greatly craves. And under the shadow of this great calamity may she learn, as never before, the Fatherhood of God, and the matchless character of His sustaining grace. PRAYER FOR THE NEW PRESIDENT. "And, O, Lord, we sincerely pray for him upon whom the mantle of Presidential authority has so suddenly and unexpectedly fallen. Help him to walk worthy the high vocation whereunto he has been called. He needs Thy guiding hand and Thy inspiring spirit continually. May he always present to the nation and to the world divinely illumined judgment, a brave heart and an unsul- lied character. " Hear our prayer, O, Lord, for the official family of the Administration, those men who are associated with Thy servant, the President, in the administration of the affairs of government ; guide them in all their deliberations, to the nation's welfare and the glory of God. "And now, Lord, we humbly pray for Thy blessing and con- solation to come to all the people of our land and nation. Forgive our past shortcomings, our sins of omission as well as our sins of commission. Help us to make the Golden Rule the standard of our lives, that we may 'do unto others as we would have them do EULOGY BY BlSHOl' ANDREWS. S49 unto us,' aud thus become, iudeed, a people wliose (lod i.^ llie Lord. "These things we humbl}' ask in the name of Hiui who taught us, when we pray, to say: 'Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that tres- pass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom and the power aud the glory, forever. Amen.' " MOST EFFECTIVE MUSIC. I As the pastor ceased, the voices of the choir swelled forth and the rich, pure soprano notes of Mrs. Thomas C. Xo3-es led the hymn, "Sometime We'll Understand." The music was remarka- bly effective and touching as the notes came back in soft echoes from the fulness of the dome overhead. As soon as the li\inn ceased. Bishop Edward G. Andrews, of the Methodist Episcopal Church, who had come from Ohio to say the last words over the remains of his lifelong friend and parishioner, arose. He stood at the head of the casket and spoke in sympathetic voice, and with many evidences of deep emotion. The acoustic qualities of the rotunda do not favor such addresses, and, although the bishop spoke in clear and firm tones, the rippling echoes from all sides made it difiiicult for those a short distance from him to catch his words, The bishop said : " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord. Who of His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a livelv hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead, to an inheritance uncor- ruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us, by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. " The services for the dead are fitly and almost of necessity services of religion and of immortal hope. In the presence of the shroud and the coffin aud the narrow home, questions concerning intellecttial quality, concerning public station, concerning 350 EULOGY BY BISHOP ANDREWS. great achievements, sink into comparative insignificance, and questions concerning character and man's relation to the Lord and Giver of life, even the life eternal, emerge to our view and impress themselves upon us. " Character abides. We bring nothing into this world, we can carry nothing out. We, ourselves, depart with all the accumulations of tendency and habit and quality which the years have given to us. We ask, therefore, even at the grave of the illustrious, not altogether what great achievement the}' had performed,iand how they had com- mended themselves to the memory and affection or respect of the world, but chiefly of what sort the}^ were, what the interior nature of the man was, what were his af&nities. Were they with the good, the truth, the noble ? What his relation to the infinite Lord of the universe and to the compassionate Savior of mankind ; what his fitness for that great hereafter to which he had passed. HIS HIGH ACHIEVEMENTS. *' And such great questions come to us with moment, even in the hour when we gather around the bier of those whom we pro- foundly respect and eulogize and whom we tenderly love. In the years to come, the days and the months that lie immediately before us, will give full utterance as to the high statesmanship and great achievements of the illustrious man whom we mourn to-day. We shall not touch them to-day. The nation already has broken out in its grief and poured its tears, and is still pouring them, over the loss of a beloved man. It is well. But we ask this morning of what sort this man is, so that we may, perhaps, knowing the moral and spiritual life that is past, be able to shape the far-withdrawing future. " I think we must all concede that nature and training, and, reverently be it said, the inspiration of the Almighty con- spired to conform a man admirable in his moral temper and aims. We, none of us can doubt, I think, that even by nature he was eminently gifted. The kindly, calm and equitable temperament, the kindly and generous heart, the love of justice and right, and the tendency toward faith and loyalty to unseen powers and EULOGY BY BISHOP ANDREWS. 351 authorities these things must have been with him from his childhood, from his infancy ; but upon them supervened the training, for which he was always tenderh' thankful, aud of which even this great nation, from sea to sea, continually has taken note. " It was an humble home in which he was born. Narrow con- ditions were around him ; but faith in God had lifted that lowly roof, according to the statement of some great writer, up to the very heavens and permitted its inmates to behold the things eternal, immortal and divine; and he came under that training. HIS FILIAL AFFECTION. " It is a beautiful thing that to the end of his life he bent reverently before that mother whose example and teaching and prayer had so fashioned his mind and all his aims. The school came but briefly, and then came to him the Chuich wath a minis- tration of power. He accepted the truth which it taught. He believed in God and in Jesus Christ, through whom God was revealed. He accepted the divine law of the Scripture ; he based his hope on Jesus Christ, the appointed and only Redeemer of men ; and the Church, beginning its operation upon his character at an earl 3^ period of his life, continued even to its close to mould him. He waited attentively upon its ministrations. '^ He gladly partook with his brethren of the symbols of mysterious passion and redeeming love of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was helpful in all those beneficences and activities ; and from the Church, to the close of his life, he received inspiration that lifted him above much of the trouble and weakness incident to our human nature, and blessings be to God, may we say, in the last and final hour they enabled him confidently, tenderly to say, ' It is His Will, not ours, that will be done.' " Such influences gave to us William ^IcKinley. And what was he ? A man of incorruptible personal and political integrity. I suppose no one ever attempted to approach him in the way of a bribe ; and we remember, with great felicitation at this time for such an example to ourselves, that when great financial difficul- 352 EULOGY BY BISHOP ANDREWS. ties and perils encompassed him, lie determined to deliver all lie possessed to his creditors, that there should be no challenge of his perfect honesty in the matter. A man of immaculate purit}', shall we say ? No stain was upon his escutcheon ; no syllable of sus- picion that I ever heard was whispered against his character. He walked in perfect and noble self-control. " Beyond that, this man has somehow wrought in him — I suppose upon the foundations of a very happily constructed nature — a great and generous love for his fellow men. He believed in men. He had himself been brought up among the common people. He knew their labors, struggles, necessities. He loved them ; but I think beyond that it was to the Church and its teachings concerning the Fatherhood of God and universal brotherhood of man that he was indebted for that habit of kind- ness, for that generosity of spirit, that was wrought into his very substance and became him so that, though he was of all men most courteous, no one ever supposed but that courtesy was from the heart. A MAN OF LARGE HEART. "It was spontaneous, unaffected, kindly, attractive, in a most jjminent degree. What he was in the narrower circle of those j to whom he was personally attached, I think he was also in the greatness of his comprehensive love toward the race of which he was a part. If any man had been lifted up to take into his pur- view and desire to help all classes and conditions of men, all nationalities beside his own, it was this man. Shall I speak a word next of that which I will hardly avert to — the tenderness of : that domestic love, which has so often been commented upon ? I pass it with only that word. I take it that no words can set forth fully the unfaltering kindness and carefulness and upbearing love which belonged to this great man. " And he was a man who believed in right ; who had a pro- found conviction that the courses of this world must be ordered in accordance with everlasting righteousness, or this world's highest point of good will never be reached ; that no nation can expect success in life except as it conforms to the eternal love of EULOGY I5V niSIlOl' ANDRIAVS. 3.V1 tbe infiuite Lord, and places itself in individual and collective activitv according to the Divine will. It was deeply ingrained in him that righteousness was the perfection of any man and of an}' people. " Siniplicit}' belonged to him. I need not dwell upon it, and I close the statement of these qualities by saying, that, under- lying all and overreaching all, and penetrating all, there was a profound lo^-alt}' to God, the great King of the universe, the author of all good, the eternal hope of all that trust in Him. PATIENT AND THOROUGH. " And now, ma}- I say, further, that it seemed to me that to whatever we ma}- attribute all the illustriousuess of this mau, all the greatness of his achievements ; whatever of that we may attribute to his intellectual character and quality ; whatever of it we may attribute to the patient and thorough stud}- which he gave to the various questions thrust upon him for attention ; for all his successes as a politician, as a statesman, as a man of this great countr\', those successes were largely due to the uKjral qualities of which I have spoken. " Thev drew to him the hearts of man ever\-wliere, and par- ticularl}' of those who best knew him. The}- called to his side helpers in ever}^ exigenc}' of his career, so that, when his future was at one time likeh' to have been imperiled and utterly ruined b}' his financial conditions, they who had resources, for the sake of helping a man who had in him such qualities, came to liis side and put him on the high road of additional and larger success. His high qualities drew to him the good will of his associates in political life in an eminent degree. They believed in him, felt his kindness, confided in his honesty and in his honor. " His qualities even associated with him in kindly relations those who were political opponents. They made it possible for him to enter that land with which he, as one of the soldiers of the Union, had been in some sort of war, and to draw closer the tie that was to bind all the parts in one firmer and indissoluble union. They commanded tlie confidence of the great bod\' of 854 EULOGY BY BISHOP ANDREWS. Congress, so that tliey listened to liis plans and accepted kindly and hopefully and trustfully all his declarations. " His qualities gave him reputation, not in this land alone but throughout the world, and made it possible for him to minister in the st3'le in which he has within the last two or three years 3uinistered to the welfare and peace of human kind. It was out of the piofound depths of his moral and religious character that came the possibilities of that usefulness which we are all glad to attribute to him. " And will such a man die ? Is it possible that He who created, redeemed, transformed, uplifted, illumined such a man will permit him to fall into oblivion ? The instincts of morality are in all good men. The divine word of the Scripture leaves us no room for doubt. 'I', said one whom he trusted, 'am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live, and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.' LOST ONLY TO EARTH. " Lost to us, but not to his God. Lost from earth, but entered heaven. Lost from these labors and toils and perils, but entered into the everlasting peace and ever advancing progress. Blessed be God, who gives us this hope in this hour of calamity and enables us to triumph, through Him who hath redeemed us. "If there is a personal immortality before him, let us also rejoice that there is an immortality and memory in the hearts of a large and ever growing people, who, through the ages to come, the generations that are yet to be, will look back upon this life, upon its nobility and purity and service to humanity, and thank God for it. The years draw on when his name shall be counted among the illustrious of the earth. William of Orange is not dead. Cromwell is not dead. Washington lives in the hearts and lives of his countr3-men. Lincoln, with his infinite sorrow, lives to teach us and lead us on. And McKinley shall summon all statesmen and all his countr3?nien to purer living, nobler aims, sweeter faith and immortal blessedness." Ik EL' LUCY BY BISHUl' ANOKKWS. The address lasted only a bare quarter of an hour. As ihc bishop concluded every one in the vast rotunda rose, and the ! choir, intoning the air, hundreds of voices joined in the grand old hymn, "Nearer, .My God, to Thee." It was an affecting moment. In the midst of the singing Admiral Robley D. Evans, advancing with silent tread, placed a beautiful blue floral cross at the foot of the casket. The last notes died away softly, and, with uplifted hands, the benediction was pronounced by Rev. Dr. W. II. Chapman, acting pastor of the ^Metropolitan Cliurcli. This ended the religious service. THE COMPANY RETIRE. L There was a pause for a few minutes while the ushers cleared the aisles and the assemblage began to withdraw. First to retire was President Roosevelt, and as he entered so he left, preceded a p short distance by Alajor AlcCawle}- and Captain Gilmore, with Colonel Bingham and Captain Cowles almost pressing against him. The remainder of the company retired in the order in which they entered, the Cabinet members following the President, and after them going the Diplomatic Corps, the Supreme Court, Senators and Representatives, officers of the army and navv and officials of lesser degree. Absolutely no attempt had been made 'to drape the interior of the vast rotnuda, and save for the black structure in the centre and a small organ, and the floral pieces set against the walls beneath the eight historical paintings, the place presented its usual aspect before the services began, and there was little to encourage the half dozen photograghers who were early at the Capitol in their efforts to perpetuate the scene at that stage. The catafalque was exceedingly simple in design. An oblong platform, about nine by twelve feet, and raised but six inches above the floor, supported the bier, which was the same plain, strong structure that has been used at the Capitol since Lincoln's da}^ for state funerals. New, rich black broadcloth covered it completely, as well as the platform and a small reading stand, t 356 EULOGY BY BISHOP ANDREWS. and the only signs of ornamentation about it were the Heavj'- black tassels and the artistic draper}^ of the cloth. The catafalque occupied the centre of a circle of perhaps forty feet in diameter. At the point was placed a circular row of cane-seated chairs and a dozen of such rows suf&ced to fill out the space remaining in the rotunda, excepting the four broad aisles running toward the cardi- nal points of the compass. The floral offerings were many and beautiful in design. Con- spicuous among the many pieces was the great white shield of immortelles, six feet in height, bearing the inscription in purple flowers : "Tribute from the army in the Philippines," above the Eighth Army Corps insignie, in red and blue. OFFERING OF WHITE ROSES. As many white roses as were the years of the dead President was the offering of Colonel Bingham and the White House em- ployes. A beautiful simple wreath of laurel came from the Nineteenth Ward Republican Committee of St. Louis. A splen- did sheaf of palms, with broad purple white ribbons, and sur- rounded by a laurel sheath, came from the sister Republic of Guatemala. The Chinese residents of Philadelphia sent a tall white shaft of flowers, with a purple ribbon bearing the words : " Our friend at rest," and some quaint Chinese characters in gold. A beautiful wreath of purple orchids, filled in the centre with spreading palms, bore on a silver plate this inscription : "To the memory of William McKinley, President of the United States, whose noble character and Republican virtues will leave behind an ever- lasting trace in the history of the American world. Julio A. Roca, President of the Argentine Republic." lyilies of the valley and oak leaves, wrought into a wreath, represented Hayti's gift, and crossed palms, with a card bearing the one word, "Sympathy," came from Mrs. John Addison Porter. The Richmond City Council sent a magnificent tribute in the shape of a mammoth wreath of red roses and ivy leaves, tied I-:ULOGV IJV IHSIlor A.XDKEWb. 3,^7 with the national colors. Light Battery A, IMiiladclphia artillery, also sent a green wreath, embedded with orcliids, and the Loyal Legion remembered "Companion William McKinley " tlirongh a vast wreath of lilies and roses. Colnmbia's tribnte came throngh Minister Silva, in the shape of a great clnster of palm and pnrple immortelles, and nearly every inch of wall space carried like offerings. One of the most effective of these was the wreath of palms and orchids from Mrs. Garret A. Hobart, herself not long since bereaved. The opening of the doors of the rotnnda of the Capitol, in order to permit an inspection of the remains of President McKin- ley-, cansed a rnsh of the vast throng that had been congregated on the east side of the bnilding since early morning. The result was that man}- women and children were badly luirt. The crowd brushed by the police cordon, stationed at the foot of the steps, as if it had been chaff. A terrible congestion on the Capitol steps and at the entrance door followed. GREAT PRESSURE FROM THE CROWD. At the latter point there was such extreme pressure that numbers of women fainted. Man}- who thus became helpless were lifted up bodily and carried out over the heads of the crowd, while others, less fortunate, were trampled under foot and .seri- ously bruised. Of the latter, twelve or fifteen were taken into the Capitol. The room immediately under the rotunda, where the President's remains lay in calm and peaceful repose, was a tem- porar}' hospital, filled with screaming women, lying prone upon improvised couches. One of them had a broken arm and another had suffered internal injuries, which caused excruciatiug pain. The office of the Captain of Police also was used to accommodate the injured. as were several other places about the building. It is estimated that no fewer than fifty women and children were injured to some extent, but most of them were able to go to their homes. A few- were taken to the Emergency Hospital. As soon as the rotunda was cleared of those who had becu 358 EULOGY BY BISHOP ANDREWS. invited to attend the religions services, the bier was prepared for the inspection of the general pnblic. The floral offerings which covered the coffin were put aside and the lid Avas lifted from the head of the coffin, Some time was reqnired to put things entirel3r in order, and it was half-past twelve before the throng, Avhich had been waiting from earl}^ morning on the outside, was admitted. As the coffin rested upon the catafalque it Avas just about high enough to permit of easy inspection b}^ adults. The crowd entered through the east main door of the Capitol and passed out through the west exit. The people came in double file, one line passing to the right and the other to the left of the casket. Only a hurried glance was permitted to any one, as it was announced that the ceremony would close promptly at 6.30 o'clock. When- ever there was an attempt to linger, especially over the casket, as there was in many instances, the person making it was admon- ished by the Capitol police to " pass on." HURRIED PAST THE CASKET. When they still remained they were pushed along. In this way about 130 people were enabled to review the remains every minute. The pressure from the outside was terrific. Many women and children fainted, and others were more or less hurt. The crowd consisted of men, women and children, and all colors and ages were represented. Many children were carried through the building in the arms of their parents. As the body of the dead President lay in state it was guarded by representatives of all branches of the nation's martial service, under the command of General W. F. Randolph, Chief of Artiller}-. Directly at the head of the casket stood a marine, who faced another at the foot. On each side of these two sentinels the crowd passed. On either side of the marine at the head stood an artilleryman, while the marine at the foot of the casket was flanked b}' seamen. Other artillerymen, seamen and marines formed a lane through which the people passed. Back of them on either side was a line of floral pieces. There were over a hundred of these. The whole scene was photographed scores of times. Apparently the throng I EULOGY BY BISHOT ANDRKWS. 355 was in an apprehensive state of mind, for e\ury liine a flashlij^ht pictnre was taken piteous screams were heard from tlic people about the entrance. Washington, Sept. 17. — Ex-President Grover Cleveland, accompanied bv Vice President Lanionl, of the Northern Pacific Railroad, i\Ir. Cleveland's Secretary of War, arrived in Wash- ington to-day to participate in the obsequies of the late President. They reached here at 4.0^ o'clock this morning in Mr. Lamont's ^ private car " Yellowstone," which Mr. Cleveland boarded al Princeton [unction last night. The two arose shortly after 7 o'clock, and breakfasted on the car. Mr. Cleveland refused to see p callers, and to a newspaper man, who sought an interview, he sent word that he had nothing to sa}-. THEY REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT. General John M.Wilson, retired, formerly chief of engineers, and Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, of the navy, who had been designated to take charge of the ex-President, arrived at the station shortlv before 8 o'clock, and immediately reported to the former President. The latter was sitting in the observation part 1 of the car, smoking and awaiting the party. He wore a Prince Albert suit, with silk hat, and carried his gloves in his hands. He chatted for a few minutes with General Wilson over the arrangements, expressing his earnest desire to participate in them, and then the party made their way down the long platform and out on the street. There was a crowd in the depot, and most of them recognized him instantlv and saluted him. .\ ])alh had io be made for him through the waiting room. The party were driven first to Admiral Evans' home, and then to the White House, where thev arrived shortly before the time the cortege was scheduled to move. In foreign countries there were unusual demonstrations of sorrow. The Bank of P^nglaud exhibited for signature a mem- orial of the " Bankers, Merchants and Traders of the City of London," expressing sorrow at President McKinley's death, which Mr. Clioatc. the United vStates Ambassador, was asked to forward 360 EULOGY BY BISHOP ANDREWS. to the people of the United States aud Mrs. McKiule}-. The Rothschilds, the Barings, the South African Chartered Company aud all the greatest financial houses signed the memorial. Colonel Sir William James Colville, the King's Master of Ceremonies, called on ]\Ir. Choate and placed his services at the Ambassador's disposal in connection with the reception of the Diplomatic Corps at Westminster Abbe}^, Thursday, on the occasion of the memorial service in honor of the late President of the United States. The Cotton Exchange and the Corn Exchange were ordered to be closed on Thursday, the da}^ of the interment of the remains of the late President McKinley The Pig Iron Exchange of Glasgow, was ordered to be closed Thursday, when the remains of President McKinle}' were interred at Canton, O. MOURNING IN PARIS. By invitation of General Horace Porter, the United States Ambassador at Paris, the resident and traveling Americans met at his residence to adopt resolutions on the assassination of Presi- dent McKinley. The attendance was numerous, including mau}^ ladies dressed in mourning. General Porter who had completely recovered froni his indisposition, presided at the meeting. Senator Lodge, Secretary Vignaud and Consul General Gowdy were the Vice Presidents. General Porter, in feeling terms, announced the purpose of the meeting. Senator Lodge, in moving the adop- tion of the resolutions, eloquently outlined the career of the late President and his administration. The Senator alluded in grate- ful terms to the touching manifestation of sympath}- shown b}- the people of Paris and France at the sorrow of the American Republic. The following resoh.tion was voted: "William McKinley, President of the United States, is dead. He was an eminent statesman, soldier and patriot, a great Chief Magistrate, whose administration will stand out as one of the most eventful and illustrious in American histor}-. He has fallen at the zenith of his fame, in the height of a great career, b}- the hand of an EULOGY BY BISUOl' ANDREWS. r>fil assassin. The enormity of the wanton crinu-, nicasnred ])y tlie grievons loss, has brought sorrow to the Republic and all her citizens. "We, Americans, now in Paris, desire to make a public record of the feeling which at this hour of grief we share with all our countrj-men. With them we unite in profound sorrow for the f untimel}' death of President McKinley, as well as in admiration of his character as a man and his great public services, which have brought so much honor to the Republic. "We wish to declare our utter abhorrence of the foul crime, to which President McKinley fell a victim and of the teachings which produced it. "To her to whom the President gave a lifelong devotion, as pure as it was beautiful, we oifer our deepest, heartfelt svm- pathv. THEIR GENEROUS CONFIDENCE. "To President Roosevelt, called so suddenly and under such sad conditions to the Presidenc}', we present our sincere and respectful sympathy, and would also express our generous confi- dence in the hope and belief that his administration will redound to his own honor and to the general- welfare of our country. " We are profoundly grateful to the President and people of our sister Republic for their quick sympathy and touching expres- sions of condolence at this moment of great national sorrow of the United States." Earlier in the afternoon the members of the American Cham- ber of Commerce met and passed appropriate resolutions. Presi- dent Kimbel, Consul General Gowdy and Mr. Seligman. the banker, spoke with much feeling. The resolutions adopted were cabled to the Secretary of State at Washington. A tribute from William J. Bryan to the dead President was given to the Associated Press. Quoting the words of Major Mc- Kinle}-, "God's will, not ours, be done," Mr. Bryan recalled the pathetic scenes at the deathbed, and continued : " The terrible deed at Buffalo, rudely breaking the ties of famil}- and friendship and horrifying every patriotic citizen, 362 EULOGY BY BISHOP ANDREWS. crowns a most extraordinary life with a halo that cannot bnt exalt its victim's place in history, while his bravery during the trying ordeal, his forgiving spirit and his fortitude in the final hours give glimpses of his inner life which nothing less tragic could have revealed. " But inexpressibly^ sad as is the death of McKinle}', the illustrious citizen, it is the damnable murder of McKinley, the President, that melts 75,000,000 hearts into one and brings hush to the farm, the factory and the forum. The death, even when produced by natural causes, of a public servant charged with the tremendous responsibilities which press upon a President shocks the entire country, and is infinitely multiplied when the circum- stances attending constitute an attack upon the Government itself No one can estimate the far-reaching effect of such an act as that which now casts a gloom over our land. It shames America in the eyes of the world, it impairs her moral prestige and gives enemies of free government a chance to mock at her, and it excites an indignation which, while righteous in itself, may lead to acts which will partake of the spirit of lawlessness. MUST AVENGE THE OUTRAGE. "As the President's death overwhelms all in a common sor- row, so it imposes a common responsibility, namely : To so avenge the wrong done to the President, his famil}^ and the countrj^ as to make the Executive life secure without abridgement of freedom of speech or freedom of the press." King Edward, King Christian, Queen Alexandra and the Empress Dowager of Russia, surrounded by the princes and princesses of their families, personally expressed in special audi- ence granted to the United States Minister, Mr. Swenson, their deep sympathy and indignation at the death of Mr. McKinley. King Edward's closing words to Mr. Swenson were the fol- lowing : " Convey my heartfelt S3anpathy for the loss of so grand a man to so great a nation, a man who was so good a friend to Great Britain." A tribute, entitled " William McKinley— An Appreciation," EULOGY BY BISHOP ANDREWS. 3»>3 written by Secretary John D. T^oni;, was jj^ivcn proiiiinciicf in a Boston journal. In part it said : "President McKinlcy, of blessed life, is now, and more and more as time goes on, will be of blessed memory. The asperi- ties which afflict a public servant during his official career will fjuickly be forgotten, and the calm, just verdict of history will pronounce him a man of idealU^ pure, true character, a patriot of single and disinterested devotion to his country, and a statesman unexcelled for tact, prudence and practical competency. His domestic life is one of the precious sanctities of American senti- ment. "As an Executive, his administration has been a series of remarkable achievements. It has been attended by great mili- tary successes, by an abounding prosperity. " It has put out the last embers of sectional bitterness. It has been marked by appointments of high character and especial fitness to places of great trust. The tone of the public official, the efficienc}' of the civil service, the integrity and fidelity of all departments and branches of the executive government wcrt- never so high as to-day. "President McKinley leaves an unblemished record in public and private life. And a record not merely free from blemish, but bright with good deeds done, with great services rendered." CHAPTER XIX, Last Funeral Rites at Canton — Imposing Demonstrations — Scenes at the Church — President Roosevelt and Other Distinguished Mourners. WITH the going down of the sun, on September 19th, the body of William McKinle}^, late President of the United States, was committed to the tomb, in the presence of his suc- cessor in office, the chiefs of all departments of the Government, and a vast multitude of people, who filled the cemeter}^ and stood silently and with bared heads while the last words were spoken and the last honors were paid the martyred Chief Magistrate. The last scene of all closed with the booming of minute guns, varied by the quick, sharp report of the nineteen guns pre- scribed to salute the President, the touching music of the favorite hymn of the deceased, and finally by the bugle notes, reverberat- ing over the hills, as they sounded "taps" — the soldier's good- night. All was ended. The troops, who had marched to the tomb slowly, solemnl}-, with mournful music and drooping colors, were moved into column while the smoke of the guns still hung among the foliage like incense, and the bugle notes echoed and re-echoed across the fertile valle}^ of the Nimisilla, as if reluctant to depart. The words of command rang out in strange contrast with the suppressed tones that had so shortly directed the funeral move- ment, the bands struck up lively airs, the homeward march began Math quick step and swinging gait, the iron jaws of the vault were closed with a snap, and William McKinley was alone with the military watchers who will guard his remains for an indefinite period, and until a permanent resting place is selected. The sun sank below the horizon, and the shades of night were creeping over the last scene in the tragedy that formed the climax of the late President's life before the last of the funeral procession left the gates of the cemetery behind. 364 LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANIUN. 3ll6 The day opened witli lowering clonds that threatened to envelope the closing scene with a pall and delnge the vast niulti- tnde of sorrowing spectators. Fortnnately, as the sun gained ascension the clonds were dissipated ; the atmosphere, which had been damp and penetrating, became bright and cheering, bringing assurances of the best meteorological conditions and furnishiug cause for popular rejoicing and thanksgiving. All through the night and early morning, trains, loaded with pilgrims to Canton, rnmbled into the stations. Before the morn- ing was far advanced, the streets were packed with people of both sexes, all sizes and conditions, who moved in solid mass about the City Hall, passed in orderly procession throngh the vault-like chamber, with its mournful drapery and its oppressive funeral light, where the remains reposed in state and were exposed to view for the last time. IN THE LITTLE FRONT PARLOR. The McKinley residence divided with the City Hall the popular interest. The precions casket rested in the little front parlor, and, while none was admitted, all could pass in silence and gaze npon the house that held it, surronnded by armed men, whose measured step was the only sound that disturbed the pre- vailing quiet. Crossed palms, held by black and white ribbons, and fastened against the wall on the right of the door, were the onl}' ontward evidence of the deep grief that overwhelmed the household, and which weighed upon the bereaved widow of William McKinley. The procession was behind the time appointed in starting, the delay arising from the numerous organizations and large numbers of those who composed them. The escort was made up of the entire force of the State Guards, many commandrics of Knights Templar, Alasonic lodges and posts of the Grand Army, of which organizations the deceased was a member ; survivors of his old regiment, organizations from ever)- section of Ohio, and delegations from other States, including their Governors. The immediate family, together witli the United States 366 LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. officials in attendance, tlie President, tlie Cabinet, tlie general officers of the army, headed b}' the Lieutenant-General, who reached Canton in the evening ; the Rear Admirals of the navy, the soldiers and sailors who have faithfully guarded and borne the remains from place to place since leaving Buffalo; Senators of the United States and Representatives-elect, formed and fol- lowed in the same regulation order that was observed in the procession at Washington. The march was direct to the church in which the services were held. The building was filled to its utmost capacity, and sur- rounded on the outside by a vast multitude, which was held back by the militar}^ escort, formed in line to await the closing of the religious exercises and to make the last march to the cemetery with all the pomp and ceremou}^ befitting the occasion. Mrs. McKinley did not go to the church. She was desirous of follow- ing her beloved to the end, but was finall}'- prevailed upon to remain at home by her relatives and her physician. PROCESSION REACHES THE CHURCH. President Roosevelt and the members of the family were in position directly in front of the hearse as the representatives of a stricken nation and mourning people. The funeral procession reached the church about two o'clock. The doors were kept closed against general admission until the casket was in place and the relatives and official attendants were seated. The platform from which the regular church services are conducted was extended in order to accommodate the large number of clergymen of all denominations who requested the privilege of being present during the services. More than one hundred clergymen were thus accommodated, and formed a fitting background for the many floral contributions banked in front, and the sombre hangings that covered the walls and hung in festoons that were looped with broad white ribbons from the pillars and the great organ. The arm}' and nav\' officers constituting the special guard of honor, occupied the two front pev/r. on the right and left of the main aisle. The President at LAST FUNERAL KITES AT CANTON. .•UJ7 the head of the second pew on the right, the members of the Cabinet sitting with him and abonl him according to their rank in the order of snccession to the Presidency as established bv Congress to meet a possible, but happily, it is hoped, a remote contingenc}-. The services occupied nearly an hour and a half and were in every seu^e appropriate, their simplicitv adding to their impressiveuess. The music was ])y a quartette, two male and two female voices. There was no organ accompaniment to con- ceal the sweetness and tenderness of the voices, which filled the edifice, floating harmoniously across the groined ceiling and out to the auditorium and galler\' of an annex to the main building, and which is so constructed that it can be made part of it, as was the case to-da}-. A BEAUTIFUL EULOGY. The deliver}' of the eulog}' by Rev. Dr. Manchester, pastor, friend and neighbor of the late President, occupied thirty-five minutes, and was a most touching and beautiful tribute to the public services and personal worth of the deceased. The services closed with singing ''Nearer, my God, to Thee," b}- the quartette. When the benediction was pronounced the organ began in mur- muring tones Chopin's funeral march, which swelled into a volume of melod}^ as the congregation slowly moved from the church after the removal of the casket. Upon emerging from the church the remains were again received b}^ the troops with the prescribed honors, the column of march was resumed and passing between two lines of solid humanity that stretched from the church to West Lawn Cemetery, everj' constituent unit of which stood reverently and mournfully as the cortege passed, the\' were borne to the tomb. The following additional account of an eye-witness atfords a graphic picture of the solemn scene : "As the time approached for bearing the body of the dead President from the McKinlcy home to the church the little cottage on North Market street was the centre of a vast cou- 368 LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. course of people. Regiment after regiment of soldiers, acting as guards, were in triple lines from curbs back to the lawns. The walks had been cleared, and the multitude took refuge on the great sweep of lawns, where they formed a solid mass of human- ity, surging forward to the lines of soldiers. In front of the McKinley cottage were drawn up the two rigid files of body bearers — eight sailors of the navy and eight soldiers Df the army — awaiting the order to go within and take up the casket. "Just at I o'clock the black chargers of the Cleveland Troop swept down the street, their riders four abreast, in their brilliant Hussar uniforms, with flags bound in crepe, and every saber hilt bearing its fluttering emblem of mourning. Their coming was the signal for the approach of President Roosevelt and the mem- bers of the Cabinet. The Presidential party moved up the walk to the entrance of the house and formed in a group to the left. The President's face looked very grave, and he stood there silently, with uncovered head, awaiting the body of the dead chieftain. MEMBERS OF THE CABINET. " Beside him stood Secretary Gage, Secretary Root, Secretary Wilson and Secretar}'- Hitchcock, and just across iVttorney General Knox, Postmaster General Smith, Assistant Secretar}^ of State Hill, representing Secretary Hay, and Secretary Cortelyou. Extending further down the walk was the guard of honor, the ranking Generals of the army on the right and the chief figures of the navy on the left. " Lieuten ant-General Miles, in the full uniform of his high rank, with sword at side and band of crepe about his arm, stood alongside the members of the Cabinet, and with him vvere Major-General Brooke, Major-General Otis, Major-General Mac- Arthur and Brigadier-General Gillespie. Across from them were ranged Rear-Admiral Farquhar, representing Admiral Dewey, ranking head of the navy ; Rear-Admiral Crowninshield, Rear- Admiral O'Neil, Rear-Admiral Kenney and Brigadier-General Heywood, the latter Commander-in-Chief of the Marine Corps. LAST FUNKRAl. KITKS Al' CANTON. ;{(;H Just inside the gate stood the civilian Honorary Conrt, in double line, including Governor Nash, of Ohio ; Governor Caldwell, Judge Williams, of the Ohio Supreme Court ; Henry B. Mac- Farland, President of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia ; Mayor Diehl, of Buffalo , Judge Da}', the lifelong friend of the President ; Mr. Milburn, at whose house he died, and others in civil life near and dear to the dead chief. " As the Presidential party came up, the black chargers of Troop A swuiig into battalion front facing the house, and the long line of flashing sabres advanced to salute. "Now the deep-toned wail of the church bells began, and every steeple in Canton gave forth its dolorous plaint. It was 1. 15 o'clock, and the time had come for taking up the bod}^ A brief private service had been held within the darkened chamber, Dr. Manchester saying a prayer while the relatives gathered around, and Mrs. McKinley listened from the half open door of her adjoining room. The double file of body-bearers now stepped into the room, and, raising their flag-wrapped casket to their shoulders, bore it through the open entrance. MAJESTIC IN ITS SILENCE. " A solemn hush fell upon the multitude as the bearers advanced with measured tread. Not a bugle blast went up ; not a strain of the h3'nins the dead ruler had loved so well. The scene was majestic in its silence. As the casket was borne along, above the line of heads could be seen enfolding Stars and Stripes, and on top great masses of white roses and delicate lavender orchids. Tenderly the cofiin was committed to the hearse, and the silence was broken as the order to march passed from officer to officer. "The great proces.sion now took up its mournful journe\', passing under the sweep of giant arches robed in black, between two living tides of humanit}- massed along the streets, covering housetops and filling windows. The church bells still were tolling, mingling their dismal tones with the cadence of the funeral dirge. Preceding the funeral car and formini;' the first 24 370 LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. division rode General Torrance, National Commander, G. A. R., with a long line of grizzled veterans. " After them moved the National Guard of the State of Ohio, platoon after platoon, nnder command of General Charles A. Dick. Then came the solemn funeral cortege, the late Presi- dent's favorite command, Troop A, riding ahead. At the head of each of the coal black horses drawing the hearse marched a soldier. The heads of the horses bore tall, black plumes, and over them were thrown long palls of black. MILITARY AND NAVAL GUARDS. " At either side of the hearse marched the guard of military and naval honor, the generals on the right, led by General Miles, and the admirals on the left, led by Admiral Farquhar. Then came the long line of carriages for the relatives and friends, and after them the innumerable military and civic organizations that had assembled to pay this last honor to the fallen chief. In the line were division after division of Knights Templar, Knights of Pythias, Free Masons, Odd Fellows and representatives of benefi- cial orders, chambers of commerce, as well as delegations of citi- zens from cities and towns throughout the State and country. " It was 1.50 o'clock when the procession passed the Court House and turned into Tnscarawas street to the stately stone edifice where the funeral service was to be held. At the church entrance were drawn up deep files of soldiers, with ba3^onets advanced, keeping a clear area for the advancing casket and the long train of mourners. The hearse halted, while President Roosevelt and members of the Cabinet alighted. Again they grouped themselves at either side of the entrance, and, with uncovered heads, awaited the passing of the casket. Then the flower covered coffin was brought from the hearse, and, as it passed within the black draped entrance, the President and his Cabinet followed within the edfice. The mourners, too, passed inside of the edifice, but the stricken widow was not among them. She had remained behind in the old home, alone with her grief." The scene within the church when the casket was carried in LAST FUXKKAL RITKS AT CANTON. 37I on the brawny shoulders of the soldiers and sailors was profoundh^ impressive. A black border, twenty feet high, relieved at intervals by narrow white bands, frilling to the floor, swept completely around the interior. Only the gilt organ pipes, back of the pulpit, rose above it. The vestibules on either side of the chancel lead- ing into the church were black tunnels, the stained glass win- dows on cither side were framed in black and the balcony of the Snndaj'-school to the rear, thrown open into the church by large sliding doors, was shrouded in the same sombre colors. Graceful black streamers festooned along the arches of the nave formed a black canopy above the chancel. From this directly above the low flag-covered catafalque, on which the casket was to rest, hung a beautiful silk banner, its blood-red and snow-white folds tied midway with a band of crepe. FLORAL BEAUTIES. But it was the floral display at the front of the church which filled the whole edifice with glory. The centre of it all was a great wreath of American Beauties, framing a black-bordered por- trait of President McKinley. From it, extending outward and upward, was a perfect wealth of gorgeous blossoms. The effect was as if a great rushing wave of color had broken into flowers at the foot of the bier. They extended up even to the organ pipes, against which lay four wreaths, three broken as if to represent the quarters of the moon. It was exquisite. Words melt away powerless before the tender beauty. Purple and green were the dominant notes— orchids, violets, palms and evergreens against the sombre background. There were man}- handsome pieces. Against the walls on either side were floral flags, and upon the pulpit rested an urn in white car- nations, broken at the base to represent the water flowing from it. At either side of this urn were the cross of the Knights Templar and the crown of the Knights of Pythias, while to the east was the square and compass of Masonry. Almost directly above the support for the coffin a sunburst 372 LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. of lights glittered like brilliant stars in a black sky. The light from without came dimly through the stained glass windows. Under the quivering folds of the starry banner, with the lights shedding their effulgence from above, the fragrance of the flowers hovering all about, and the music of Beethoven's Grand Funeral March pulsing from the organ, the body bearers gently lowered the flag-draped and flower-adorned cof&n to its support. The members of the Loyal Legion, Governor Nash, Governor McMillin, of Tennessee, and Governor Longino, of Mississipi, each with his full uniformed staff, had already entered the church from the west entrance, and had filled up the most westerly of the sections of pews. MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE. The members of the Senate and the House of Repre- sentatives had preceded the cofiin through the door at the side of the chancel through which it entered. They were ushered in as at all State ceremonies by the Sergeant-at-Arms of each body. Senators Allison, of Iowa, and Bate, of Tennessee, headed the Senatorial representation, of which there were about forty, and Speaker Henderson and Representative Dalzell that of the House, of which more than half of the membership must have been present. The Congressional party filled up the entire east section of pews and the rear half of the two central sections. The local clergymen occupied the seats below the organ, usually occupied by the choir. All had risen as the coflin was borne in. f The generals and admirals of the arni}^ and nav}^, who com- prised the guard of honor, in their resplendent uniforms, followed the body and occupied the first pew on either side of the centre aisle. President Roosevelt and the Cabinet came slowly after. All were in black and wore black gloves. The President took his place immediately behind Lieutenant-General Miles, next the centre aisle in the second pew to the eastward. So close was he to the coflin he could almost have leaned over and touched it. The fourth pew from the front, that always occupied by President LAST FUNERAL KITl.S AT CANTON. 373 McKinley, was draped in 1)lack, and remained vacant. After the.se had been seated, the door leading into the Snnday-scliool was opened, and the seats arranged below, as well as those in the balcony, were soon filled with the representatives of varions I organizations and the fellow townsmen of the martyred President. Conspicuous among these were the survivors of the Twenty- third Ohio, President IMcKinlej^'s old regiment, who brought into the church the tattered battle flags the regiment had carried throughout the Civil War. It was after 2 o'clock when the quartette arose and lifted up i their voices with the touching words of '' Beautiful Isle of Some- where." When the sound of the last line had died away. Rev. O. B. Milligan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, in which President and Mrs. IMcKinley were married thirt}- years ago, ; off"ered a fervent praver. Every head within the church bent in solemn reverence as the invocation went up. PASSAGES FROM THE BIBLE. Dr. John A. Hall, pastor of the Trinity Lutheran Church, then read from the Bible the beautiful 19th Psalm, and Rev. E. P. Herburck verses 41 to 58 of the twenty-fifth chapter of i Cor- inthians. With great feeling he read the inspiring words telling of the m3'stery that all would not sleep, but all be changed. The quartette then sang Cardinal Newman's grand hymn, the beautiful words floating through all the church, " Lead, kindly light, amid the encircling gloom." Dr. C. E. Manchester then delivered an address, which lasted twenty-four minutes, on the life of the late President and the lessons taught by his noble character and death. Bishop I. W. Joyce, of Minneapolis, followed with a brief praver, and the services were concluded with the singing of the hymn which President McKinley repeated on his deathbed, " Nearer, My God, to Thee ; Nearer to Thee." The entire con- gregation arose and joined in the last stanza. Father X^altman, of Chicago, chaplain of the Twenty-ninth Infi\ntry, pronounced the benediction. Then the notes of the organ again arose. The 374 LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. coffin was taken up and borne from the church. The relatives and those in official life, went out in the order the}^ had entered. It was sliortl}^ after three o'clock when the silent and anxious throngs outside the church saw the solemn pageant reappear through the church doors. First came the guard 'of military and naval honor, the generals and admirals, forming in double line leading from the entrance to the waiting hearse. Again the flag-draped casket with its wealth of flowers, appeared, and was committed to the hearse. The President and members of the Cabinet followed, arm in arm, and stepped into the waiting car- riages. The relatives entered carriages next. Then the squad- ron of troopers broke from their battalion front and, wheeling into platoons, took up the march to the grave. SORROWFUL FACES EVERYWHERE. In the long line of carriages were United States Senators and members of the House of Representatives from ever}^ section of the country^ Justices of the United States Supreme Court, the ranking heads of the army and navy, governors of States and mayors of cities, and the dead President's fellow townsmen. Out Tuscarawas street the long procession moved through a section of the city where the sound of the dirge had not before been heard. But it presented the same sorrow-stricken aspect that had been observed in the heart of the city. Funeral arches spanned the street, some of them, it is understood, having been erected by school children. The houses were hung with black and even the stately elms along the way had their trunks enshrouded in black and white dvaipevy. Rev. O. B. Milligan, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Canton, delivered the invocation, which was as follows : " O God, our God, our nation's God, Thou God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Mercies and God of all comfort we have entered the courts of Thy house to-day with bowed and burdened hearts. In Thy inscrutable providence Thou hast permitted this great calamity to come upon us. Truly 'Thy ways are in the deep, and Thy paths in the mighty waters.' We LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. 876 bow in meekness before this exhibition of Thy sovereignt}-, and own Thy right to do as Thou wilt in tlie armies of heaven and amongst the sons of men. But blessed be Th}' name; Thy sovereignty over us is the sovereignty of love. "Thou art our Father, and 'like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.' Thou hast so revealed Thyself to us in Thy Word, but especially in Jesus Christ, who was the brightness of Thy glor}^ and the express image of Th}- person. Therefore, O Lord, we can the more cheer- fully submit to the doings of Thy hand and heart. "We can say with him whom we so depl}' mourn, 'This is God's wav; His will, not ours, be done.' and, whilst we cannot understand Thy gracious purposes in this dispensation, help us, Lord, to wait in patient confidence, assured that Thou, who art Thine own interpreter, will reveal Thy thoughts of peace and purposes of mere}' in this great mj-ster}-. In this spirit help us to accept this providence and still to trust Thee. CAUSES FOR THANKSGIVING. " We thank Thee, O Lord, for this life which has been taken so rudely from us. We thank Thee for Thy servant's endow- ments and achievements. We thank Thee for the evidences that he was chosen, of Thee, for great purposes in this world, and for the splendid way in which, by Thy grace, these purposes were wrought out in his life. Adorned by Thee, we thank Thee for what he was in himself, in his home, in society, in Church and State and national relations. We bless Thee for the inspiration of his example, and we rejoice that, though dead, his influence for good will ever live among us. Blessed be Thy Name, in the temple of American honor another is written among the immortals. Help us all, O Lord, to see in his life the divine possibilities of life, and to strive for a like fidelit}'- as we go forward to meet life's appointments. "Vouchsafe, we pray Thee, all needful blessings to our nation in this season of sore bereavement. Thou knowest, O God, how this blow has struck every heart, how this sorrow 376 LAST FUNERAL KITES AT CANTON. pierces every soul. Tbe nation is dotted with sackclotli and bowed with grief. Our land is full of mourning, our hearts are heavy with. an inexpressible and almost unendurable sorrow. "Surel}^ Thou hast stricken us in Th}- sore displeasure, for Thou dost not aiflict willingl}^ ; Thou dost not delight in punish- ment. O, that Thou wouldst help us to search our hearts to seek vuit even the hidden depths and springs of wickedness, to rid us of the evil, that the abundant favor of our God may be returned to us, and that the sublime things we hope for, in our nation's future, may be realized. And until we have discovered the evil and rooted it out, let not Thy goodness depart from us. " In afflicting, O Lord, be merciful. Remember not our sins against us and visit us in the plentitude of Thy grace. PRAYER FOR THE NEW PRESIDENT. "Vouchsafe, we pray Thee, the fullness of Th}^ grace to Thy servant, who has so unexpectedly been inducted into the solemn responsibilities of the office of Chief Magistrate. Ma}^ he be endowed with all needed gifts to administer the Government to the glory and the welfare of this great people. Give him Thy protection from secret foes and unworthy friends. Fill his heart with Thy fear and give him the confidence and love of the nation. "And now, O Lord, trustfully do we commit to Thy infinite, tender and gracious care, she who has been most bitterly bereaved. Tender as are our hearts toward her in this sad hour ; passing tender as was her husband's heart toward her, as together the}^ passed through all the scenes of joy and sorrow which Avere iappointed them in life, may the heart of God be more tender still. Bind her round with the sufficient consolations of Thy presence and grace ; and, as b}^ faith, she leans upon the unseen arm of the Infinite, may she ever find Thee a present help in time of need. "Sanctify this dispensation to us all. May we hear it in the voice of the Eternal, crying, 'AH flesh is grass, and all the godli- ness thereof as the flower of the field. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our God will stand forever.' Help LAST FUNERAL KITES AT CANTON. 377 US that \vc may cliliociuly improve this providence to our growth ill grace, and in the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. By Thy grace, dear Lord, prepare us all for life's duties and trials, of the solemnities of death and for a blessed immortality. These, and every other needed blessing, we plead for in the name of Him who taught us to pray : '"Our Father, which art in heaven. Hallowed by Thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Andlead us not into temp- tation, but deliver us from evil, and Thine to be the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.'" TOUCHING ADDRESS BY McKINLEY'S PASTOR. The address of Rev. C. E. ^Manchester, President McKinley's pastor, was as follows : "Our President is dead. The silver cord is loosed, the golden bow is broken, the pitcher is broken at the fountain, the wheel broken at the cistern. The mourners go about the streets. One voice is heard — a wail of sorrow from all the land, for ' The beaut}' of Israel is slain upon thy high places. How are the mighty fallen ? I am distressed for thee, my brother. Very pleasant hast thou been unto me.' '' Our President is dead. "We can hardly believe it. We had hoped and prayed, and it seemed that our hopes were to be realized and our praj-ers answered, \yhen the emotion of joy was changed to one of grave apprehension. Still we waited, for we said, ' It may be that God will be gracious and merciful unto us.' It seemed to us that it must be His will to spare the life of one so well beloved and so much needed. Thus, alternating between hope and fear, the weary hours passed on. "Then came the tidings of defeated sciences, of the failure of love and prayer to hold its object to the earth. We seemed to hear the faintly muttered words, ' Good-bye, all ; good-bye. It's God's will. His will be done,' and then ' Nearer, My God, to 878 LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. Thee.' So, nestling nearer to his God, he passed out into uncon- sciousness, skirted the dark shores of the sea of death for a time, and then passed on to be at rest. His great heart had ceased to beat. " 'Our hearts are heavy with sorrow A voice is heard on earth of kinsfolk weeping The loss of one they love ; But he has gone where the redeemed are keeping A festival above. " 'The mourners throng the ways, and from the steeple The funeral bells toll slow ; But on the golden streets the holy people Are passing to and fro. And saying as they meet, " Rejoice," * Another long waited for is come. The Saviour's heart is glad, a younger brother Has reached the Father's home.' THE WORLD HAS LOST A MAN. " The cause of this universal mourning is to be found in the man himself The inspired penman's picture of Jonathan, liken- ing him unto the ' beaut}- of Israel,' could not be more appropri- ately emploj-ed than in chanting the lament over our fallen chief- tain. It does no violence to human speech, nor is it fulsome eulog}^ to speak thus of him, for who that has seen his stately bearing, his grace and manliness of demeanor, his kindliness of aspect, but gives assent from this description of him ? Was it characteristic of our beloved President that men met him onl}^ to love him ? " They might indeed differ with him, but in the presence of such dignity of character and grace of manner none could fail to love the man. The people confided in him, believed in him. It was said of Lincoln that probabl}^ no man since the days of Wash- ington was ever so deeply imbedded and enshrined in the hearts of the people, but it is true of McKinley in a larger sense. Indus- trial and social conditions are such that he was even more than his predecessors the friend of the whole people. LAST rUNERNL RITES AT CANTON. 379 *' A touching scene was enacted in this church on vSunday night. The services had closed. The worshipers were gone to their homes. Only a few lingered to discuss the sad event that brings us together to-day. Three men in working garb of a foreign race and unfamiliar tongue entered the room. They approached the altar, kneeling before it and before his picture. Their lips moved as if in pra3'er, while tears furrowed their cheeks. They may have been thinking of their own King Humbert, and of his untimely death. Their emotion was eloquent, eloquent be3'ond speech, and it bore testimony to their appreciation of manly friendship and honest worth. " It is a glorious thing to be able to say in this presence, with our illustrious dead before us, that he never betrayed the con- fidence of his countrj-men. Not for personal gain or pre-eminence would he mar the beauty of his soul. He kept it clean and white before God and man, and his hands were unsullied by bribes. A MAN OF SINGLE AIM. " His eyes looked right on, and his eyelids looked straight before him. He was sincere, plain and honest, just, benevolent and kind. He never disappointed those who believed in him, but measured up to every duty, and met every responsibility in life grandly and unflinchingh-. " Not only was our President brave, heroic and honest ; he was C.S gallant a knight as ever rode the lists for his lady lover in the days when knighthood was in flower. It is but a few weeks since the nation looked on with tear dimmed eyes as it saw with what tender conjugal devotion he sat at the bedside of his beloved wife, when all feared that a fatal illness was upon her. No public clamor that he might show himself to the populace, no demand of social function was sufficient to draw the lover from the bedside of his wife. He watched and waited while we all prayed — and she lived. '' This sweet and tender story all the world knows, and the world knows that his whole life had run in this one groove of love. It was a strong arm that she leaned upon, and it never failed her. 380 LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. Her smile was more to him than the plaudits of the multitude, and for her greeting his acknowledgments of them must wait. After receiving the fatal wound, his first thought was that the terrible news might be broken gently to her. Ma}' God in this deep hour of sorrow comfort her. Ma}^ his grace be greater than her anguish. May the widows' God be her God. " Another beaut}- in the character of our President, that was a chaplet of grace about his neck, was that he was a Christian. In the broadest, noblest sense of the word, that was true. His confidence in God was strong and unwavering. It held him stead}^ in many a storm where others were driven before the wind and tossed. Pie believed in the Fatherhood of God and in His sovereignty. His faith in the Gospel of Christ was deep and abiding. He had no patience with any other theme of pulpit discourse. ' Christ and Him crucified' was, to his mind, the only panacea for the world's disorders. He believed it to be a supreme dut}' of the Christian minister to preach the word. He said : ' We do not look for great business men in the pulpit, but for great preachers.' WANTED HIM TO BE A MM^ISTER. " It is well known that his godl}^ mother had hoped for him that he would become a minister of the Gospel, and that she believed it to be the highest vocation in life. It was not, how- ever, his mother's faith that made him a Christian. He had gained in early life a personal knowledge of Jesus, which guided him in the performance of greater duties and vaster responsibili- ties than have been the lot of au}^ other American President. He said at one time, while bearing heavy burdens, that he had not dis- charged the daily duties of his life but for the fact that he had faith in God. " William McKinley believed in prayer, in the beauty of it, in the potency of it. Its language was not unfamiliar to him, and his public addresses not infrequentl}- evince the fact. ''It was perfectly consistent with his lifelong convictions and his personal experiences that he should say as the first critical moment after the assassination approached ' Thy Kingdom come ; LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTOM. 381 Thy will be done ;' and that he should declare at the last, ' It is God's will ; His will be done.' He lived grandly ; it was fitting that he should die grandly. And now that the majesty of death has touched and claimed him, we find that in his supreme moment he was still a couqucnn-. " My friends and countrymen, \vith what language shall I attempt to give expression to the deep horror of our souls as I speak of the cause of his death ? When we consider the magni- tude of the crime that has plunged the country and the world into unutterable grief, we are not surprised that one nationality after another has hastened to repudiate the dreadful act. This gentle spirit, who hated no one, to whom every man was a brother, was suddenly smitten by the cruel hand of an assassin, and that, too, while in the very act of extending a kind and generous greeting to one who approached him under the sacred guise of friendship. THE CRIME A MYSTERY. " Could the assailant have realized how awful was the act he was about to perform, how utterly heartless the deed, methinks he would have stayed his hand at the very threshold of it. In all the coming j-ears men will seek in vain to fathom the enormity of that crime. Had this man who fell been a despot, a tryant, an oppressor, an insane frenz}- to rid the world of him might have sought excuse, but it was the people's friend who fell when Will- iam McKiuley received the fatal wound. '' Himself a son of toil, his sympathies were with the toiler. No one who has seen the matchless grace and perfect ease with which he greeted such, can ever doubt that his heart was in his open hand. Every heart throbs for his countrymen. That his life should be sacrificed at such a time, just wlien there was abundant peace, when all the Americas were rejoicing together, is one of the inscrutable mysteries of Providence. Like many others it must be left for future revelations to explain. " In the midst of our sorrow we have much to console us. He lived to see his nation greater than ever before. All sectional lines are blotted out. There is no South, uo North, no Hast, uo 382 LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. ^ West. WashingtcHi saw the beginning of our national life. Lin- coln passed through the night of our histor}^ and saw the dawn. McKinley beheld his country in the splendor of its noon. Truly he died in the fulness of his fame. With Paul he could say, and with equal truthfulness, 'I am now ready to be offered.' The work assigned him had been well done. The nation was at peace. We had fairly entered upon an era of unparalleled prosperity. Our revenues were generous. Our standing among the nations was secure. "Our President was safely enshrined in the affections of a united people. It was not at him that the fatal shot was fired, but at the very life of the Government. His offering was vicarious. It was blood poured upon the altar of human liberty. In view of these things we are not surprised to hear, from one who was present when this great soul passed away, that he never before saw a death so peaceful, or a dying man so crowned with grandeur. LESSONS OF THE TRAGEDY. " Let us turn now to a brief consideration of some of the les- sons that we are to learn from this sad event. "The first one that will occur to us all is the old, old lesson, that — 'in the midst of life we are in death.' * Man goeth forth to his work and to his labor until the evening.' " Our President went forth in the fulness of his strength, in his manly beauty, and was suddenly smitten by the hand that brought death with it. None of us can tell what a day may bring forth. Let us, therefore, remember that 'no man liveth to him- self, and none of us dieth to himself.' May each day's close see each day's duty done. "Another great lesson that we should heed is the vanity of mere eaithly greatness. In the presence of the Dread Messenger how small are all the trappings of wealth and distinctions of rank and power. I beseech you, seek Him, who said : ' I am the resurrection and the life ; he that beHeveth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live ; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.' There is but one Saviour for the sin-sick LAST FUNERAL RITKS AT CANTON. 3H.1 and the weary. I entreat you, find Him as our brother found Him. " But our last words must be spoken. Little more than four years ago we bade him good-bye as he went to assume the great responsibilities to which the nation had called him. His last words as he left us were : ' Nothing could give me greater pleasure than this farewell greeting — this evidence of your friendship and sympath}^, your good will, and, I am sure, the praj-ers of all the people with whom I have lived so long and whose confidence and esteem are dearer to me than any other earthly honors. To all of us the future is as a sealed book ; but if I can, by official act I or administration or utterance, in any degree add to the pros- perit}' and unity of our beloved countrj', and the advancement and well being of our splendid citizenship, I will devote the best and most unselfish efforts of my life to that end. With this thought uppermost in my mind, I reluctantly take leave of ni}^ friends and neighbors, cherishing in my heart the sweetest mem- ories and thoughts of my old home — my home now — and, I trust, my home hereafter, so long as I live.' SLEEPS IN THE CITY HE LOVED. "We hoped with him that, when his work was done, freed from the burdens of his great office, crowned with the affections of a happy people, he might be permitted to close his earthly life in the home he had loved. " He has, indeed, returned to us, but how ? Borne to the strains of ' Nearer, My God, to Thee,' and placed where he first began life's struggle, that the people might look and weep at so sad a home coming. "But it was a triumphal march. How vast the procession ! The nation rose and stood with uncovered head. The people of the land are chief mourners. Tlie nations of the earth weep with them. But oh, what a victor}- ! I do not ask you in the heat of public address, but in the calm moments of mature reflection, what other man ever had such high honors bestowed upon him, and by so man}' people ? What pageant had equalled '^his that 384 LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. we look upon to-day ? We gave liim to the nation but a little more than four years ago. He went out with the light of the morning upon his brow, but with his task set and the purpose to j complete. We take him back a mighty conqueror ! " ' The churchyard, where his children rest, The quiet spot that suits him best, There shall his grave be made, And there his bones be laid. And there his countrymen shall come, With memory proud, with pity dumb. And strangers, far and near, For many and many a year, For many and many an age. While history on her ample page The virtues shall enroll Of that paternal soul.' " LAID TO REST. It was exactl}^ four minutes after four when the funeral car bore the remains of the dead President through the gateway of his last resting place. Twenty minutes after that time the brief services at the vault were over, the members of the family and the distinguished men of the nation who had come so far to do him honor had passed through the gates on their homeward way. One hour and forty minutes after the hearse had entered the cemetery the place was clear and the dead President was resting alone under the watchful care of the men of the regular army. A sentry's measured tread resounded from the cement walk before the vault, another kept vigil on the grassy slope above, and at the head and at the foot of the casket stood armed men. Before the door, which was not closed tight, was pitched the tent of the guard, and there it will remain until the doors are closed to-morrow. Sentries will then guard the vault every hour of the day and night until the body has been borne to its final resting place. For nearly an hour before the head of the funeral procession arrived at the gate of the cemeter}- the strains of the dirges LAST FUNERAL KITES AT CANTON. 3ft5 plaj'ed by the bauds came over the hilltops to the watchers by the vault, telliug them that the processiou was ou its way. Fiuall}', at 3.30 o'clock, the detachmeut of mouuted police head- iug the parade came slowly arouud the corner of Lincoln street and passed up West Third street to the cemetery gates. Behind them came the Grand Army band of Canton, the solemn notes of " Nearer, Aly God, to Thee," welling out as it came up the drive- way. THE GRAND ARMY POSTS. A moment after entering the cemetery the music was changed to Chopin's Funeral Interlude, and it was to the sound of this that the band passed out and on to Kentucky avenue at the south side of the enclosure. Behind the band came the Grand Army posts, fully 500 of the veterans marching by. As the}' passed along the flower strewn path many of them were weeping bitterh', and they stooped by dozens to gather the blossoms which la}^ at their feet, and carried them away as memen- toes. The sweet pea blossoms that were scattered along the road were the offering of the school children of Nashville, Tenn., and no tribute of love that was seen during the funeral exercises more amply fulfilled its mission or more completely carried its message of affection. After the veterans came, in well set ranks, with rifles at "arras port," the men of the Sixth Ohio Infantry, of the National Guard, the Engineer Corps of the National Guard from Cleve- land, and the comrades of the late President in the ranks of the Twenty-third Ohio Volunteers during the Civil War. Then came a long line of carriages bearing the members of the family and the distinguished visitors. From the first carriage that stopped at the foot of the walk leading up to the vault. Presi- dent Roosevelt and Commander Cowles of the nav}' alighted. Without waiting for those in the second carriage, which contained Secretaries Root and Gage and Attorne3'-General Knox, the Presi- dent walked slowly toward the vault and took a position on the south side of the walk close to the door. As Secretary Root came up the walk he assumed a similar position on the north side of the walk 25 * 386 LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. and the other members of the Cabinet ranged themselves by the side of the President and Secretary of War. With bared heads the President and members of the Cabinet, who were followed by the officers of the army "2nd nav}^ stood on either side of the walk, the lines reaching just to the edge of the ro'ddway. Within a minute after the formation of the lines the funeral car came up the walk. The casket was gently lifted from the hearse and borne to the door of the vault, where it was rested upon the catafalque. It was carried by the same men of the army and navy who had carried it ever since it left Buffalo. Before them as it came up the the path walked Colonel Bingham, who had been aide to President McKinley. At its head on the right walked Lieutenant Hamlin of the army, and in a corresponding position on the left Lieutenant Eberle of the navy. Just as the bearers lowered it to the cata- falque, Abner McKinley and Mrs. Barber alighted from their carriage, and stood at the foot of the line of ofi&cers. They remained here for a few seconds and then passed up to the foot of the casket, where they remained during the brief services. BURIAL SERVICE. There was a moment's pause as Colonel Bingham looked to see that all was in readiness. He then looked toward Bishop Joyce, of Minneapolis, who read the burial service of the Methodist Church, slowly, but in a voice that could be heard distinctly by all who were grouped around the vault. Instantly from eight bugles rang out the notes of the soldier's last call — ''Taps." It was beautifully done, and the last notes of the bugles died awaj^ so softly that all who heard it remained listening for a few seconds to hear if it was really ended. When the last note had floated away Secretarj- Wilson was in tears, Secretarj- Hitchcock was also weeping, and the President was gazing griml}' at the walk. It was the last moment for the men who had been so closel}' associated with the President for so long, and the thought seemed greater than most of them could bear. LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. 387 It was all ended at last, and Captain Biddle, of Company C, of the Fourteenth Infantry, who will command the guard which is to be placed around the vault, stepped up to a line of five sol- diers, which he had posted just north of the doorway, and who, throughout the ceremony, had stood at present arms as rigid as though carved out of iron. One of them passed quickly into the vault, taking station at the head of the casket, another placed himself at the foot, and three men stood in the doorway, two on the lower step and the third on the floor of the vault, directly behind them. There they remained until after the passage of the funeral procession. A graceful tribute from the pen of Maud McDougal follows : " No need to ask the way from the McKinley home to West- lawn Cemetery to-day. The veriest stranger could have found it. It led between two black banks of people, fringed with the blue and khaki of the National Guard of Ohio. The sorrowful journey was only once broken, and then at the church where he held his faith. LISTENED WITH BARED HEADS. " And the people without, the people who had loved him, crowded close, some of them inside the church, more on the steps and far out into the street, listening w4th bared heads and bated breath to the beliefs on which had been built so fine a life and so noble a death. Then once more the march of death was taken up to music, which now wailed of the woe of the people bereft, and again told in almost triumphant solemnity of a rest well earned. "Familiar hymn tunes acquired a new, if sombre, sweetness as they marked the rise and fall of the steps of those who accom- panied the city's hero but a little way on his journey. And the booming of the ' Dead March,' and the haunting sweetness of Chopin's Funeral March will ring in Canton's ears for man\^ a day to come. To the sorrowing multitudes who knew that he was theirs for but a few minutes longer at best, the final passing of William McKinley from their lives, but not from their hearts, seemed to accomplish itself between the beats of a pulse. " To the few who were admitted to the cemetery and had 388 LAST FUNERAL RiTES AT CANTON. stood for perhaps one hour, perhaps two, tense with expectation, it seemed an age from the time that the majestic distant notes of the great ' Dead March ' were first heard to the moment when the shrill, sweet notes of ' Flee As a Bird ' heralded the approach of the funeral party. It was the second division of the procession, however, in which interest centred. It was for it that all the other divisions were organized. And it, in its turn, was organized purely as an escort to a black-draped hearse, and to do honor to the still figure that lay under the flag for which it had offered its life to defend, its brain and best energy ""to glorify and in the services of which it had met death gloriously and ungrudgingl3\ "The formation of the procession was as follows : Troop A, in all the bravery of its glittering uniform, swept up the circle and ranged itself under the trees to the right. After it, in pitiable contrast, came the 'President's Regiment,' or what was left of it, the regiment he fought with and endured with and won honor with through the Civil War. NO POMP OR PAGEANTRY. " No arrogance of black and gold and red here, no pride of prancing hoofs — only thirty men, poor, many of them, and stricken in years ; men who had called McKinley ' Major ' when they did not call him comrade, faltering in broken line, stopping one after another to pick up as precious souvenirs the flowers that the school children of Nashville had sent to strew the last stage of the President's journey, which lay between the wide gates of the cemetery and the narrow gates of the receiving vault. "Then. came another contrast, bewilderingly different in its nature, as President Roosevelt, the members of the Cabinet, Min- isters from other lands and the officiating clergymen were driven up and alighted, a sorrow-stricken group, waiting to receive the mighty dead. It was an impressive sight as the hearse drew up. The whole side of the slope under which the receiving vault is built was buried in a mass of bloom, sent to show the sympathy of the whole world — of far Australia, of Canada, of Brazil and Chile, of Continental Europe and Central America — with a nation's loss. LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. 389 *' The twelve stalwart bearers, representing all branches of both army and navy, who had all through the sad journey lifted their loved burden lovingly and borne it tenderl}^ took the weight on their broad shoulders for almost the last time, and the admi- rals and commanding officers of both branches of the service lined themselves upon either side of the flag-draped, flower-cov- ered casket. " In long double lines from the entrance to the vault to the edge of the driveway these dignitaries ranged, their heads rever- ently bared, in order of their rank, from Roosevelt and Gage down to the military and naval men. At their head, the black entrance to the vault j-awning behind him, the flag-draped bier within show- ing but dimly, stood venerable Bishop Joyce waiting. BUGLERS SOUNDED "TAPS." " Bearing their loved burden high above all these honored heads, while a squad of buglers from the Canton G. A. R. band sounded taps, the soldiers and sailors advanced slowly to lay it at the churchman's feet. Solemnly the words of the Methodist service rang out that all might hear: " 'I heard a voice from heaven sslj, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.' "And for the last time the boys in blue lifted the weight of a nation's woe to their stalwart shoulders and, the good Bishop leading them in, bore it from the light of day to the gray gloom of the tomb. With streaming eyes, they who had been the Presi- dent's family, official and unofficial, watched it pass into the shadow. With heavy hearts they acquiesced in the posting of the guard, three men at the entrance to the tomb and one at the head, one at the foot of the bier, which seemed to shut them who loved and shared his life out from him as effectually as it did the veriest stranger. "Then, since on the isolation of death even they must not intrude, they turned sadly away. Following them came Senators and Representatives, the great majority of the people's representa- tives at Washington, each, as he passed the guarded doorway. 390 LAST FUNERAL RITES AT CANTON. reverently uncovering. After them walked the federal employes of four great cities. It must have been nearly 7 o'clock when the last of these filed past the door of the open tomb, when the last head was bared, and the last tear-dimmed eyes that sought out the vague shape of the bier in the shadow behind the impas- sive guard." CHAPTER XX. Magnificent Tributes to Mr. McKinley — Eloquent Eulogies from Celebrities — Grief and Indignation — The President's Virtues and Character Extolled. LJON. WAYNE MacVEAGH, who was Attorney-General in ^ ^ President Garfield's Cabinet, said at a great memorial meeting in Philadelphia : " I am quite incapable of making j'-ou any formal addresss to-night. Others will discharge th^t dutj^, and I am here simply as one of you, to stand side by side with you in this expression of our share in the universal sorrow which binds the nation together North and South and East and West as a united people, mourn- ing for their chosen leader, who has been so suddenl}- and so cruell}' taken from them. "It has happened to me to know intimately and well each of ourmart3'red Presidents. It is thirtj'-six 3'ears since, in obedience to the request of President Lincoln, I reached Washington in the dim gray of an April morning to find that he was dead. It is just twenty 3'ears ago to-night since I sat b}- President Garfield as he died. It is only twelve days ago that all the jo}' of reaching home was changed into unutterable grief and pain by learning that President ]\IcKinley had been shot ; and now he also is hidden from us in the grave. " It was eminentl}^ fitting that this great and noble cit}^ should arra}'- herself in the habiliments of mourning and give this solemn and impressive celebration of the feelings of her citizens at the appalling calamity which has befallen us. With the Ma3'or in the chair, surrounded b3' this vast concourse of her representative citizens of all parties and denominations and of every walk in life, with solemn music, and with the presence of the reverend clergy, Philadelphia attests her grief in a manner worth3' of her and worthy of the affection felt for her b3' the beloved President whose loss she mourns ; for he was in the habit 391 392 MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. of frequently expressing his great regard for our city, feeling, as he once said to me, when he was here, as if he was at home. " What is to be said in the way of eulogy must be said by others. I do not feel equal to it, but some things all men know. He was a brave and faithful soldier in as righteous a war as was ever waged. As Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means he was necessarily influential while framing tariffs in assisting others toward the making of great fortunes ; but whatever he did was done because he believed it to be for the general welfare ; and no suspicion ever existed, not only of improper gain, but not even improper motive on his part. TOO GOOD TO BE GREEDY. " Like Lincoln and Garfield, he was too good an American to care to be rich. As a husband, he has left us a measure of duty in self-denial to which few of us can hope to attain. A professed believer in the Christian religion, he lived more nearly in obe- dience to its requirements, and was more fully imbued with the spirit of the Master than is often found in this practical and metallic age. Indeed, there need be no better test of his true Christian spirit than that his only reported allusion to his mur- derer was an entreaty in his behalf, and his last words assuredly were suggested by the words of our Lord on the Mount of Olives: 'God's will, not ours, be done.' " Yes, we have lost three noble President's by the assassin's hands, and all the assasins were native-bom Americans. The first was a scholar, and used a Latin quotation to justify his hate, born of the Civil War. The second was an educated man, and his act was due to what he supposed was an unequal distribution of the spoils of office. " Of the real motive of the assassin of President McKinle}^ we know too little yet to form a final judgment ; but surely the alarming outbreak of bitter hatred appearing about in so many different parts of the country requires the earnest and serious con- sideration of all good citizens, for he must learn the true cause of them before he can be able to apply an effective remedy. It will, ^ MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McI^INLEY. 3;»3 however, alwaj's be true that, under the whole wide canopy of Heaven, there can be found no antidote to hate but love. " Meanwhile, we may all rejoice that the Bench and Bar of Buffalo are reflecting credit upon the whole country by again securing reverence for the calm, orderly and resistless processes of the law. ''And after all, my friends, it is upon the processes of the law that you and I must, in the last resort, depend for the per- petuity and the greatness of the Government our dead President loved so devotedly, and which he believed, as you and I believe to be, in spite of all abatement, the best Government under which men have ever lived, and no other form of government could in a single generation have produced and conducted to the seat of the Chief Magistracy three such rulers as Lincoln, Garfield and McKinley. "We grieve at having lost them, but we are proud having had them as our Presidents. Our hearts just now are full of sorrow at losing him we have met to mourn. '"And while the races of mankind endure Let their great examples stand Colossal seen of every land. To keep the soldier firm, the statesman pure, Till in ail lands and through all human story The path of duty be the way to glory,' " ELOQUENT WORDS OF ARCHBISHOP RYAN. " Honored by an invitation to speak on this sad and solemn occasion, I naturally regard it from the religious standpoint. Religion is an integral portion of our nature, as real as the intel- lectual or material portion of it, and cannot be ignored in indi- vidual or national character. It has had more influence on our race than any other power. I am gratified to state that the deceased President recognized its great claims ; that, according to his convictions and the dictates of his conscience, he was a religious man. His forgiveness of his murderer and his profound ^ submission to the Divine will, expressed in these words, * This is 394 MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. God's way. His will, not ours, be done,' sliows clearly tlie power of religion over liim. " Tliat lie was fair to tliose wHo differed from liis religious convictions I am persuaded. I know, on the best autliorit}^, that as Governor of Obio be was kind, almost partial, to the Catbolics of tbat State wben it was unpopular to be sucb. I bad occasion to visit bini in tbe interest of tbe Catbolic Indians, and I am satisfied tbat whatever concessions were made were made tbrougb bis influence, and tbat full justice would bave been done to tbem could be bave followed tbe impulses of bis beart, wbicb public men cannot always do. " But, ladies and gentlemen, tbere are thoughts tbat force themselves upon us to-night, greater and more important than tbe consideration of the personal religion of any individual, bow- ever exalted and lamented. These refer to the welfare of the country, which the deceased President loved, served and ruled. They are, I believe, thoughts of gravest moment, and appropriate to this occasion. ' Better is tbe house of mourning than tbe bouse of joy,' for tbe consideration of these questions. CHIEF ERROR OF OUR AGE. *'One of tbe greatest errors of our age and country is disre- gard in State and Church of principles and doctrines. It matters little, it is said, what men believe and teach, provided they do not act in disobedience of law. We relegate principles and doctrines to tbe region of theory, and take cognizance only of actions. Occasionally tbe public is awakened to a sense of tbe fallacy of this position. A few years ago tbe bod}^ of a young man was found. He bad committed suicide and left a note stating tbat be was induced to do so by tbe defense of suicide in a lecture of Robert Ingersoll. Here were found cause and effect. The wretched man who has slain tbe President of the United States assures us tbat be was influenced to do so by tbe speeches and writings of a woman Anarchist — another instance of cause and effect, — '' ' Wars between men may cease,' says Edmund Burke, I 1 MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. 395 ' wars between principles shall never cease.' B}^ conquest or com- promise wars between men cease ; but principles are in eternal antagonism. It is illogical and suicidal to ignore principles and doctrines as tlic}^ will inevitably act themselves out into actions for good or evil. Men say we want only the morality of Christi- anity, but without its dogmas, as if these dogmas did not create and cannot alone perpetuate that morality. Again they say, ' We care not what the Anarchist writes or speaks, provided he does not kill.' As if the writing and speaking addressed to young and fiery hearts may not lead to murder. WHERE IS THE REMEDY? " But it may be asked, Where is the remed}- ? You cannot legislate the world into morality. You cannot, in a free country, prevent free speech and the liberty of the press. You may say it is not the liberty of speech or press I would prevent, but its license. But who is to be judge between liberty and license? Ah, gentlemen, the truth is, we need a power that shall go deeper than can the legislator and his law, that goes right straight to the very core of conscience. We need more religion. Con- science is the great arbiter to decide what is liberty and what is license. And we need religion that is not merel}^ sentimental, but doctrinal ; not merely of God in His mercy, but of God in His justice also; not merely of heaven and its joys, but of hell and its just punishments. " Because this is a land of liberty, and there are fewer restraining influences from without, we need the more from within. I am alarmed for the future of this Republic if disregard and contempt for religious doctrines should increase. No nation has ever continued to live without religion and its restraints. Uncivilized nations are conquered from without, but civilized ones from within, by the force of their own passions. " Egypt, Greece and Rome lived because of truths, mixed, it is true, with falsehoods, which their religions possessed. There was much of conservative truth in the religion of the pagans. They believed in God and Providence, and future reward and I 896 MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. punishment for the observance or violation of law, human and divine. Our modern unbelievers would sweep all these truths away, and with them they would sweep away this glorious young -. Republic. " If we are to perpetuate this splendid Republic, we must perpetuate Christianity to protect it. On this most solemn occa- sion, and standing in spirit by the newly made grave of our murdered President, and in the name of the Founder of Christi- anity, whom we all love, I ask you to keep the deposit of Christianity and hand it down as the richest heritage you can leave to your posterity and your beloved country." When informed of the death of President McKinley, Hon. John Wanamaker, who was a memebr of President Harrison's Cabinet, made the following statement : MILLIONS OF HEARTS IN AGONY. "The passing on of William McKinley is an awful mystery. There are millions of hearts that are overwhelmed with agony. As against the miserable creature called a man who destroyed this noble life there are thousands and thousands of men in the United States, noble and true, who would unhesitatingly and gladly have given their lives if his could have been spared, so full was it of gifts and graces, of growth and of genuine goodness. " Almost like a flash in the sky he passed on without spot or decay or the withering of powers to the eternal and eu during. He lived and died nobly. * Good-bye,' he said 'good-bye to all. It is God's way.' Always a sage and a soldier, and now a saint." The Right Rev. Ozi W. Whitaker, Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church, Diocese of Pennsylvania, gave the following estimate of the life and character of the late President : " There can be but one opinion as to the character of the late President McKinley. It was of the highest t3^pe of Christian man- hood. I knew him personally, having met him on every occasion on which he visited Philadelphia as President, and I have been impressed, as everyone who came in contact with him must have been, with his qualities as a man, a statesman and a Christian, MAGNIFICENT TKIHUTKS TO MR. McKINLF.V. 897 "The address he delivered at Buffalo the day before he received his death wound was the latest illustration of the far- seeing, broad-minded statesmanship for which he was noted. From the time he was shot till his death the spirit of fortitude and magnanimity he displayed touched all hearts. His death was the death of a sincere Christian. It is certain that he will always be remembered with peculiar affection by the American people, and I believe he will hold in their minds and hearts as high a place as any President who preceded him." I FROM A WELL KNOWN BISHOP. Bishop Whitaker issued the following letter to the clergj' of his diocese, instructing them to hold a memorial service for the late President : "To the Clergy of the Diocese of Pennsylvania. Dear bretliren : In accordance with the proclamation of the President of the United States, I recommend that the several congregations of the diocese hold a memorial service to our late beloved President in their respective churches, on Thursday, September 19, at 11 o'clock A. M. A form of service will be sent to 3'ou later. The hymns suggested seem most appropriate, but you ma}- substitute others in 3'our discretion," Through the courtesy of the *' Boston Globe " we present to the reader a number of touching tributes to Mr. McKinle}- from the pens of our most gifted authors. They appeared in the Memorial Edition of this journal and occupy the remainder of the chapter : EVEN AS A CHILD. EVEN as a child to whom sad neighbors speak, In a symbol, saying that his father " sleeps" — ' Who feels their meaning, even as his cheek Feels the first teardrop as it stings and leaps — Who keenly knows his loss, and yet denies Its awful import — grieves unreconciled, Moans, drowses, rouses, with new-drowning eyes — Even as a child. 398 MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. Even as a child ; with empty, aimless hand Clasped sudden to the heart all hope deserts — With tears that blur all lights on sea or land — The lip that quivers and the throat that hurts — Even so, the nation that has known his love Is orphaned now ; and, whelmed in anguish wild, Knows but its sorrow and the ache thereof. Even as a child. James Whitcomb Riley. N A NATION IN SORRO^V. ATION bright with the sunrise glow — Full of the century's throbbing — Why do you bow your head so low ? Why do we hear you sobbing ? Death has climbed to my highest place, And tears of a people are no disgrace ; Sorrow is better told than kept ; And grief is holy, for God has wept. Nation with banner of oldest birth, Stars to the high stars sweeping, Why have you not a flag on earth But to the half mast creeping ? Many a brave man had to die To hold those colors against the sky ; Agonies such as this reveal That every banner to Heaven must kneel. Nation with tasks that might appal Planets of weak endeavor. Why did the best man of you all Sail from your shores forever ? Not forever, and not from sight, But nearer to God's sweet, kindly light ; Through the mists to a stormy sea, Where all the heroes of ages be. Nation with weapons fierce and grim. Sharpen with rage your sadness ; Tear the murderer limb from limb — Torture him into madness ! MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. No ! I have Heaven too much in awe The law to avenge with lack of law ; Take we the soul from its tainted clod, And lay it down at the feet of God. Nation whose love for home ne'er dies, Cruel the clouds that hover ! Wiiat do you sayvvhen a woman cries, "Give me my husband lover?" Sad heart, carry the grievous wrong, In Faith's own arms; it will not be long, Here, and in lands you never knew. He more than ever will comfort you. Nation of many tribes and lands — Strength of the world's best nations. Say ! would a million murderous hands Crumble your deep foundations ? Never ! No poison e'er can blight The flowers and fruitage of Truth and Right ; Never! the land that the tryant fears Shall live in splendor a thousand years. Will Carleton. 399 T THE DARKENED SKIES. HE air was filled with music, every heart Throbbed its thanksgiving for the season's wealth. With splendors piled appeared the magic mart Whose arches gave their echoes for thy health. Thy train made entrance on the brilliant .scene Like the fair galley of a victor crowned ; While Nature smiled, propitious and serene. Thine and the Nation's heart the death blow found. Dark grow the skies, the sounds of joy are hushed. Reason can scarce attest the sudden change ; When did the flower of hope, so fully flushed. So swiftly fail, with portent sad aud strange? 400 JIAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKlNLEY. Thine was the glory of successful rule, Thine, in thy manly }'outh, the warrior's wreath. For what of thy good service might a fool Aim at thy breast, imarmed, the stroke of death? The garlands hung on thy triumphal way Shall now be heaped thy mournful bier above. Yet with best conquest ends the noble day, Resigning life, but keeping faith and love. Julia Ward Howe. MOURNED BY EVERY AMERICAN. He was the Head of the Nation, he fell in its service, the base hand that took his life struck dead the hostility in every feeling heart that harbored it, and he passes to the peace of the grave mourned not by such as were his friends, only, but b}^ all who bear the American name. Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain). A FIXED STAR IN OUR FIRMANENT. As the name of William McKinley becomes fixed in the firma- ment of our nation's history it appears to us at once, and seems destined to remain to us, a name to charm by. Can we say now, so soon, in what his greatness consists, and what is to prove at last the broadest measure of his permanent fame ? With certainty, cer- tainly not; yet there is a solace in the effort to do so, that at least explains, if it does not amply justify, so early an endeavor. A living statesman of one of the dynastic governments of Europe is currently quoted as saying that the fame of our late President will be that he was the greatest commercial statesman of his time. If this be so, and it seems very near the truth, what, then, is the greatness, and what are the limitations of " com- mercial " statesmanship ? Is it nearly or quite the highest degree, or is it nearly or quite the lowest ? Other states- men have delivered their peoples from the perfid}' of tyrants, from the oppression of nobles, from debasing iniquities of ancient cus- toms, from bigots, fanatics and robber hordes ; was their states- manship, therefore, larger than a commercial statesmanship may be ? MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. 4U1 Or is it not true that for our crowning question we ask con- cerning such rulers, " What — after they had dragged down the despot, hurled back the invader, obliterated the pit of degradation — what was their wisdom and power to uplift and push forward those industries of peace which prosper the main mass of men, and give them opportunity and incentive for the arts, the sciences, the virtues ; how much did their statesmanship do to fill the sail, to oil the wheel, to light the mine, to speed the plow and the loom ? " GREAT COMMERCIAL QUESTIONS. It is onl}' when we contemplate the world-wide reach of great commercial questions, the bewildering intricacies of conflicting interests and theories, the far-reaching disastrousuess of their misunderstanding, and the vast beneficence of their correct solu- tion, that we are prepared to confess the greatness of a mind and soul that confronts and answers them with supreme master}-. The hoary Eastern question is and has always been a prob- lem of commercial statesmanship. Such is four-fifths of everj^ foreign policy of Europe. It was a blunder of commercial states- manship that lost to Great Britain her American colonies, and it is on commercial statesmanship that her modern greatness is largel}'' founded. A potential factor in the long decay of Spain has been her lack of commercial statesmanship, and commercial statesmanship is to-day the consuming study of every worthy sovereign and of ever}^ cabinet in the civilized world. If it ever seems necessary to write that he whose loss leaves our nation widowed wrought no might}- changes in our general legislation, achieved no vast reform in our institutions, and righted no great wrongs between conflicting elements of the popu- lation, the word must go with it that his public life was without a stain of dishonor, that he was a model of private virtue, dutv and affection, a true and ardent lover of mankind, and that in the mighty functions of commercial statesmanship he was easilv first among contemporary statesmen and rulers, the greatest of his time. George W. Cable. 26 402 MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. AT THE EXPOSITION. T HE devil's best tools Are the fingers of fools. All pious, good people, Who live in a steeple, Over spire and gilt vane Whirling round, round again Like joy behind sorrow or ease after pain. But the worst, most accursed, Is prim and sedate He stands up straight, So lowly elate, But creeps through the gate Into rooms of the great, And cowers in the chamber of State. Let him learn, if he can The first lesson of Man, The last, for he must. He shall learn, and discern The fire of live coals in our urn. Richard Henry Stoddard. A PATRIOT OF THE NOBLEST TYPE. William McKinley, like some who went before him, dies a martyr to republican institutions. It was for those institutions that our fathers fought and died in two great wars. And the President of this Republic represents those institutions more than any other man. The nation had been gradually making up its mind about William McKinley. But now that he has gone from our midst, we realize suddenly that he possessed many of those qualities, the value of which is inestimable in his situation. He was first of all a patriot of the noblest type. For he had the good of his country nearest his heart. He never sought to exalt himself at the expense of his country. Rather he sought to efface himself in his submission to the desires of the people. He was willing to hear and heed the opinions of the humblest I MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. 403 citizen. It was sometimes said of him that he was dominated. He was dominated, bnt by no man. He was dominated by the voice of his conntr3'men. William McKinley will live in history as a President of great dignity, moderation and wisdom ; as a God-fearing man, whose life was an example to his fellow-citizens. And the best that can be said of him is that he was an American. It is well to remember that a government of the people has just as much right to protect itself from its enemies as has a monarchy. Winston Churchill. A MAN OF GENEROUS NATURE. While I feel my inadequacy to the task, I am highly honored in being selected with others to express sorrow at the cruel deed that has brought desolation to a home and grief to a nation. In doing so it may not be uninteresting to detail a few incidents that will exhibit the social and kindly side of Mr. McKinley' s generous nature. Some years ago I visited Canton, O., in my professional capacity. During m}^ engagement I was invited to meet the then Congressman McKinley at the house of one of his relatives. He entered the room with his invalid wife leaning on his arm, and I often noticed during the evening his attentive and affectionate solicitude for his companion. His manner was most cordial and friendly. Our next meeting was in Cleveland, where we dined together in company with Mr. Robert Lincoln and Mr. Mark Hanna. That night the entire party came to the theatre to see the comedy of the "Rivals," acted by the star cast. After the performance, the Congressman came behind the curtain and was introduced to the company. He expressed his enjoyment of the play, remarking how strange it was that such talent was not oftener brought together. "Possibly," he said, " it might be dangerous to give the public too much of a good thing." Our next meeting was after he became President, my wife and I lunching with his family at the executive mansion. General and ^Irs. Miles were also of the company. The President 404 MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. seemed interested in the history of the stage, and enjoyed remi- niscences of it or anecdotes of actors with great relish. Passing through AVashington on ni}^ way to Florida, I called to pay my respects. This Avas just at the time when strained relations were tightening their grip upon America and Spain. The President spoke of these, but expressed a hope that serious trouble might be avoided. I told him that I traveled much, and that I gleaned from the expressions of wise and thoughtful men that the country did not want war. He replied, " I am glad to hear it." This was before the destruction of the " Maine." I have met him several times since, and to me his views seemed broad and liberal. I was never more shocked that when the terrible news of the assassination was brought to me ; our household was in a fever of excitement, our very domestics in tears ; and now, that the worst has come, a home made desolate and a nation plunged in sorrow, we can only hope that time may soften the blow, and that wise legislation may place a barrier that will forever prevent the reoccurrence of such an act. Joseph Jefferson. T A LIFE'S STORY. WO together and only two — One a soldier and one a maid; Ev'ry skyis heavenly blue, And all the dim forebodings fade. Two together and only two — One a husband and one a wife, Ready to walk the wide world through, Heart and hand on the road of life. Two together and only two — Fronting Fortune and braving fears — Two together and only two Above two little graves in tears. Two together and only two — He a Nation's chosen chief She a wife to follow through The massive gates that lead to grief. MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKIXLEY. 105 Two together and only two — One to watcli, with all love's wealth, One to walk 'mid wilds of rue To seek the pleasant paths of health. Two together and only two — See the clouds and pains depart From the Land's first lady, who Is still first lady of his heart. Two together and only two — Cannons boom and cities cheer, Skies are bright and friends are true; Who shall say that death is near? Two together and only two — Joy seems sure forever more, Yet the hand that millions drew Of hearts has opened Death's dark door. Two together and only two — While amid his own he stands, Death now breaks the circle through And grasps him with his vise-like hands. Two together and only two — Never death such loving parts, Loyal wife and husband true, For Love hath wed }-our hands and hearts. Two together and only two — Peoples pray that you may meet Where the dark skies change to blue, And all that's bitter turns to sweet. John Burns. HIS PLACE IN THE NATIONAL HEART. Who has 3'et invented the smokeless powder of grief ? The first emotions consequent on a great public catastrophe are like : the blur of an old-fashioned battle ; it is onl}' when the atmosphere I clears that we begin to see anything plainly. The nation is undergoing something like what the surgeons 406 MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES. TO MR. McKINLEY. call shock. Tiie sense of immeasurable outrage is yet so keen, the effects of a ragged wound are yet so severe, that we scarcely know where, or why, we are most hurt. While the black draped train goes ploughing its way through flowers half across the continent, while the nation stands uncov- ered before the catafalque, who can calmly estimate the martyr's personality ? But it is not his position in history that you seek to define ; it is his place at this hour in the national heart. There can be no doubt that this is a very strong, warm place. The pub- lic affection closes upon him jealously. Few men of our times have shown a more remarkable power to make friends, and what is more, to retain them (for these twain are not one) than William McKinley. PERSONAL KINDLINESS. Whoever differed from him, on great matters or small, seems to have been half won over, and wholly mollified by the personal kindliness and courtesy of the man. Political opponents, or those of his own party who could not follow his policy, are among the first to do him honor now. I remember how generously and courteously the entreating protests of one citizen against the impending war were received. These took the form of letters so candid, so urgent, and so repeated that the writer could have felt no surprise if they had been disregarded altogether. Many another must have had similar experience and come away from it, convinced of the sin- cerity and conscientiousness of the man. These personal traits ran all through his character. Most remarkable has been the tribute of the nation to McKinley, the man of common, human virtues. He was a Christian believer who loved his God, and was never afraid to say so; who. Christ- like, forgave his murderer on the first impulse, not the second ; who said : " Don't let them hurt him," before the smoke from the assassin's revolver had spent itself in the air ; who died breathing out his soul in sacred words, the sincerity of which commands absolute respect. In a time when faith is darkened, and religious character unfashionable, let him be remembered for these things. ,v MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. 407 Most touching, too, and quite as remarkable has been the profound, wide and genuine reverence offered to the domestic qualities of the man. In a day when, as one has well said, the great national danger is " the decadence of the home idea," his private life shows like an uplifted hand — pointing to something higher and more elect than most of us attain to in the stress and disillusion of dail}- life. He, the husband of an invalid wife who was never suffered to feel that her misfortunes encroached upon his comfort, sapped his strength, wearied his patience, or reduced his affection, deserves all the tender tears that fall upon his bier — and more. Many an obscure citizen, called to cherish an ailing wife at cost of personal sacrifices known only to himself and to her, will feel his burden lighter, his love warmer, his courage stronger, for this great example. And many a sick woman, thinking: " How tender he is to me to-da}^ ! " will have reason to bless the quiet influence of the dead President, who found it inevitable and made it manl}- to put the needs of the woman he had loved and wedded forever in the foreground of his heart and of his life. Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward. SLAIN BY A HUMAN REPTILE. President McKinley's murder belongs, as do those of Lincoln and Garfield, to the category of crimes that could not be fore- seen, nor easily averted. It is like a clot of blood flung on a fair picture by the hand of a ruffian. It is as though the man, rich in the love and respect of millions, had been bitten to death by a reptile or a rabid dog. We may crush the reptile ; we may kill the dog ; but their extermination will not bring back the precious life, nor atone for its loss. The loss is immeasurable, the punish- ment utterly inadequate. A noble California redwood takes centuries to reach its per- fect growth. It ma}^ be destroyed in a day by a spark from a careless hunter's camp fire or by the ax of a soulless log-chopper. When Lord Rosse had finished his great telescope, after years of skilful work, and at the cost of a fortune, he generously exhibited 408 MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. it to the public ; and one of the first men who came to see it flung a huge stone full at the costly lens ! Fortunately his aim was as bad as his heart ; but that heart was filled with all the destructive spirit of an assassin. The same man would have as recklessly shot at a president, or king, or queen, not because either had wronged him, but because "the Lord had respect to Abel and to his offerings," and that was enough for Cain ! The vanity of human grandeur is brought home to us more vividly by such a tragedy than by the assassination of any royal potentate. A king or emperor is usually born to his high estate. A president is chosen from the ranks by the free will of the people ; and by so much more is he "the state" itself than any anointed sovereign can be. It took over half a century to make a president of this man whom the people had tried and found worthy in almost every station of public life. It takes time to grow a redwood tree. Is- it necessary that it should be in the power of any idle blackguard to cut it down with one blow ? I think not. HAND SHAKING CONDEMNED. There is nothing democratic about permitting anybody and everybody to shake the hand of the President. Rather is it a survival of the old royal fashion winch attached a certain sanctity to the person of the ruler, and made the subject think that he was enjoying a peculiar privilege by being allowed to see and touch the precious object. The President is the chief servant of the people, and, as such, he has constant, serious, arduous work to do. His master has no right to interrupt him at his work, nor to intrude upon him in his leisure. Popular levees are a popular humbug, meaningless, tiresome, dangerous. Let us give our heroes the boon of individual freedom. Instead of doing that, we burden them with public " recep- tions," with parades, with fulsome panegyric, or stand them up to be kissed, after which we change the throne to the pillory and hurl ridicule at them in place of bouquets. Our hero does a truly daring deed, and he is forthwith thrust upon the lecture platform, I I MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. JOO interview-ed and photographed without inercy, and then given over to the wits and witlings because he has been too gracious to his foolish feminine admirers. Another is covered with laurels, until he offends the peculiar taste of an ill-mannered public by doing as he sees fit with the "Injun gift" of a house which he uuwisel}' accepted from them. The government at this moment is sorting out the tar and feathers for one or the other or both of the two heroes whom we se>t upon naval pedestals a couple of years ago. The hero in the hands of the populace is like the South American spider which must flee from the arms of his spouse before she has time to devour him ! RISK OF LIFE. Our Presidents are too valuable to have their lives risked at the hands of any chance scoundrel covetous of wide-spread infamy. William McKinle}^, especiall}^, was too choice a product of republican institutions to be destro^'ed by an instrument of disorder. His successor is one of the bravest of men. Therefore, he should not be rash. Therefore, we, the people, should forego the empty privilege of forcing ourselves upon his privacy, or of ■ asking him to exhibit himself for the delectation of the gaping ; multitude and the weapon of another possible Booth or Guiteau, or the ignoble beast with the crooked name who has just destroyed a great and good man. James Jeffrey Roche. (Editor of "The Pilot.") ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Foully Ass.assinated .April 14, 1865. This is the remarkable poem in which, on May 6, 1 865, London " Punch " confessed its error, after having for four years l.impooned Lincoln with pencil and with pen. It is attributed to Tom Taylor. 'OU lay a wreath on murdered Lincoln's bier You, who with mocking pencil wont to trace, Broad for the self complacent British sneer, His length of shambling limb, his furrowed face, Y' 410 MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. His gaunt, gnarled hands, his unkempt, bristling hair, His garb uncouth, his bearing ill at ease. His lack of all we prize as debonair, Of power or will to shine, of art to please. You, whose smart pen backed by the pencil's laugh, Judging each step, as though the way were plain ; Reckless, so it could point a paragraph, Of Chief's perplexity, or peoples' pain. Besides this corpse, that bears for winding-sheet The Stars and Stripes he lived to rear anew. Between the mourners at his head and feet. Say, scurrile-jester, is there room for you ? Yes, he had lived to shame me from my sneer, To lame my pencil, and confute my pen — To make me own this hind of princes peer. This rail-splitter, a true born king of men. My shallow judgment I had learned to rue, Noting how to occasion's hight he rose. How his quaint wit made home-truth seem more true, How, iron-like, his temper grew by blows. How humbled yet how hopeful he could be ; How in good fortune and in ill the same ; Nor bitter in success, nor boastful he. Thirsty for gold, nor feverish for fame. He went about his work — such work as few Ever had laid on head and heart and hand — As one who knows, where there's a task to do, Man's honest will must Heaven's good grace command ; Who trusts the strength will with the burden grow. That God makes instruments to work His will. If but that will we can arrive to know. Nor tamper with the weights of good and ill. So he went forth to battle, on the side That he felt clear was Liberty's and Right's, As in his peasant boyhood he had piled His warfare with rude nature's thwarting mights — M-AGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. Hi The uncleared forest, the unbroken soil, The iron-bark, that turns the laborer's ax, The rapid that o'erbears the boatman's toil, The prairie, hiding the mazed wanderer's tracks, The ambushed Indian, and the prowling bear — Such were the needs that helped his youth to train ; Rough culture — but such trees large fruit may bear, If but their stocks be of right girth and grain. So he grew up, a destined work to do. And lived to do it ; four long suffering years, Ill-fate, ill-fortune, ill-report, lived through, And then he heard the hisses changed to cheers, The taunts to tribute, the abuse to praise, - And took both with the same unwavering mood ; Till, as he came on light, from darkling days. And seemed to touch the goal from where he stood, A felon hand, between the goal and him, Reached from behind his back, a trigger prest — And those perplexed and patient eyes were dim. Those gaunt, long-laboring limbs were laid to rest ! 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 to men. The Old World and the New, from sea to sea. Utter one voice of sympathy and shame ! Sore heart, so stopped when it at last beat high, Sad life, cut short just as its triumph came. A deed accurst ! Strokes have been struck before By the assassin's hand, whereof men doubt If more of horror or disgrace they bore ; But thy foul crime, like Cain's, stands darkly out. Vile hand, that brandest murder on a strife, Whate'er its grounds, stoutly and nobly striven ; And with the martyr's crown crowncst a life With much to praise little to be forgiven ! k 4.\2 MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY. AFTER THE BURIAL. Written for the " Boston Globe's " Garfield Memorial Edition, Sept. 27, il I. FALLEN with autumn's falling leaf, Ere yet his summer's noon was past, Our friend, our guide, our trusted chief — What words can match a woe so vast, And whose the chartered claim to speak The sacred grief where all have part, When sorrow saddens every cheek And broods in every aching heart ? Yet nature prompts the burning phrase That thrills the hushed and shrouded hall, The loud lament, the sorrowing praise, The silent tear that love let's fall. In loftiest verse, in lowliest rh)'me, Shall strive unblamed the minstrel choir — The singers of the new-born time And trembling age with outworn lyre. No room for pride, no place for blame — We fling our bosoms on the grave Pale — scentless — faded — all we claim, This only — what we had we gave. Ah, could the grief of all who mourn Blend in one voice its bitter cry, The wail to Heaven's high arches borne Would echo through the caverned sky. II. O happiest land whose peaceful choice Fills with a breath its empty throne ! God, speaking through thy people^s voice. Has made that voice for once his own. No angry passion shakes the state Whose weary servant seeks for rest And who could fear that scowling hate Would strike at that unguarded breast ? MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY, He stands, tinconscious of his doom In manly strength, erect, serene — Around him summer spreads her bloom — He falls — what horror clothes the scene ! How swift the sudden flash of woe Where all was bright as childhood's dream ) As if from heaven's ethereal bow Had leaped the lightning's arrowy gleam. Blot the foul deed from history's page — Let not the all betraying sun Blush for the day that stains an age When murder's blackest wreath vvas won. Pale on his couch the sufferer lies, The weary battleground of pain ; Love tends his pillow, science tries Her every art, alas ! in vain. The strife endures how long I how long ! Life, death, seem balanced in the scale, While round his bed a viewless throng Awaits each morrow's changing tale. In realms the desert ocean parts What myriads w^atch with tear-filled eyes. His pulse beats echoing in their hearts, His breathing counted with their sighs ! Slowly the stores of life are spent, Yet hope still battles with despair — Will Heaven not yield when knees are bent ? Answer, O Thou that hearest prayer ! But silent is the brazen sky — On sweeps the meteor's threatening train — Unswerving Nature's mute reply, Bound in her admantine chain. Not ours the verdict to decide Whom death shall claim or skill shall save: The hero's life though Heaven denied It gave our land a martyr's grave. 413 414 MAGNIFICENT TRIBUTES TO MR. McKINLEY, Nor count the teaching vainly sent How human hearts their griefs may share — The lesson woman's love has lent, What hope may do, what faith can bear ! Farewell ! the leaf-strown earth enfolds Our stay, our pride, our hopes, our fears, And autumn's golden sun beholds A nation bowed, a world in tears. Oliver Wendell Holmes. -,•»: CHAPTER XXI. Additional Tributes to President McKinley — Messages from Crowned Heads— Canada Observes the Day of Obse- quies — All Business Suspended Throughout Our Country. REPLYING to Mrs. McKinley's acknowledgment of his tele- gram of S3'nipatli3^, King iCdward telegraphed to Ambas- sador Choate : ''Please convey to Mrs. McKinley my best thanks for her kind message. The Queen and I feel most deepl}- for her in the hour of her great affliction and pra}' that God ma}- give her strength to bear her heavy cross. Our thoughts will to-day be especially with the American nation when its distinguished Presi- dent is laid to rest. "Edward R." Throughout Ontario the day of the funeral was observed as a day of mourning for the late President McKinley. In accord- ance with instructions from Ottawa, the schools and courts in Toronto and other cities were closed. Memorial services, attended by crowds, were held by the leading churches, where tributes were paid to the martyred President and his favorite hymns were sung. The Dominion Methodist Church at Ottawa was crowded with those who took part in the memorial services. Rev. S. G. Bland, Methodist, and Rev. A. A. Cameron, Baptist, delivered brief sermons and all the other Protestant denominations assisted in the service. In front of the pulpit the Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes were crossed and draped in black. The church was also draped and decorated and the choir was all in black. Rev, Mr. Bland spoke of McKinley as a t3'pical American citizen and said that a countr\' which could produce such men as Lincoln, Garfield and McKinle\- could not be called a failure. 415 k 416 ADDITIONAL TRIBUTES TO PRESIDENT McKINLEY. All the Cabinet Ministers wlio were in the city and who conld possibly attend were present at the service. Colonel Turner, the United States Consul General, was present. Sir Thomas Lipton said, on board his steam yacht, the "Erin," referring to the shooting of the President: "I was stunned on receiving the news. I could feel no worse if it had been King Edward himself who had been shot. I am sure that every Britisher extends the. hand of sympathy to all Americans in this sad affair." '"Twas as the general pulse Of life stood still, and Nature made a pause. An awful pause ! Prophetic of her end." PAUSE OF A CONTINENT. Solemn and impressive beyond the power of words to describe was that deathlike pause of a continent when the last sad rites were being paid at Canton. Those who saw the mighty crowds in all our cities when, at the first stroke of the tolling bells, all motion ceased, all heads were bared, and the silence of death fell upon the scene, to be emphasized a moment later by the stifled sobs of women, will never forget the scene. All over the continent similar scenes were being enacted. The factory, the forge and the loom were stilled. Steamships upon the waters and railway trains climbing the mountains and crossing the plains stood still, while eighty millions of people with bowed heads thought only of their dead President, borne to his last resting place in the little cemetery in Ohio. Affecting obsequies were held in Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's, the services being attended by throngs as deeply moved as those that filled the churches throughout the United States. All round the globe there was mourning. The whole civilized world took part in the funeral of the beloved Chief Magistrate of the American people. He is gone, but his story remains to inspire the struggling j^outh of his country, and his character to help future generations in forming sweet, patriotic and lofty ideals of life and conduct. ADDITIONAL TRIBUTES TO PRESIDENT McKINLEV. 417 " 'Old Glory ' hangs low and the gentle wind's breath Seems to touch with sweet kindness the emblems of death, There's a tear in the cj'e and a weight on the heart, And a cloud in the sky that will not depart. " We prayed he might live : Thou hast answered our prayer, In a way we least thought in our depths of despair. He lives and shall live until Time is no more, And the Ship of State grounds on Eternity's shore. " For to live was to leave all the laurels he'd won, And, taking Thy hand, whisper, ' Thy will be done.* His life showed a man on whom man could rely, His death showed the world how a Christian can die." STRIKING SENTENCES FROM THE EULOGIES. " The cause of this universal mourning is to be found in the man himself." — Rev. C. E. Manchester'' s Funeral Address at Canton. " One hundred thousand preachers in 100,000 sermons could not have taught as much as these last words : ' It is God's way ; His will, not ours, be done.' " — Rev. Dr. Henry C. McCook. " In the temple of American honor another is written among the immortals." — Rev. O. B. Millgan'^s Opening Prayer. " An obedient and affectionate son, patriotic and faithful as a soldier, honest and upright as a citizen, tender and devoted as a husband, and truthful, generous, unselfish, moral and clean in every relation of life." — Grover Cleveland. "He was never so much alive as now. It is God's wa3^" — Rev. John R. Paxton. " He has intensified and energized our love of country and our devotion to our political institutions." — Cardinal Gibbons. " I know of nothing more sublime in all the roll of martyrs or heroes than the calm and child-like resignation with which he said, ' It is God's way ; His will be done.' ^'— James M. Deck. ''Whatever he did, was done for the general welfare; like Lincoln and Garfield, he was too good an American to care to be rich." — Wayne Mac I'eagh . 418 ADDITIONAL TRIBUTES TO PRESIDENT McKINLEY. A leading journal thus voices the popular feeling : " Once more thy head is bowed in dreadful shame, O Liberty ! Thy cheeks are wet with tears ! Once more the far off skeptic speaks thy name And on his fellows' faces notes the sneers! Out from the darkness of the drear, dead years The foul old crimson claw again is thrust, Once more the voice of doubt assails our ears, Once more we press our faces to the dust, But in our hearts, thank God, there still is trust. O Freedom, though they strike thee down, thy head Shall still be raised, and still thy voice shall guide ! And thou shall even grasp and crush the red. Smeared hand whose ugly stain is on thy side ! Though sobs are heard where yesterday the pride Of honor and of strength had ample tongue. Though doubters may be eager to deride, Still hope, thank God, is ours — thank God, the young Brave heart beats on that is so sadly wrung. " GRANDEUR OF HIS CAREER. Another journal thus expresses the national sorrow: '• ' He the more fortunate ! yea, he hath finished ! For him there is no longer any future. His life is bright— bright without spot it was And cannot cease to be. No ominous hour Knocks at his door with tidings of mishap.' Far offis he, above desire and fear ; No more submitted to the change and chance Of the unsteady planets. O, 'tis well With him.' " Nothing has given more dignity and grandeur to the career of the departed President than his dying hour. Of all the impressive words that he has spoken in his lifetime, and they were very many, none are so sure of immortal remembrance as his last conscious message, ' It is God's way ; His will be done.' In these words flashed forth for the last time on earth the soul of William McKinley, a touching, thrilling revelation of his pro- found faith, his undying trust in God, and of his submissive yet courageous manhood. Who has faced the King of Terrors more I J ADDITIONAL TRIHUTES TO PRl'SIDKNT McKINLKY. Il'.t intrepidly, more iio1)ly? lie was sniiiiiioiicd in the fulness of earthly achievement, honor and triumph, at the summit of his powers, and in the midst of duty well done in an exalted past, to the rewards of those who are faithful unto death. " It is well to-da}' with the martyred President. His taking off, as he himself fully recognized, is a part of the inscrutable plan of God's rule and government, to which we are all, from the most exalted to the humblest, subject. This is a startling reminder that this is a world in which there are no accidents. There are none such in the economy of God. ASTOUNDED AT THE CRIME. ''The waj^s of Providence are beyond searching. Ex-Presi- dent Cleveland, in referring to the sad event, said that in the gloom surrounding the third presidential murder it is hard to repress ' a feeling of stunning amazement that in free America, blessed with a conservative government consecrated to popular welfare and contentment, the danger of the assassin should ever encompass the faithful discharge of the highest official duty. It is hard at such a time as this to await calmh^ and patiently the unfolding of the purpose of God.' '' The only answer is, ' It is God's wa}- ; His will be done.' We cannot fathom the Divine purposes in the awful event. This we know, that it has brought a common bereavement, impressed upon us the oneness of American citizenship in moments of national loss or danger. We divide into parties and factions; we clamor for diverse national political policies, and differ noisily about this course of action and that. There are strenuous periods when the people seem to have no common interest, and proclaim that their differences are irreconcilable. But when the President is stricken the whole country is united by the solemn event, and it is revealed how helpful, how necessar}'' it is that we should be reminded that we are one people, with one destin}^ and one hope. The discipline of sorrow and bereavement is alwa^'s hard to under- stand and to bear. We must bow to it. 'It is God's wa}- ; His will be done.' 420 ADDITIONAL TRIBUTES TO PRESIDENT McKINLEY. "The sad event has bound in closer ties the English speaking peoples. The death of Queen Victoria brought out a wonderful expression of sorrow in the United States. It was bej^ond imagin- ing that our kin beyond the sea would so soon be mourning the death of a President of the United States. We have moved far along the path of international good will when nations thus deplore the demise of foreign rulers. The English demonstrations are peculiarly significant. The English newspapers have gone into mourning. ENGLISH COURT IN MOURNING. " King Edward has commanded the court to go into mourning, and at all public meetings called for any purpose fitting reference has been made to President McKinley's death. English news- papers suggest that the Duke of Cornwall and York, the heir to the throne, shall attend the obsequies. These incidents indicate that the English speaking peoples are practically one, not in a political sense, but are one in sympathy. The American loss is, in a very accurate sense, the world's loss. These tokens of sincere grief in distant lands dignify and ennoble human nature, and we trust are the harbingers of the millennial peace." No less touching is the eulogy that follows : "In the course of his splendid eulogy pronounced at the Webster memorial meeting, held in Boston shortly after the famous statesman's death, Rufus Choate said, as a climax to many brilliant passages : " 'His plain neighbors loved him, and one said when Web- ster was laid in the grave ' How lonesome the world seems ! ' " Probably no portion of Choate' s great effort threw a broader beam of light upon the character of the real Webster. The vast concourse of President McKinley's old time friends, fellow towns- men and neighbors which assembled yesterday at Canton, and the vaster assembly of the nation which was present at Canton in thought and reverent sympathy, were a heartfelt tribute to the martyred head of the nation. Not this alone. It was a mark of I ADDITIONAL TRIBUTES TO TRKSIDENT McKINLEY. 421 recognition of the superb manhood that was in liini, a quality which always reveals itself to the 'plain people,' of whom Lin- coln spoke always with the profonndest respect and affection, and with whom ]\IcKinley and Lincoln and the greatest of earth have been proud to claim kinship. "That President McKinley was a popular President was made sufficiently evident in his lifetime by his success in the political arena ; but it was by his death that we fully appreciated how firm was his hold on the affections and regard of the Ameri- can people. His taking off came like a faniil}^ bereavement, and the universal sorrow carried with it a feeling of personal loss. The nation ceased its toil. The wheels of industrj^ stopped. In every city and village in the land memorial services were held. In the solemn obsei-vances yesterday all sects and creeds and all earthl}' divisions and distinctions were effaced in the common bereavement. HONORED BY HIS OPPONENTS. "Some of the finest tributes to President McKinley's memor}^ came from his political opponents. He has joined the immortals. We ma}' say of him, as Beecher said of Lincoln : " ' In the midst of this great continent his dust shall rest a sacred treasure to myriads who shall pilgrim to that shrine to kindle anew their zeal and their patriotism.' "The nation comes forth from its affliction confident of its future, rejoicing in its strength, and, we believe, more thoroughly united than it has ever been. It was the frequently expressed wish of President McKinley that the sectionalism that still lingers among us as the reminiscence of old strifes should be abolished. May we not hope that this wish will be full}^ realized ? At no time has the outlook for the national prosperity been more prom- ising. We have reached another 'era of good feeling' in our domestic politics. The conciliator}-, just and patriotic motives and policy of the late President did much to soften partisan rancor. "His reciprocity policy, as outlined in liis Buffalo speech, 422 ADDITIONAL TRIBUTES TO PRESIDENT McKINLEY. his last formal utterance on political themes, make for industrial peace and a compromise between those holding diverse economical opinions. Abroad the United States is universally respected as one of the world's greatest Powers, standing for international good will. The new head of the nation represents the spirit of the new American age, and by inclination as well as by his direct pledge will continue the policies which have been so successfully developed by President McKinle}', and have received the popular approval at the polls. ''Our Ship of State will not always find smooth seas, but it has weathered many a storm}' cape in safety. The loss of three Presidents by assassination, and a Civil War which brought the nation to the severest test of its self-saving power, cautions us that the freest and most beneficent Government, formed to avoid the oppressions and wrongs of despotism, cannot expect exemption from peril. The nation has been sufficient for its self-preserva- tion in the darkest hour. It faces the future as a strong man faces the duties and the responsibility of a new day." RESPECT AND ADMIRATION. 4| Man}' civic bodies gave expression to their respect and admiration for Mr. McKinle}- by formally passing resolutions, accompanied by glowing speeches at the time of their adoption. J One of the greatest demonstrations of this kind was by the Union League, of Philadelphia. One of the resolutions was the fol- lowing : "That the Union League expresses unbounded admiration of his private character, which was a model in all of life's relations. A kindly man, whose genial presence prompted confidence that was never betra^^ed ; a tender husband, whose loving devotion was a perfect type of marital life ; an upright Christian, whose daih' life and brave death is an inspiration, his untimely taking off has called forth the heartfelt sympathy of the civilized world." In speaking of the resolution United States Senator Penrose said : " For 2000 miles I have traveled across the American conti- i ADDITIUNAL TRIBUTES TU PRESIDENT McKlNLEY. 428 nent, starting the day on wliicli the President died, and I shall never forget the extraordinary scene which was witnessed every mile of the ronte. Great crowds at ever}' station, all classes and conditions, ver}- many in the Western part of onr great conntry of the opposite political part}^ and all in luished expectation to receive tlie latest details of the President's death, all oppressed with a sense of hnmiliation and shame and indignation that such an event could have happened in free America. "Even while passing through the portion of country- where the prosperity of the people has been affected b}- the decline in the value of silver there was sorrow and indignation at this dread- ful event which has occurred in the historj^ of our country. I came to the town which was his home and tliere were people from all over the United States, but particularly from the adjacent por- tions of Ohio, men had brought their wives and their children and had driven for miles. They thronged the streets and stood there until late in the afternoon that they might catch a passing glimpse of the hearse containing the body of their beloved President." WREATHS OF POETRY. Poets, in graceful verse, sang the praises of the martyred President, as will be seen from the following effusions : " 'Nearer to Thee,' with dying hps he spoke The sacred words of Christian hope and cheer, As toward the Valley of the Shadow passed His calm, heroic soul that knew^ not fear. ' Thy will be done ; ' the anxious watchers heard The faint, low whisper in the silent room ; Earth's darkness merging fast into the dawn, Eternal Day for Night of sombre gloom. ' It is God's will ; ' as he had lived he died — Statesman and soldier, fearing not to bear Fate's heavy cross ; while swift from sea to sea Rolled the deep accents of a nation's prayer. ' Dust unto dust ; ' in solemn state he lies Who bowed to Death, )'et won a deathless name, And wears in triumph on his marble brow The martyr's crown, the hero's wreath of fame." 424 ADDITIONAL TRIBUTES TO PRESIDENT McKINLEY. It is fitting that we should find a place here for Walt Whitman's lines on the death of Lincoln : "Hushed be the camps to-day, And soldiers, let us drape our war-worn weapons And each with musing soul retire to celebrate Our dear commander's death. No more for him life's stormy conflicts, Nor victory, nor defeat — no more time's dark events, Charging like ceaseless clouds across the sky. But sing, poet, in our name, Sing of the love we bore him — because you, dwellers in camps, knew it truly. As they invault the coffin there, Sing — as they close the doors of earth upon him — one verse, For the heavy hearts of soldiers." SENATOR FORAKER'S EULOGY. One of the most eloquent eulogies on Mr. McKinlej^ came from United States Senator Foraker, who was long and intimately associated with him. The Senator said: "In the vigor of robust manhood; at the ver}^ height of his powers ; in the possession of all his faculties ; in the midst of a great work of world-wide importance ; in the enjoyment of the admiration, love and affection of all classes of our people to a degree never before permitted to any other man ; at a time of pro- found peace, when nothing was occurring to excite the pas- sions of men ; when we M-ere engaged in a celebraion of the triumphs of art, science, literature, commerce, civilization and all that goes to make up the greatest prosperit}-, advancement and happiness the world has ever known; surrounded by thousands of his countrymen, vying with each other in demonstrations of friend- ship and good-will, the President of the United States, without a moment's warning, was stricken down by an assassin, who, while greeting him with one hand shot him to death with the other. "We can scarce realize that such a crime was possible, much less that it has been actually committed, and our sorrow is ADDITIONAL TRIBUTES TO I'RESIDENT McKIXLEY. 42r yet too fresh, our grief too poignant and our indignation too acute for us to contemplate it dispassionately or discuss it consideratel}-. ''But, while we can't now speak becomingly of the murderer and hir awful crime, we can fittingly employ this hour to com- memorate the virtues of his victim and to recount, in part at least, his great services to his country. " The allotted age of man is three-score and ten, but William McKinley was not 3'et 59 when his career ended. In these short years he did a wondrous work. In its accomplishment he was unaided by fortuitous circumstances. He was of humble origin and without influential friends, except as he made them. "He died proud of his work and in the just expectation that time will vindicate his wisdom, his purpose and his labors — and it will. THE CROWNING TRIUMPH. "What he was not permitted to finish will be taken up by other hands, and when the complete, crowning triumph comes, it will rest upon the foundations he has laid. " His great loss to the country will not be in connection with policies now in process of solution, but rather in connection with new questions. What he has marked out and put the impress of his great name upon will receive the unquestioned support of his own part}' and of the great majority of the American people. He had so gained the confidence of his followers and ^he whole country in his leadership that practically all differences of opinion on new propositions would have yielded to his judgment. " And when the dread hour of dissolution overtook him and the last touching farewell had been spoken he sank to rest mur- muring 'Nearer, I^Iy God, to Thee.' This was his last triumph and his greatest. His whole life was given to humanity, but in his death we find his most precious legac}-. " The touching story of that touching deathbed scene will rest on generations j-et unborn like a soothing benediction. Such Christian fortitude and resignation give us a clearer conception of what was in the Apostle's mind when he exclaimed, ' O, death, where is thy sting ? O, grave, where is thy victory ? ' " CHAPTER XXII. Personal Traits of Mr. McKinley — Reminiscences of His Boyhood — Anecdotes and Incidents — His Kind Heart — Affection for Old Friends.— Never Swerved from the Path of Duty. LOYALTY to old friends, absolutely without regard to their worldly station, was a conspicuous trait of Mr. AIcKinley's character. It is related that at the second inauguration among the White House guests were Jack Adams, who runs the Presi- dent's farm near Canton, and his friend, Mr. Alexander, a tin- smith from Minerva, Columbiana county, O. Mr. Adams came to Washington at the President's invitation, but had no idea of doing more than "eating one meal in the White House," as he expressed it. Here is Mr. Adams' own story of how he happened to be stopping at the White House during the inauguration week : "Just before the inauguration of 1897, ^■'^^- McKinley asked me if I did not want to come to Washington. Well, I was pretty busy fixing up things on the farm just then, so I said no, I would come to the next one. The President laughed and said to remind him and he would send me a pass. I got it. When my friend Alexander and I went up to the White House the President held out his hand and said: 'I'm glad to see 3^ou,' and asked me about my health and my family and how everybody was doing. I told him I had just come to town and got a room. " He said : ' Not a bit of it. You are to stay right here in the White House, you and your friend.' I said that I did not like to impose upon him, but he replied that it was no imposition, and that I must bring my grip and stay the week out as his guest, and he would see that I had a good time and do everything for me that he could do. He made out a ticket that passed us to the grand stand to see the parade, and also gave us seats at the Capitol and admission to the inauguration ball." A lad}' in Ohio has a souvenir of Mr. McKinley which she prizes very highly. It is a stanza written by him when twelve 426 PERSONAL TRAITS OF MR. McKlNLF.Y. 127 years old, conveying to this lady, avIio was then a schoolgirl, a sentiment which impressed his mind at that time. The following is a fac-simile of the stanza, penned, as the reader will see, in the careful handwriting of a schoolboy : / // In this little incident we see revealed the character of the man. Probably if Mr. IMcKinley in his last days had seen the stanza he wrote to his "Friend Lucy," he would have smiled at the iiinocence of boyhood, but he would not have disapproved of the sentiment he then expressed. COLONEL BONNER'S REMINISCENCES. Colonel J. C. Bonner, Collector of Customs, was probably closer to President McKinley personally than any other man in Toledo. When the nation lost a President, Colonel Bonner lost a friend— a friend so near and dear that he does not hesitate to say that to him he owes his success. Colonel Bonner credits the late President with starting him on the road which has led to his present position. When interviewed, Colonel Bonner, deeply affected, paid the President, his friend, a great personal tribute, and, on solicitation, related several incidents, personal recollec- tions, which had been impressed on his memory. He told of his first acquaintance with Mr. McKinley. Away back in the earliest nineties Colonel Bonner was engaged in the manufacture of brushes. Politics was then with him a pastime, and relaxation from business cares. At that time Colonel Bonner ^28 PERSONAL TRAITS OF MR. McKINLEY. was Cliairman of the Lucas County Republican Executive Com- mittee, and Mr. McKinley was then Congressman McKinley, and Chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means. The tariff bill which bears Mr. McKinley' s name was at that time being prepared. Mr. Bonner, in the manufacture of brushes, was painfully aware that the American made goods were kept out of the American markets because of the cheapness with which the German product could be manufactured and placed on sale here. He determined, if possible, to effect a remedy. He went to Washington, called at the ofi&ce of Congressman McKinley, which the latter always called his " den," and without ceremony or red tape of an}- sort, was received. At first sight Mr. Bonner was much impressed with him, and, as afterwards proved, the liking w^as mutual. Mr. Bonner stated his business. The country was being flooded with foreign made goods ; in this instance, toothbrushes, which were sold at so low a price that the American made product could not well compete. TWICE ACROSS THE OCEAN. The bones of which the handles were made were sawed up in Chicago, then shipped to Germany, made up and shipped back and sold at a lower price than Bonner and the five other firms in this country could furnish them at. '' But I am told," said Mr. McKinley, "in letters from great houses in Philadelphia and New York, that they are satisfied with the present conditions, and that they do not think it neces- sary for a tariff on toothbrushes." He named the firms, and then Mr. Bonner explained that these were great wholesale houses which bought all their goods in Germany when possible, only patronizing the local manufac- turers when forced to. "I see," said the Congressman, "I thought there was some- thing wrong here. How much of a tariff do 3'ou believe to be necessary to protect American interests ? " Mr. Bonner said fort}^ per cent, would do. "Forty per cent, it shall be," said Mr. McKinley. And forty per cent, it was made and remained. PERSONAL TRAITS OF MR. McKINLEV. 429 When President McKinley first ran for governor it was pro- posed that he should make a speech in Toledo. The candidate had appeared but once before in this city and then only at a banquet at which he had responded to a toast. There were factional differences in the Republican camp in Lucas county at that time, and it was feared that the meeting would have the appearance of a frost, but Mr. Bonner and several others deter- mined that r^Ir. McKinley should be heard there. Some thought that a committee of two was all that was necessary to go down to Sandusky and meet him, and escort him. But opinions differed and twenty prominent citizens guaranteed $200 in the wa}' of tickets and the Wheeling & Lake Erie road put on a special train, allowing the local managers to put on whatever crowd it desired. A GREAT TURN-OUT. The result of it was that nine carloads of people were taken to Sandusk}^ to greet the candidate and bring him to Toledo. A flat car was fitted up and decorated and festooned and an artiller}- batter}^ was placed on board. On the way to Sandusk}-, through the Democratic fastnesses of Ottawa and Sandusk}- counties the cannon boomed out Republican defiance to Democratic hosts, and it was feared that the return trip would be marred b}- the assem- bl}' of angry crowds and vengeance wreaked in some manner. Sandusky reached. Candidate McKinley was certainly sur- prised at the size of his reception committee, and after a street parade the train was boarded for the trip to Toledo. All along the route, where cannon had boomed an hour before, great crowds assembled. Impromptu platforms had been built and nothing would do but the candidate must make a speech. This was repeated at every station. The news spread to Toledo and when he arrived the streets were crowded, packed, jammed. So great was the crowd that but a small percentage could pack within Memorial Hall, and it was necessary for the candidate to speak at several places along the march to the hall. 430 PERSONAL TRAITS OF MR. McKINLEY. At the corner of Jefferson and Superior streets one speech was made, and outside the hall itself another. The '■ Father of the McKinley Bill " had set the town on fire. There was no longer any doubt as to how he would be received in Toledo. Neither this nor subsequent visits were frosts. When Air. McKinley was elected governor he appointed Mr. Bonner upon his personal staff in spite of great pressure from great powers to make the appointment in another direction. To illustrate how strictl}- President IMcKinley did his dut}-, despite what effect it might have upon him personally, Colonel Bonner tells of an incident which occurred during a political con- vention at Columbus, when McKinley was governor, and when ]\Ir. Bonner was chairman of the state committee. DURING THE GREAT STRIKES. It was during the great mining troubles and railroad strikes in the Wheeling Creek district and the State was in an uproar because of them. Colonel Bonner was much about the govern- or's office, at the latter's invitation, having charge of the conven- tion arrangements and it being thought advisable that he should be in touch with Governor McKinley, thus being an eyewitness of the incident. At this time, it must be remembered, the friends of Governor McKinley were booming him for the presidential nomination. Private Secretarj^ James Boyle came in and announced that a prominent politician was without and desired to speak to him. The governor was occupied and it was so reported to the gentleman. " Tell him," said the politician, " that it is a matter of great importance." This was done. The Wheeling Creek rioters were at that time sullen and growling. Ever}^ means had been used to quiet them without a show of force. The subject of calling out the militia had been broached. The prominent politician sent in this message to the governor : ''Tell him," said the message brought in by Mr. Boyle that " ir. ni}^ opinion if he calls out the State militia he will never become President of the United States." PERSONAL TRAITS OF MR. McKINLEY. 431 Quick as a flash, with the deliver}^ of this message, Governor McKinle}^ turned to his secretary and said : " You return to this man and tell him that we will take care of the strike first, and the presidency afterward." Inside of three hours every regiment of the State militia, except the First regiment, had been called out, and was en route to the scene of the trouble. The strike was settled, not a life was lost in the settlement, and despite the warning of the politician. Governor McKiuley became President not only once, but twice. When McKinley was governor, a daring bank robbery occurred at Columbus Grove. The robber entered the bank and shot down an innocent bystander. An arrest for murder folloM^ed, and conviction. The case went to the governor. Great stress was laid on the fact that the evidence upon which the man's guilt was established was circumstantial. The governor went into the case, examined it thoroughly and convinced himself that the prisoner was guilty. When the day before the execution came. Governor McKinley came to Toledo the guest of Colonel Bonner. He wanted to get away from the influence of the men who would move heaven and earth to save their friend. FOLLOWED BY TELEGRAMS. But his escape from Columbus had been discovered and score upon score of telegrams followed him here, or even preceded his arrival. Colonel Bonner told the governor that there were a lot of telegrams for him. "Just keep th^. telegrams," he replied. His face was drawn and showed suppressed amotion as it always did when he was excited. A man's life was in his hand — he was confident that he was guilty — ht knew it to be liis duty to allow tnc law to take its course — and yet the greatest sort of pressure was being taken to force him to pardon or to reprieve. " Bonner," he 3a.id, as the evening grew into the night and the hour for the execution of the law's victim approached, " isn't there some way of telegraphic communication with Columbus, with the prison ? 432 PERSONAL TRAITS OF MR. McKINLEY. A walk down to a newspaper office was suggested. Arrived there the hour was growing close to midnight, and the day was close to Friday, hangman's day. The first intimadon of the approaching tragedy was the bulletin to the effect that the peni- tentiary warden had entered the prison cell and had read the death warrant. Other particulars followed rapidly, but nothing of what the governor was waiting for. The death march was bulletined, the last clang of the cell doors, the heavy respirarion even of the accused and convicted. The governor's emotion was intense. MADE A FULL CONFESSION. " Is there nothing from the man himself?" he exclaimed. Finally it came, a full confession, just before the last act. The governor's face illumined. He had been right — the man was guilty— the man had admitted it. Again had duty been done. Quite as impressive as anything else in the developments of the tragedy was the clear light in w^hich they showed how Presi- dent AIcKinley's personal charms and qualities as a man won the affection of the country. Particularly was this noticeable in Washington, where, from his long service in Congress and for more than four years in the Presidential chair he became known personally as to no other part of the country, except, perhaps, to his neighbors in Canton. Dr. David J. Hill, Assistant Secretary of State, once remarked to a friend when Mr. McKinley's person- ality was under discussion, that if '' the Lord had ever breathed the breath of life into a more gracious and amiable man than Mr. McKinley," Dr. Hill had yet to find it out. This was a thoroughly characteristic estimate, and one that was by no means confined in its expression to occasions of grief. Mr. T^IcKinley, according to the best estimates, always did the amiable and courteous thing. If he ever had any feeling of injured dignity or ill-temper, he never let it be discovered even by those nearest to him. Everybody who went to the White House came away pleasantly impressed, whether he were Republican, Democrat, Populist, anti-Imperialist or Socialist ; a negro, a Chinese or a Caucasian. It has not been uncommon with other PERSONAL TRAITS OF MR. McKINLEY. 433 Presidents for men of more or less prominence to come awa}- from the White House saying rather unpleasant things about the treat- ment they had received. With McKiuley it was different, and in that personal equation doubtless lay a large share of his success, as a public man and part}^ leader, in securing acceptance of the policies for which he stood. When before, it was frequently asked, has a President carried the House of Representatives in three Congresses in suc- session ? When before has a President sustained such friendly relations wath the Senators that they have rejected none of his nominations for office, or that he, in turn, has had to veto none of their bills ? For this was substantially the situation. UNUSUAL COURTESY. The ver}?- few vetoes and rejected nominations, and their number was trifling, were rarely unwelcome to the other side, but were rather in the nature of the correction of errors due to newly discovered evidence. When the Secretary of the Anti-Imperialist League first visited Washington the President came out of a Cabinet meeting to receive him — a most unusual courtesy. Manj' a President who had been flattered as McKinley was would have taken affront at some of the utterances of the League, and, standing on his dignity, have refused altogether to see its representative. One of McKinley's predecessors steadily refused to see, during his term of oflice, an eminent doctor of divinity who several times called on public business, because he had as a preacher alluded to his alleged Sabbath-breaking propensities. President Arthur, with all that graciousness of manner which has associated itself with his name, proved a hard master for the clerical force in his immediate employ. If he desired a letter or a paper from the files for au}^ purpose, he could brook no delay, and was seemingly unwilling to grant that time might be neces- sary even for those who served a President. In fact, those who know t^ie White House best, in its various aspects toward the public, are able to relate a great many inci- 28 434 PERSONAL TRAITS OF MR. McKINLEY. dents showing considerable liunian nature on the part of the various Presidents who have occv 2ied It, but of McKinle}^ the}- have nothing to relate but pleasan: things, kindly acts, and genial ways. He seemed never ohended at those who most severely criticised him. We read in the newspapers that Senator Tillman declared that McKinley was gradually becoming a dicta- tor, to the subversion of the old Republic ; the next da}' we read that Mr. Tillman went to the White House to ask for a small consulship for one of his constituents, and, strange to relate, that, although an opposition Democrat, he readily obtained it. A PERFECT GENTLEMAN. In fact, Tillman said in a public way that in his opinion no finer gentleman from George Washington's time to the present had ever occupied the Presidential chair. He never went to the White House in the latter part of Mr. Cleveland's administration, just as there were many Republicans of prominence that were not very neighborly with Mr. Harrison, and others, to be sure, who did not like Mr. Arthur. It has long become notable to outside observers, who have talked with public men, who have come awaj' from a conference with the Chief Executive, how generally he made their wishes his own. In the organization of the first Philippine Commission, one of the men provisionally selected hastened to Washington to tell Mr. McKinley that he was not much of a believer in his expansion policy, and that, probably knowing this, Mr. McKinle}- would want somebody else to serve. "Quite the contrary," was the President's answer. ''We need just the element of opinion on the Commission which 3'ou represent. I am glad that you feel as you do about it.'' Another man whom McKinley was about to appoint to a high office expressed in the same way his skepticism on the subject of pro- tection, as identified with Mr. McKinley's name. In the same spirit, Mr. McKinley assured him that the view of the case which he held was the very one which the President was eager to have represented. PERSONAL TRAITS OF MR. McKINLEY. 435 Mr. McKinley was so able to see both sides of questions, to recognize personal and local limitations, that his relation with the world and with the American public was wonderfully pleasant. It will be recalled how enthusiastic the Democratic South became when, on his visit to that section, he allowed a Confederate badge, pinned playfully on the lapel of his coat, to remain there all day, and how he recommended that the Federal Government join with the Southern States in the care of the cemeteries in which were buried the Confederate dead. Wherever he went, North, East, West or South, he fell in so acceptably with the prevailing views and aspirations of the people as to win their most marked favor. By his diplomatic way, he led a great many persons to his manner of thinking, when they did not realize that they were being led. Among the facts belonging to President McKinley' s career must be placed the heroic struggle of medical skill and science to prevent that career from being ended so suddenly. The story of what went on in the sick room reads more like fiction than reality. THE DOCTORS ENDORSED. "The Medical News," in its issue of September 21, printed a review of President McKinley' s case from a medical point of view. The article recited the circumstances of the shooting and reprinted the official report of the autopsy and certain unofficial statements credited by the press to the doctors in attendance. It then takes up the subject of the gangrenous condition of the wound and in this connection says : "Gangrene, extensive as it was, seems to us not so different from others observed under analogous circumstances as to require the assumption of exceptional causes for its explanation. Necrosis of tissue of a thinner or thicker cylinder along the track of a bullet is thought to be the ruk, and ordinarily it is easily taken care of bj^ liquefaction and absorption. And necrosis, even of a considerable extent, in feeble patients, about a sutured wound is certainly not unknown, even if rare, and is explained by inter- 436 PERSONAL TRAITS OF MR. McKINLEY. ference with the local circulation either by tension or b}- the spread of coagulation within the blood vessels. "The spread of the process in a patient of low reparative power would not be so very exceptional or surprising. Was the President such a patient? Apparentl}^ he was. According to Dr. Wasdin, when the incision was reopened toward the end of the fifth day ' no effort ' was required to open it throughout its entire length, although only the track of the bullet was affected. That expression would hardly have been used unless he had intended to indicate that the amount of repair usual after that lapse of time had not taken place. Then, the President was fiftj-- eight years of age, had led a sedentarj^, laborious and anxious life, and had a complexion and appearance which, for some years, had been commented upon as indicative of impaired vitality. ACTED WITH PROMPTNESS. "It is evident that the surgeons, notably Doctors Mann and Mynter, with whom the first decision lay, acted with commend- able promptitude and courage in undertaking the operation, and showed excellent judgment in its course and skill in its execution. '*They did all that could properly have been done and nothing that should have been left undone. The usual causes of death after such injury and operation were escaped or removed or prevented, and their patient succumbed to a complication which is so rare that it could not reasonably have been anticipated, and could not have been averted. " The President died because he could not carr}' on the processes of repair and because the effort to do so was more than the vitality of the tissues involved could support. This, of course, excluded the possible presence of poison brought by the bullet or of destructive action by the pancreatic juices. If either of those was a factor, it needs onU' to substitute it in the statement for the assumed defective vitality of the patient. Whatever cause acted, it was unrecognizable at the operation and uncontrolable then or subsequently. " There has been some criticism of the confident assurance of PERSONAL TRAITS OF MR. McKINLEY. 437 recovery made by those in attendance after the fifth day. To us the progress of the case up to that time appears fully to have justified those assurances and the public anxiety to have required them." The review of the case closes with the following reference to the doctors: " They did their work skillfully and judiciously, their behavior was dignified, restrained and worthy of the best traditions of the profession, and they have the misfortune, when success seemed to have been secured, of seeing it overthrown by a complication which could not have been foreseen or avoided. They deserve our admiration and sympathy, not our criticism.' CHAPTER XXIII. Origin and Rise of Anarchism — Its Theory and Practice— — Aims to Overthrow All Lawful Government — Assas- sinations From Alexander II. to President McKinley. T^HE civilized world looked on aghast when the apostles of dis- -'• order, the believers in the "rights of the people'' as they phrased it, seized Paris in the name of the Commune on March 17, 1871, and held it until the rightful government of the republic regained control of the capital on May 27. The frightful excesses of these two months have never been surpassed in the annals of war, and without knowing it the civilized world was beholding a demonstration of what government and social exist- ence would be like under the supremacy of a set of revolutionists, known later as "anarchists," but who then had no such conve- nient sobriquet to designate themselves or their beliefs. Neither Communism nor Anarchism originated during the Commune. On the contrary, the general idea which took a most violent shape in the Slav and Latin countries in the 8o's grew out of the revolutions of 1848. Proudhon in France and Karl Marx in Germany, and, above all, Michael Bakunin, a Russian, all ardent social reformers, were the real creators of the interna- tional movement. Bakunin was born in Russia, 1814, and died in Berne, in 1876. He took part in the German revolutionary movements of 1848, and was the founder of Nihilism in his own countr}-. He was exiled to Siberia in 1851, but escaped to Japan, got back to England by 1861, and in 1865 he was one of the organizers of the "International Association of Workingmen," a pet project of Karl Marx. Bakunin, Marx and all other reformers of all grades, from philosophic idealists to downright cut-throats, carried on the propa- ganda of the International Association until 1872, when there was a split, and at the Hague conference the Socialists proper, •138 ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. 439 wlio believed in orderly reform and governmental methods, drew apart from the extremists, who met in what was reall}^ the first Anarchist congress in the world, held the same year at Saint- Imier, Switzerland. By this time, 1872, the extremists were well organized in most of the leading States of Europe, particularly in Russia, and the Latin countries. In Italy, Counts Caffiero and IMalatesta were followers of Bakunin and leaders in the movement. They had a large following, and the name by which they were known was Internationalists, and they constituted the " Federazione Internazionale dei Lavoratori " (International Federation of Workers), with the motto, " Atheism, Anarchy and Collectivism," which was the Italian branch of Karl Marx's London organiza- tion, but which from the first, owing to the disturbed state of things, politically and economically, in Italy, had taken a more radical turn. Marx might believe in a constructive, peaceful revolution of society. FLOURISHED IN ITALY. Not so the Italians, who were anarchistic at the start. Con- sequently from 1872 to 1880 the anarchist movement flourished in Italy, while in other and freer countries it languished, save in Spain, and the Italians were at the head of every workers' associa- tion for economic purposes. In 1876 they took possession of the town of Benevento. Amongst the revolutionists there were Cafliero, the Russian revolutionist and writer, Stepniak, and others ; but the movement was immediately suppressed by the government, which realized for the first time that Italy as well as Europe was confronted by a new and very dangerous social movement. This early propaganda of anarchism was largely due, it must be said, to the missionary work of those who took part in the so-called Social Democratic Alliance, which Bakunin founded at Geneva, Switzerland, in 1868. The Alliance, like the Inter- national ^Association, was divided into a central committee and national bureaus. But together with this division went a secret t40 ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. organization. Bakunin, the pronounced eneni}' of all organiza- tions in theory, created in practice a secret society quite according to the rules of Carbonarism, a hierarchy which was in total con- tradiction to the anti-authority tendencies of the society. According to the secret statutes of the "Alliance" three grades were recognized: (i) "The International Brethren," loo in number, who formed a kind of sacred college, and were to play the leading parts in the soon expected, immediate social revolution, with Bakunin at their head ; (2) " The National Brethren," who were organized b}' the International Brethren into a national association in every country, but who were allowed to suspect nothing of the international organization ; (3) lastU' came the Secret International Alliance, the pendant of the public alliance, operating through the permanent central committee. BECAME MORE VIOLENT. The Alliance as an open organization did not last long, as it was amalgamated with the "International" in 1869, the extremists and conservatives all working together until their final separation in 1872. During the latter part of the 70' s the extremists in all parts of Europe — Latins, Slavs, Teutons — became more and more violent, and it was about this time that the Governments of Europe began to look into the question of anarchism, though it had not yet revealed itself in all its true colors, for though Bakunin was an extremist he had not himself invented the propaganda "b}^ the deed," which latei on led to the .series of attacks on the rulers of Europe, which respected no one were he autocrat or a parliamentary^ sovereign. This idea of violence grew slowl}- as compared with the purely political idea that anarchists should in no wa}' encourage any orderl}- form of government even if they were in power. For instance, the Congress of Berne, which followed Bakunin's death in 1876, under the leadership of Elisee Reclus, officially blamed the Paris Commune of 187 1 for constituting itself into an organ- ized government. As irresponsible as the Commune had been, it had not been irresponsible enough for men like Reclus. ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. 441 Moreover, it was at the Berne convention that Connt Mala- testa, one of the evil geniuses of anarchy, who represented the Italian extremists, who at that time were one of the most powerful groups in Europe, took the step that has made anarchism the ''red terror" ever since; for, in the name of the Italian Federation, he declared the necessity of joining the "insurrectional act" to the other means of propaganda. In 1878 the congress of Fribourg (in Switzerland) definitely adopted the propositions of Reclus explaining why its members were revolutionists, anarchists and collectivists; and it pronounced unanimously for the "collective appropriation of social riches, the abolition of the State under all its forms, for insurrectional and revolutionary action, and against the use of the ballot as a mis- chievous instrument incapable of realizing the sovereignty of the people." BREEDING REVOLUTION. The propaganda of revolution was carried on throughodt Europe with great vigor. In Russia it became allied with Nihil- ism, and everywhere it spread hatred of government and all political and economic authority. In Italy, France and Spain the movement was particularly vigorous, and Spain from the '70's had a strong influence in determining the orientation of the move- ment. But it was not until 1881 that the Spanish Federation for the first time positively shut out all the weak-kneed brethren who still clung to Socialist organizations and had not yet utterly broken with all organized society. The propaganda of irresponsible individualism, of violence and of unreasoning hatred for any one in executive place, were he a devil or an angel, was openly advocated at the Anarchist con- gress held at Barcelona in 1881. This Barcelona congress was the first exclusively Anarchist congress, since there — for the first time — was no question of fraternizing even with those extreme revolutionary Socialists that still admitted some principle of State authority. Whatever the Spanish Anarchists might have accomplished internationally, and there is no doubting their evil intentions, by 142 ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. the irony of fate it was in peaceful London that the definite organ- ization to carry out the philosophy of violence was put into effect. Ever since the early '6o's London had been the rendezvous of all European revolutionists and agitators. Marx, Bakunin, Stepniak, Aveling, Kropotkin had made it their headquarters, and now, at a critical moment in the history of anarchism an extremist came on the scene who believed in putting into effect all the dreams of Reclus, Proudhon, Kropotkin and others, after the revolutiouarj^ ideas of Bakunin. This man was Herr Johann Most, who had been expelled from Berlin in 1879, after Germany had begun to legislate against the Social-Democrats and all their ilk. Most soon took hold of the extremists of all nations then gathered in London and formed a secret "Propagandist Club," to carry on an international revolutionary agitation, and to prepare directly for the general revolution which Most thought was near at hand. For this pur- pose a committee was to be formed in every country in order to form groups after the Nihilist pattern, and at the proper time to take the lead of the movement. HUE AND CRY FOR " FREEDOM." The activity of all these national organizations was to be united in the Central Committee in London, which was an inter- national body. The organ of the organization was to be the " Freedom." The following of this new movement grew rapidly in every country, and already in 1881 a great demonstration of Most's ideas took place at the memorable International Revolu- tionary Congress in London, the holding of which was mainly due to the initiative of Most and the well-known Nihilist, Hartmaun. Already in April, 1881, a preliminary congress had been held in Paris, at which the procedure of the "Parliamentary Socialists" had been rejected, since only a social revolution was regarded as a remedy ; in the struggle against present da\^ societ}^ all and any means were looked upon as right and justifiable ; and in view of this, the distribution of leaflets, the sending of emissaries, and ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. 443 the use of explosives were recommended. A German living in London had proposed an amendment involving the forcible removal of all potentates after the manner of the assassination of the Russian Czar, but this was rejected as "at present not yet suitable." The congress following this preliminary one took place in London, on July 14 to 19, 1881, and was attended by about forty delegates, the representatives of several hundred groups. It announced its principles as follows : ANNIHILATION OF RULERS. "The revolutionaries of all countries are uniting into an ' International Social Revolutionary Working Men's Association,' for the purpose of a social revolution. The headquarters of the asso- ciation is at London, and sub-committees are formed in Paris, Geneva and New York. In every place where like minded sup- porters exist, sections and an executive committee of three persons are to be formed. The committees of a country are to keep up with one another, and, with the central committee, regular communication by means of continual reports and information, and have to collect money for the purchase of poison and weapons, as well as to find places suitable for la34ng mines, and so on. To attain the proposed end, the annihilation of all rulers, ministers of State, nobility, the clergy, the most promi- nent capitalists, and other exploiters, any means are permissible, and, therefore, great attention should be given specially to the . study of chemistry and the preparation of explosives, as being the most important weapons. Together with the chief committee in London, there will also be established an executive committee of international composition and an information bureau, whose dut}^ is to carry out the decisions of the chief committee and to conduct correspondence." This congress and the decisions passed thereat had very far- reaching and fateful consequences for the development of the anarchism of action. The executive committee set to work at once, and sought to carry out every point of the proposed pro- 444 ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. gram, but especially to utilize for purposes of demonstration and for feverish agitation every revolutionar}- movement of whatever origin or tendency it might be, whether proceeding from Russian Nihilism or Irish Fenianism. Kow successful their activit}' was, was proved onl}' too well b}' now unceasing outrages in every country. Most and Kropotkin were now apparentl}- agreed that the time had come for adding what is known as the '' propaganda of the deed " to words and writing. In fact Kropotkin, although to-day he poses as a philosophic Anarchist, had already, in 1879, advocated the doctrine of action in France, and it was after his incendiar}^ discourses at the London congress that he was expelled from Switzerland. Four years previously he had migrated from Russian nihilism to international anarchy and begun the publication of its first organ in company with Paul Brousse, another disciple of Bakunin, and now, strange to say, the mildest of Socialists. It was Prince Kropotkin who shortly afterward induced the members of the party to drop the word " Collectivist." TWO GROUPS. At a congress in Paris, also in the same 3'e«ir, the Anarchists were quite excluded from the company of the International Socialists, and from this time on the Anarchist and Socialist groups may be said to have become wholly distinct, while the Anarchists, themselves split up into two sections, the one led by men like Professor Reel us in P'rance and Prince Kropotkin, both said to be the wildest mannered of men who ever associated with bomb-throwers, and the other section led by men like Herr Most and Count Malatesta, Bakunin's great disciple, who believed in violence, and still believes in it, as was shown in an interview after the assassination of Humbert on July 27, 1900. Kropotkin at times, however, has urged insurrectionary movements, and his hands are not so free of blood as he claims. It was but natural that after all these 3'ears of revolutionarj- movements, actual and philosophical, that the era of violence should soon set in and it came in Italj-, Spain, German}' and ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. 445 Russia, in which, countries, during the latter part of the 70's several attempts to assassinate those in power were made, the effort in Russia culminating in the killing of the Czar Alex- ander II., in St. Petersburg, on March 13, 1881. From this time on the European governments realized that they were dealing w^ith a formidable enemy of modern society and most of the stricter monarchical governments made ever3- effort to stamp the organization out. The Anarchists, revolution- ary and philosophical, however, found an asylum in Switzerland and in Great Britain and in the United States and the plotting of the various groups went on without much interruption save in Russia, where the police ruled with an iron hand. INFAMOUS PLOTS. In the early 80' s the United States had been the rendezvous for a large number of German and Slavic, Russian, Poles and Swiss refugees driven out of Europe bj^ the repressive measures following hard upon the assassination of the Czar. These revo- lutionists settled down in New York and Chicago chiefly where they formed two large groups, devoted to plotting against the Government and any of its agents, and encouraging discontent. One of the most conspicuous of these agitators was Most, who came over in 1883, having found London too hot for him. He kept up a red-hot agitation and was fond of saying that the time had come for bullets and not for ballots. In Chicago the group grew very bold and when an effort was made to break up one of their meetings held in Haymarket Square, on May 4, 1886, at which they were proclaiming revolutionary doctrines, a bomb was thrown and seven policemen were killed, and a large number injured. Seven of the ring- leaders were arrested, tried and convicted and four were executed on November 11, 1887, two others being imprisoned for life, and the third sentenced to fifteen years in the penitentiary. This outbreak made a profound impression on the public mind and by reason of the summary execution and the general hostilit}^ the open avowal of anarch}^ was for the moment suppressedo 446 ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. But neither in this countr}^ nor in Europe was there an}^ real cessation in the movement and the revival of anarchistic attacks in France, culminating in the death of Carnot in ICS94, had been a marked feature of the latter part of 1893, when Paris was in a regular panic, owing to a number of bomb throwings, which French outbreaks had been the natural consequence of the upheaval in Spain, which had resulted in the Barcelona horror, when, on November 8, 1893, thirty people were killed and eighty injured by a bomb thrown by the Anarchists in the lyyceum Theater. This Barcelona attack had been preceded by an effort to kill General Campos on Septeml)er 24, 1S93, by a bomb, M'hile in Chicago a half-crazed man assassinated Mayor Carter H. Har- rison on October 28th. PARDON FOR ANARCHISTS. A maudlin sentiment had, however, developed in this country on the subject of anarchism, and this was taken advantage of by Governor Altgeld, of Illinois, who, on June 26, 1893, pardoned the three anarchists, Fielden, Schwab and Neebe, who were still serving out their terms for their complicity in the Haymarket murder of 1886. This action of the Governor of Illnois and the demagoguery of Populist orators so encouraged anarchy in this country that a convention of avowed anarchists was held during the World's Fair. Aftei the outbreaks of 1893, and the murder of Carnot, on June 24, 1894, there was a lull in anarchist activity until Senor Canovas del Castillo, the Premier of Spain, was assassinated by Golli, an Italian anarchist, on August 8, 1897. This was fol- lowed a year later by the brutal, wanton murder of the Empress Elizabeth, by Luccheni, also an Italian ; and this, after a two years' interval, by the murder of King Humbert, at ^lonza, Italy, by Angelo Bresci, an Italian, who had lived at Paterson, N. J., where the plot to kill the king was hatched. Although up to this time in most American communities the anarchists had been German or Slavic, the Italian groups were fast taking the lead in agitation, and the action of Bresci was the ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. 447 natural outgrowtli of the undisturbed existence of these groups in and about New York. The assassination of King Humbert warned all governments that the time had come to combine against the anarchists, but a year had not gone by before an Italian bo}^, named Sipido, tried to kill the then Prince of Wales while he was entering a railway car in Brussels, and the craze seemed to be unabated, the situ- ation thus developed at the beginning of the twentieth century forming a problem which Europe has tried to deal with collec- tively, but in vain, as all plans at concerted action have come to naught, though the view is gaining in Great Britain, as well as in the rest of Europe and in the United States, that something must be done to scotch those who boldly proclaim themselves, whether as dreamy philosophers or actual plotters, the enemies of all human society. FIRST MARTYRED PRESIDENT. The first time that the American people were called upon to mourn for an assassinated President was when Abraham Lincoln fell by a shot from John Wilkes Booth's pistol, in Ford's Theatre, at Washington, on the night of April 14, 1865. ^^^- Lincoln had attended a Cabinet meeting on that day, and in the evening, accompanied by Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Harris, of Albany, and her half-brother, Major Henry R. Rathbone, had gone to the theatre to witness the performance of "Our American Cousin." While the play was in progress a shot was heard, and a man was seen to jump from the President's box on to the stage, brandishing a pistol. Those who sat near the stage heard him shout in a theatrical manner, "Sic semper tyrannis — the South is avenged !" He rushed to the rear of the building, mounted a horse, which had been kept in waiting for him, and dashed away. The President was carried to a house opposite the theatre, where he passed away, surrounded b}^ his family, on the morning of April 15th. On the same night that he Avas shot by John Wilkes Booth, an assassin entered the room of William H. Seward, who lay ill 448 ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. abed, and stabbed him and wounded Secretary Seward's son, wlio attempted to stay his hand. The murder of Vice-President Johnson, Secretary Stanton and General Grant was contemplated by the conspirators, who succeeded only in assassinating the President. The assassin was tracked by a squadron of cavalrymen, and twelve days after the assassination he was found in a barn, where he had secreted himself, and from which he was taken after having been mortally wounded. The people in the Northern States at that time were rejoicing over the termination of hostili- ties with the South, peace seemed to be near at hand, families looked for the return of the men who had gone to the field in the service of their country, and every city, village and hamle^ was decorated with flags and bunting. FLAGS IN MOURNING. There were no orders issued to that effect, but by common consent edges of mourning were sewn around the flags, the streamers were covered with crepe, and within a few hours after the news of Lincoln's assassination had come nearly every house in the loyal States was draped in mourning. The body of the assassinated Piesident was taken to the Capitol on April 20th, and a great concourse of people viewed it before the funeral train started for Springfield. In every principal city along the line the train halted, and at Baltimore, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, New York, Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland and Chicago catafalques were erected, and weeping multitudes looked upon the face of the dead emancipator. The conspirators who were responsible for the assassination were tried by court martial at Washington, and four, namely, Payne, Harold, Azerodt and Mrs. Surratt, were hanged ; the stage carpenter at Ford's theatre who turned out the lights to facilitate the escape of Booth, the man who held his horse at the stage entrance, and Dr. Mudd, who set the limb which Booth broke in jumping from the box, were sent to prison for long terms. Andrew Johnson, the Vice-President, was sworn in as Presi- ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. 449 dent of the United States on the morning of April 15, a few min- utes after the President had passed away. The death of Abraham Lincoln wiped out party feeling in the Northern States to a great extent, and among the eulogies that were delivered some of the best were spoken by members of the Democratic party, who for 3^ears had opposed Mr. Lincoln and his policy. The only other occasion when the American people were called upon to mourn for an assassinated President was when General Garfield passed awaj- in consequence of the wounds inflicted on him by a crazy assassin. The President was leaving Washington, on July 2, 1881, on a trip through New England, having nothing specially in view beyond the commencement exercises of Williams Colletre Williamstown. He had had a season of more than ordinarily hard work and much vexation over a fight in the Republican party of the State of New York, which had originated through his appoint- ment of a Collector for the Port of New York. At a Cabinet meeting held July i, the day before his departure from Washing- ton, he told some of the members of the Cabinet that he looked forward with great pleasure to his coming vacation, that he needed rest, was going to take it, and not allow affairs of State to bother him. GARFIELD ASSASSINATED. As he was passing through the waiting room of the Baltimore and Patomac Railroad station, the next morning, leaning on the arm of Mr. Blaine, an assassin approached him and fired point blank upon the President. The first ball passed through his coat sleeve, whereupon the President half turned and received the second shot in the back. The bullet fractured a rib and lodged so deepl}' in the body that it could not be extracted at that time. The wounded President was carried back to the White House, where, for ten weeks, attended by the best medical skill available, and having all the comforts that love could procure, he lingered between life and death. His cheerfulness and fortitude awakened the sympathy and commanded the admiration of the whole world. Bulletins announcing his condition were published daily in 29 450 ORIGIN AM) RISK OF ANARCHISM. every cit}^ in the Uniou and in all the capitals of Europe. A day of national supplication was set apart while the President lingered at Washington, and it was sacredly observed. For a time his physicians were hopeful, and the bulletins for a period led the public to believe that the President would resume his duties, but when the torrid weather of midsummer came the patient failed perceptibl}-, and although it was done at great hazard, he was removed on September 6, 1881, by a special train to Elberon, N. J. The invigorating sea breezes seemed at first to have a bene- ficial effect, but on September 15 unmistakable S3'mptoms of blood poisoning were discovered, and on the nineteenth, after a few hours of unconsciousness, he died. Three da^-s later a special train, heavil}^ draped with emblems of mourning, passed through crowds of reverent spectators to Washington, and the body was placed in the rotunda of the Capitol, where it lay in state for two da3\s. HUNG FOR THE FOUL DEED. His murderer, Charles Jules Guiteau, who was caught as soon as he committed the crime, suffered the death penalt}^ in the jail in Washington after his trial and conviction. It was announced from Washington that active measures would be taken to stamp out anarchism, in which all civilized nations would be expected to join. The following is from a well- known newspaper correspondent : " As a result of the assassination of President IMcKinle}^, there will be a renewal of the international effort to' bring about the suppression of anarchists. The few diplouuits in Wash- ington were greatly shocked b}- the news from Buffalo, and there was a unanimous expression of the view that the several govern- ments should reach an international agreement to stamp out anarchy as swiftly as possible. " Minister Wu is the onl}^ diplomat of envo}^ rank in the cit}^ When I saw him to-night he expressed the utmost horror at the assault upon the President. ' It is a great calamity,' he said. ' I am shocked beyond expression by the news. What ORlCxIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. 451 could have prompted the purpose to kill such a good mau as Mr. McKinle}^, who has governed the countrj^ so wisely aud so well ? And, in any event, why should an attempt be made to assassinate a President of a republic when his term of oihce is for four years and his successor can then be lawfully and peacefully elected ? ' " I suggested to the Minister that the President's assailant proved to be an anarchist. " ' The anarchists should all be hanged,' he responded. ' They should not be allowed to commit such dastardly crimes. It is a shame, a shame. I cannot say how deepl}- grieved I am.' ' "The Chinese Minister was asked what would have been the procedure in his country. He answered with his usual promptness : "'We would give him the death of lin-chi. Do 3^ou know what that means ? His family and realtives would also be held to account for the education of such a monster. The crime, how- ever, would be impossible in my country. Besides a deep-rooted respect of the Emperor, there are sufficient guards, and promis- cuous receptions and handshakings are not tolerated ; but if by any possible chance such a criminal should arise, he would be condemned to the lin-chi and his relatives called to account.' A HORRIBLE DEATH. " The lin-chi is the death of a thousand cuts. The Minister says it is a statutory punishment for certain crimes so heinous that the imagination is appalled to contemplate them in the abstract. Among these are the murder of a father or mother. " Mr. Thomas Herron, the Columbian Charge d' Affaires, dwelt upon the President's character and acts' throughout the world. ' His benevolence of character robbed him of personal enemies,' Mr. Herron said. ' He is a great and good man, and Columbia will join the United Sates in the prayer for his recovery. Society should protect itself by taking measures for the suppression of anarchists. The tragedy at Buffalo may have the effect of bringing this about.' " Suppression of anarchists has engaged the attention of governments of Europe for years, but up to this time no con- 452 ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. certed action has been taken. The United States was invited several years ago to attend an anti-anarchistic conference, but declined the invitation, because it was unable to bind itself to observe any course of procedure that might be determined upon because of the safeguards thrown by the Constitution around personal liberty and personal rights. One of the great causes of complaint by Europe against the United States is the liberty with which anarchists can hatch their conspiracies in this countr}-. " Immediately after the assassination of King Humbert of Italy the Italian government made representations to the United States contemplating the punishment of all anarchists at Pater- son, N. J., who \vere involved in the crime. The evidence was furnished to the State Department, but the Federal government was unable to do more than refer the matter to the Governor of New Jersey, with the request that he make a thorough investiga- tion, and if the law could be applied to any persons suspected of complicit}' to begin the proper legal measures. ACCOMPLICES ESCAPED. " Insufficient evidence and the difficulty of finding a law to lit the charge of conspiracy against the life of a foreign sovereign permitted the escape of the accomplices of King Humbert's assas- sin. Italy was compelled to acquiesce in the failure of the United States to destroy what she was convinced was a nest of conspira- tors at Paterson, but naturally she was deepl}- exercised over what she regarded as the inexplicable attitude of the Washington government. " It is generally believed in diplomatic circles that the recall of Baron Fava, the Italian Ambassador, was the outgrowth of the American policy of non-action. Ital}' now will doubtless appre- ciate that the American government was as powerless to protect its own Chief Executive as it was to prevent a conspiracy against the life of her sovereign. It is l)elieved by the diplomats that Europe will consider the present moment opportune to revive the proposal of an international understanding for the suppres- sion of anarchists. ORIGIN AND RISE Of^ ANARCHISM. 453 " In official circles it is said that an amendment of some kind to the constitution would have to be made, as it was at pres- ent impossible to punish a man participating in a conspiracy against the life of a foreign sovereign. Until the authorization is therefore given to the Executive, it is likely that the State Department would be compelled to observe the precedent already established and decline the invitation tendered. " Senor Calvo, Minister from Costa Rica, expressed the greatest horror of the terrible outrage upon the President. ' Such things occurring in a free Republic are terrible,' he said. ' The crime itself is atrocious on all occasions, but when directed against the life of such a kindly and righteous President as Mr. McKin- ley it surpasses the utmost credulity.' SEDITIOUS PUBLICATIONS. " Mr. Calvo continued : ' I am surprised that the rigid postal laws of the United States should permit the circulation of sedi- tious matter. It is treason to counsel the destruction of the ruler of a country, yet these virulent anarchistic sheets must pass freely through the mails in order to be circulated. Your laws are properly stringent against publications or writings inciting fraud or immorality. No avowed anarchist should be permitted to receive or mail letters. His ebullitions should be confiscated wherever found. This is a matter of public safet}'.' " Kogoro Takahira, Minister from Japan, has returned to Washington deeply affected by the traged}-. He said : ' Nobody could expect that such a good President of the United States should become the victim of such an appalling and dastardly crime. It is hardly possible to express one's feelings on such an occasion, but we join the people of the United States in receiving the sad news with surprise and indignation, and our sincere and honest wishes are that he should recover speedily and perma- nently ; and in this statemen I am confident that I voice the sentiment of my government and my people throughout all Japan.' "Mr. Takahira further said that he would never forget the 454 ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. last da}^ he spent withthe President at Buffalo. When the party returned from Niagara the diplomats proceeded to their hotel. A friend at the Exposition grounds attempted to telephone him the sad news, but was unable to secure a wire which was not busy. He left the President in the highest spirits and expected to meet him that night at dinner at the house of Mrs. Williams. He was beginning his preparations for the dinner when the sad intelligence was communicated and he immediately hastened to the Milburn home to express his grief. He added that in his country such a crime was impossible." A metropolitan journal thus describes the situation, and does not take a hopeful view of our government being able to entirely stamp out anarchism. THE DREAM OF FOOLS. " It is needless," it says, " to waste time denouncing anarch- ism. All men who are not dreamers agree that societ}^ cannot exist without laws and officers to enforce them, and that every legitimate means should be used to check the spread of anarchism and put an end to the crimes of anarchists. If, however, anarchists go no further than holding a private opinion that the world can get along without laws, we have no possible legal ground for action against them, since they are guilt}^ niereh^ of folly. " The crimes of anarchists, therefore, may for practical purposes be divided into two classes — murderous assaults, like that upon President McKinle\-, and the instigation of such assaults. For dealing with these crimes the first legitimate means is the existing law ; the second, such amendments as are in accord with our Constitution and political traditions, and are capable of enforcement. " As for murder, we already have adequate laws. Death is a sufficient peualt3\ Furthermore, the case of the Chicago anarchists shows that those who incite to murder, even though they raay not strike the blov; themselves, may be convicted as accomplices before the fact. If the Penal Code of any State lacks ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. 455 such a provision as tliat under which the convictions were obtained in Illinois in 1886, an amendment is a comparatively easy matter. '' Every anarchist who plans such an assassination expects nothing but death. He hopes to siicceed, and he knows that in any event he is sure of capture. Even if we mark our horror of attacks upon the President by imposing the death penalty in every case, we shall merely satisfy our feelings, without making the least headway in checking the crime. " In regard to incendiary talk, we already have, in New York State at least, a law which has been invoked several times with salutary effect. Section 451 of the Penal Code, entitled 'Unlaw- ful Assemblages,' reads : THE LAW^ IN THE MATTER. '"Whenever three or more persons assemble with intent to commit au}^ unlawful act by force ; or assemble with intent to carry out any purpose in such a manner as to disturb the public peace ; or being assembled, attempt or threaten any act tending toward a breach of the peace, or any injury to person or property, or any unlawful act, such an assembly is unlawful, and every person participating therein by his presence, aid, or instigation is guilty of a misdemeanor. But this section shall not be so con- strued as to prevent the peaceable assembling of persons for law- ful purposes of protest or petition.' "According to the same code, a misdemeanor 'is punishable by imprisonment in a penitentiary or county jail for not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than $500, or by both.' Under this law, John j\Iost and Emma Goldman have served terms in the penitentiary. "One proposition, which has been urged by a Boston journal, is a general law to send the anarchist to the lunatic asylum, instead of to jail. If the anarchist really be a lunatic, there is no difficulty whatever about sending him to the asylum under the present law. If he be not mentall}^ diseased, no law to commit him to an asylum can be framed under which the editor of the 45»r: ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. Boston journal will be safe. A law which should declare Anar- chists, Communists, Christian Scientists, Populists, or any other class of citizens insane, could never be enacted except by a Legis- lature of lunatics. "The only possible change in the present law is to make the crime of incendiary talk a felony, rather than a misdemeanor — that is, make it punishable by long imprisonment or death. In the heat of the present excitement, the death penalty has been proposed for attempted assassination ; but public opinion, on sober second thought, M'ould reject such an amendment as likely to make martyrs of the anarchists, win S3'mpathy for them, and strengthen their cause, rather than weaken it. The plan of lengthening the term of imprisonment beyond a year is more feasible. REASONABLE SAFEGUARDS. "Even here, however, we run the risk of imposing too severe a penalty, and thus losing more than we gain. Such an amend- ment should not pass till the present excitement has subsided, the subject has been fully discussed, the experience of other countries carefully considered, and every safeguard provided for reasonable freedom of speech. With such precautions it might be well to allow the Judge to extend the sentence in atrocious cases. "Judicious enforcement of the present law, then, and an amendment declaring incendiary talk a felony instead of a mis- demeanor, really exhaust our resources in dealing with the offenses of anarchists who are already resident in the United States. The question of exclusion remains. "By the present law we prohibit the immigration to this country of ' persons who have been convicted of a felony or other infamous crime, or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.' An effort to close our doors to all anarchists meets with some of the same difficulties that attend a movement to visit au}- other pun- ishment on them as a class. One bill for this purpose has already- been abandoned in Congress as impracticable. We cannot exclude the ' philosophical ' anarchist, who holds his theor}- as a private ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. 457 Opinion, and abhors the use of force ; we cannot detect him, and, even if we could, he is not particularly dangerous. Then, too, we must bear in mind that his anarchism, fostered in many cases by Russian despotism, is likely to "be laid aside and forgotten when he breathes the free air of the republic. " Under the present law we can already keep out all who have been convicted of violence or of instigating it. The only class, therefore, for which we need a new law is made up of the instigators of violence, who have not been detected or captured in Europe. We can hardly go to the length of excluding them on mere hearsay or suspicion, but, if we want anything like legal evidence, we must maintain in Europe a detective and police force superior to that maintained by the European governments, which are more eager than ours to run down and convict an anarchist TRADITIONS OF A CENTURY. "Nor can we trample on our traditions of a century and a quarter by sending back men of high character and aims who are political refugees. In short, we shall find it beyond our power to do much more than enforce rigorously the present law." The method by which freedom of speech may be limited so that the preaching of anarchism shall be eifectuall}'^ repressed without endangering any legitimate right is a problem that now confronts the American people. In 1893 and 1894, France teemed with associations and clubs of anarchists of the most dangerous type. Bombs were being thrown about in public places, and the disorder finally resulted in the stabbing of President Sadi-Carnot while riding in his carriage at the exposition in Lyons. The French Parliament promptl}^ took the whole subject under advisement and passed a series of laws which have been in a high degree effectual in breaking up anarchist organizations all over the republic. These laws in the main are three in number. The first, enacted on December 12, 1893, had for its purpose a modification of the libel laws so that exceptional penalties could be enforced against the publishers of anarchistic papers. 458 ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. The second, passed December i8, 1893, made it a punisliable offense to belong to anarchistic associations and clubs, and the third, passed July 28, 1894, just after Sadi-Carnof s assassination, carried the principle still farther, increased the penalties and pre- scribed changes in legal process calculated to make conviction more speedy and certain. As a result of this legislation danger- ous groups have been dissolved in France, newspapers have been suppressed, club rooms have been abandoned and libraries have been dispersed. THE FRENCH LAW, Summarizing this legislation, we can very soon find lines along which to frame laws against the anarchists in this countr}-. The French law creates three distinct classes of crime — "provo- cation," " apologie " and "excitation" of soldiers to disobedience of their superior officers. While the last of these deeply concerns a country in which military conscription is universal, it can play but small part with us, and there remain, therefore, the two crimes of " provocation " and "apologie," that is, incitement to crime (murder or destruction of property) b}' the spread of anarchistic teachings and the justification or glorification of crimes of anarchists by anarchists. " Apologie," while it used to be a punishable offense in France, was abandoned many 5''ears ago. " It was not suspected then," says M. Loubat in his admirable work on the French laws against anarchists, " that a diabolical sect would arise to glorify assassination, incendiarism and destruction and make saints and heroes of abominable bandits." At the death of Sadi-Carnot the crime had to be revived for the anarchists, and many of them have been punished in France for the exaltation of the authors of foul deeds. The French penalties are sufficiently severe to potently deter the spread of anarchistic doctrine. If either of the two crimes of " provocation " or " apologie " is committed through the press the punishment is imprisonment for from one to five 3'ears and the payment of a fine of from 100 to 3,000 francs, together with cou- ORIGIN AND RISE OF ANARCHISM. 459 fiscation of all outstanding copies of tlie publication. If it is com- mitted in a more private way the penalties are only slightly modified. The act of incitement or exaltation is punishable, even if only one person be present, and whether by speech, by printed paper, b}' writing, cartoon, placard, song, cry (such as "Hurrah for anarchy") or by any other means, the crime is the same. If the sentence pronounced is for more than one j^ear or if the prisoner has been before convicted of a like offense at any time within ten years the law prescribes an additional penalty of exile. The publication of a report of anarchist trials in the courts is pro- hibited under heavy penalties. Every member of an anarchistic organization formed to advocate attacks on life and property may be imprisoned and banished by the French law and the meet- ing places of the organization closed up. Those who lease build- ings to such societies are made accessories to the crime. It is along these lines that we must shape anti-anarchist legislation in this country, and we should begin the work at once. There are bands of these social brigands in each large American city. We owe it to ourselves to uproot these pernicious gangs, which, whatever else they have done, have produced in a short time the murderers of the heads of two great governments, Presi- dent McKinley and King Humbert. It is no infringement of au}^ valuable American liberty to suppress their newspapers, dissolve their clubs and close up their meeting places. These results can be attained here as well as in France, and by a very similar system of legal procedure. CHAPTER XXIV Trial and Conviction of the Assassin — Remarkable Scenes in Court— Counsel Laments the President's Death — Sen- tence of Death Pronounced. THE assassin of President McKinley was convicted of murder in the first degree at 4.26 o'clock in the afternoon of Sep- tember 24th. Less than three hours of trial was required to hurry him to his doom, so that this will probably rank as the quickest capital case in the criminal annals of America. Virtually nothing was done beyond the narration of the established facts of the killing. What was termed defense con- sisted merely in admonition to the jury to gravely consider whether or not the assassin was laboring under mental aberra- tion, but no witnesses were called, and the address of counsel was, in all effect, a plea for the prosecution. The jury was away from the court room exactly thirty-five minutes, but only from a sense of the decencies of legal proce- dure. They were unanimous in their finding before they left the box, and spent not a moment in deliberation. Says an eye-witness of the trial : " Almost at the very moment that the last dramatic episode was acting to-day, the father, brother and sister of the assassin arrived from Cleveland. They are Paul, Waldcck and Victoria Czolgosz. Their avowed purpose was to aid in the speedy pun- ishment of the murderer of whom they speak in terms of loathing, but they were nevertheless taken into custody as a measure of precaution, and Czolgosz does not know they are in the city. Even if he knew he probably would not care. " The fellow is thoroughly callous. Resigned to the inevi- table consequences of his crime from the very moment of its inception, he is evidently empty of all human feeling. Neither hoping nor wishing for compassion, he rejected the creeds of God 460 CONVICTION AND SENTENCE OF THE ASSASSIN. 4G1 and man and the ties of blood and friendship at the same time, and, with the abject indifference of an animal, has ever since looked forward only to the verdict of the darkness and the silence that awaits him. "So much became clear in to-day's testimon3^, which revealed many new details, and awful corroboration was given to it in the aspect and bearing of the creature at the most desperate moment that well can fall to human kind. Not the tremor of a lash ruffled his stolidity when the words 'of doom were uttered. His fixed, abstracted gaze never stirred. He was still stone and iron, unrelenting, remorseless and heedless. " It was only twenty minutes to lo o'clock when the detec- tives brought him into court this morning. When they unshackled his hands he passed them carelessl}^ over his thick damp locks. Then he crossed his legs, tapped a tattoo on the arm of his chair for a moment, and settled into the immovable attitude which has marked him throughout. BEGAN TO CARE FOR HIS APPEARANCE. " He did not sleep well last night, his wardens said, but ate his breakfast this morning with relish, consuming chops, eggs, rolls and three cups of coffee. He displayed some vanity about his appearance, too, insisting on straightening his hair with his fingers and smoothing the wrinkles in his clothes." By lo o'clock Justice White was on the bench, the lawyers in their places, and the hearing of evidence again in swift prog- ress. Mr. Mann was recalled and gave some very interesting medical testimony. Judge Lewis cross-examined. First he asked : " How do you guard against the invasion of germs in the wound ? " " By being very careful in the treatment," said the doctor. "When was the condition found at the autops}^ to be expected from the wounds the President received?" " It was not expected, and was very unusual. I never before saw anything just like it." 462 CONVICTION AND SENTENCE OF THE ASSASSIN. " Were there any indications that the President was not in good phj'sical condition ? " ''The President was not in perfect condition. He had been somewhat weakened b}^ hard work and lack of exercise." District Attornej^ Penn}?- then asked : " From 3'our knowledge and histor\^ of the case was there an3^thing known to medical or surgical science which could have saved the life of the President ? '* '* There was not." Lewis Iv. Babcock, who was a member of the ceremonies committee on President's da}', and Edward Rice, chairman of that committee, then gave their eye-v/itness versions of the shooting. Both were within a few feet of the President at the time. Mr. Rice's narration was ver}' graphic. A ZEALOUS STUDENT OF ANARCHISM. The next witness gave the first circumstantial stor}- of the confession alleged to have been made bj^ Czolgosz on the night of his arrest. He was James L. Quackenbush, also a member of the ceremonial committee. He said : " I accompanied District Attorney Penn}' to police headquar- ters, arriving there between lo and ii o'clock. Upon reaching there we went to Chief Bull's office. Defendant was at a table in his office. Detectives Gear}^ and Solomon, Inspector Donovan, Chief Bull, Mr. Haller, Mr. Storr and Frank T. Haggerty were present, and at intervals Mr. Ireland, m3^self and Mr. Cusack. Mr. Penn}' immediately began to talk to the defendant about what he had done. " Then the defendant replied that he had killed the Presi- dent because he thought it was his dut}-. He said he understood the consequences, and was willing to take chances. " He illustrated with a handkerchief the wa^^ he had done it. He said he went to the Falls the da}' before to kill the Presi- dent, but was not able to get near enough. He added that he went to the Temple of Music for tlie purpose of killing the President, having his hand with the revolver in his right-hand CONVICTION AND SENTENCE OF THE ASSASSIN, 463 pocket. He stood in the crowd, but said that wheu he got in the line he put the hand against his stomach. Had he not been stopped he would have fired more shots. " He said he had been thinking about killing the President for three or four daj'-s. He had definitely determined to kill the President the day before." /' Did he say why ? " asked the District Attorney. " Yes ; he said that he did not believe in the government ; that President McKinley was a tyrant, and should be removed. When he saw the President in the grounds, with the crowds struggling to get near him, he said he did not believe that any one man should receive such service, while all others regarded it as a privilege to render it." *' Did he say where he had learned such theories ? " "THOUGHT IT WAS HIS DUTY." '' He said he had been studying those doctrines for several ' years ; that he did not believe in government, the church, or the marriage relation. He gave names of several papers he had read, one of the Free Society, and mentioned places in Ohio where he had heard these subjects discussed." This was the first ofiicial mention of the anarch}^ plea stor}-, and it was apparent on cross-examination that Judge Titus was skeptical about it. " Were these statements made," he asked, "in response to suggestions from the officials or voluntarily ? " "At first," answered the witness, "in response to questions. Afterward he talked in a conversational way, and did not decline to answer anything." "Was he excited?" "I should say he was disturbed, but not mentall3^ His face hurt him where he had been struck, but he talked naturally. I asked him to write a brief statement for publication, and he started to, but his hand shook so, he dictated the follow- ing : " 'I killed President McKinle}^ because I believed it to be my -164 CONVICTION AND SENTENCE OF THE ASSASSIN. duty. I don't believe one man sliould have so much service and another man should have none.' " District Attorney Penney then interpolated : "You made a statement that he said he was an anarchist ; is that right ? " " I didn't make it so strong as that. He said he didn't believe in rulers, and had done his duty." The District Attorney used the word several times in ques- tioning him, and the substance of his answers was that he did all the theorizing on the matter for himself "During this line of testimony Czolgosz, without shifting his position, allowed his head to incline until it almost touched his left shoulder, but he did not raise his eyes, and once or twice dropped into a little doze. He was so absolutely unconcerned that he did not appear to be even listening to the testimony. THE ASSASSIN THROTTLED. With the calling of the Secret Service operatives the amu» ing little rivalry as to who first attacked the assassin after the shooting came up. Albert Gallagher, of the Chicago office, said that he j umped toward Czolgosz and was borne down in the crowd. The revolver was knocked from the assassin's hand and somebody else got it, but he got the handkerchief He took this from his pocketbook and displayed it. It was a dirty rag, with two holes made by the bullets, and it was not a woman's handkerchief, as some imagina- tive stories have said. George K. Foster, the Washington Secret Service man, said : " I saw this man here (pointing to the assassin) put his hands together with a clap, and simultaneously I heard two reports. " I grabbed this man here (again pointing to Czolgosz ), and just then some one gave him a shove from the other side. We went down to the floor. I tried to get a crack at him as he went down, but could not. I saw Gallagher and yelled : ' Al, get the gun ! get the gun ! Al, get the gun !' " CONVICTION AND SENTENCE OF THE ASSASSIN. 465 Judge Titus took up the cross-examinatiou. "Were you observing the people in the line to see if they were armed ?" "I was trying to," "Didn't you see this man with his arm across his breast?" " No ; they were passing too close together." "The line passed right in front of you, and this man had his arm up with a white handkerchief wound round his hand, and yet you could not see it ?" " I didn't see it and I was looking," answered Foster. POLICE SUPERINTENDENT TESTIFIES. The testimony of the afternoon session was largely corrobo- rative of what had gone before. Superintendent Bull, of the local police, reiterated the story of the confession, and added that of the visit of Walter Nowak, of Cleveland, to Czolgosz the morning after the shooting. He said : " On Saturday morning Nowak was brought into the Super- intendent's office and immediately recognized Czolgosz. Nowak said that he knew him in Cleveland. He said to Czolgosz : ' You know me, Czolgosz. I have always been a good friend of yours. Why did 3^ou commit this crime — this crime which will bring disgrace on the whole Polish race — this crime which will bring disgrace on your father and family ?' " Czolgosz only smiled, and said that Nowak was not a par- ticular friend." "He was asked if he wanted to see a lawyer, and he said he did not because he did not need one. He also said he had no friends, and did not care to see his father and mother." At the end of this testimony District Attorney Penney rested for the people, and amid profound silence Judge Lewis arose to open the defense. He began by explaining the position of himself and his colleague, and almost entreated that the legal necessity of it be understood. As he went on to discuss the case his voice trembled and he almost wept. "That, gentlemen, is about all I have to say. Our Presideiit 30 466 CONVICTION AND SENTENCE OF THE ASSASSIN. was a grand man. I watched his career for twenty 3'ears, and alwa3's had the profoundest esteem for him. He was a tender and devoted hnsband, a man of finest character, and his death is the saddest blow I have ever known." He concluded abruptly, sank into his chair, and pressed a handkerchief to his e3^es. It was the strangest plea for a murderer ever heard. Judge Titus then arose. '' The remarks of m}'' associate," he said, " so completely cover the ground that it is not necessary for me to add anything." SENTENCED TO DEATH. This sudden action on the face of the expectation of expert testimony on insanit}^ was a great surprise, and a buzz of talk followed. Silence fell again when District Attorney Penne}^ arose for the last speech. It was brief, but full of feeling. He dwelt upon the entire certainty of the people's case and the utter absence of defense and urged that just as a defendant must be presumed innocent until proved guilt}^, so he must be presumed sane until proved otherwise. Apart from that argument the Prosecutor spoke of the horror of the crime and the eminent virtues of the mart3'r in such a strain of simple eloquence that men and women wept alike. Czolgosz never moved a muscle. It was 3.25 o'clock when Judge White charged the jury. He, too, paid tender tribute to the niemor}^ of the dead man and then instructed the jury in the legal requirements of the cit}'. They retired at 3.51, and thirty-five minutes later brought in a verdict of murder in the first degree. On September 26th, Leon Czolgosz was sentenced to die dur- ing the week beginning October 2Sth. The sentence was pro- nounced b}' Justice White before whom the murderer was tried. The assassin showed signs of fear as the voice of the Judge pro- nounced his doom. During the night following, guarded b}^ near- \y a score of deput}^ sheriffs, he was removed to Auburn Peniten- tiary. He collapsed on arriving at the prison, said he was sorr\' for his deed and expressed sympath}' for* Mrs. McKinley. CHAPTER XXV. Our New President — Hon. Theodore Roosevelt Hurries to Buffalo on Receiving News of Mr. McKinley's Death — Sworn in as President with Impressive Ceremony — Pathetic Scene— His First Of^cial Act. WHEN our inart3^red President breathed his last, Vice-Presi- dent Roosevelt was far up in the Adirondack Mounains of northern New York, A few hours later his private secretary'' gave out the following statement : " The Vice-President wishes it understood that when he left the Tahawus Club house yesterday morning, (September 13th) to go on his hunting trip into the mountains, he had just received a dispatch from Buffalo stating that President McKiuley was in splendid condition and was not in the slightest danger." Having been summoned to return instantly to Buffalo, Mr. Roosevelt was wildl}' careering over the mountain passes of the Adirondacks in a swinging, bouncing buckboard when President McKinley expired, and he became in fact the President of the United States. He thought he was racing with death, but death had alread}^ won. He was on the last relay before reaching Aden Alair, and Orrin Kellogg, one of the surest drivers in the North Woods, was urging his two bronchos to do their best up the wind- ing inclines and down again. It was at Aden Alair that " Mike " Cronin took the impatient Vice-President in charge and at the same time earned for himself eternal fame as the most level headed and uncommunicative per- son the world ever saw. In his pocket there reposed a telegram, conveyed b}' telephone and written down, addressed to Mr. Roose- velt. He knew it contained the fateful news from Buffalo. He noted Mr. Roosevelt's increasing nervousness and thought it the part of discretion and wisdom to deliver the telegram at the 467 468 ' OUR NEW PRESIDENT. other end of the twent}^ mile route. Mr. Roosevelt was in abso- lute ignorance of the termination of the fatal traged}- at Buffalo, and the astute driver thought it best not to increase his impatience or further try his nerves. So, for a score of long, tortuous miles he griml}^ sat alongside his lone, but distinguished passenger, keeping as tight a grip on his secret as he did on his reins. This is Secretar}^ Hay's official notification to ^Ir. Roosevelt, sent before dajdight in the morning, and which "Mike" Cronin, the driver, did not deliver until the perilous ride over the Adirondacks was over : — " Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, North Creek, N. Y. "The President died at 2:15 this morning. "John Hay, Secretary of State." DASH DO'WN THE MOUNTAIN ROADS. But the story of the dash down the rocky mountain roads is best told by " Mike" Cronin himself. First, he must be described. He is the landlord of the Aden Lair Lodge. In the sturdy- man- hood of the thirties, he is the perfect type of the hard}' moun- taineer, rugged and strong, with the eagle's eye and the bulldog's nerve and tenacity. He is just the man to guide the chariot of the hills, the vehicle that flies, the buckboard. When the Vice- President jumped out of the Kellogg buckboard, Cronin was ready. Two horses, just as impatient as the man they were to haul, had long been hitched and standing alongside the road. A lantern was suspended over the dashboard. Its flickering light only made the driving reins more clearly visible. The black night it made blacker. But this is the way the Sp3'hnx of the Mountains tells it: — " I received notice at noon, over the telephone, to have every- thing ready for quick work, aud that is just exactl}' what I did, and I was soon ready to start at an}- moment Mr. Roosevelt might ' reach Aden Lair. I had a span of blacks — fast steppers — hooked up, and, Avhat was still better than their speed, they knew the road as Avell as I did myself, haviug made the trip from three to OUR NEW PRESIDExNT. 409 six times a week all summer. I had expected Mr. Roosevelt along several hours sooner— as he might have been had it not been for the careless bungling in getting word to him. He ought to have been hustled along faster, too. " My ! I made the last sixteen miles in one hour and forty- tliree minutes. It was the darkest night I ever saw. I could not even see my horses, except the spots where the flickering lantern light fell on them. This time beat the best record ever made before by a quarter of an hour, and that record I had made myself, with a two-seater, in daylight. " While I was watching for Mr. Roosevelt I was fooled several times. There was a dance at a road house, three miles from my place, and after midnight the crowd was driving home — a regular stream coming, with lights in their wagons— and I kept thinking each one was Mr. Roosevelt. There was a rainy mist, or a misty rain, and this made the night, already very dark, perfectly black. ROOSEVELT'S REMARKABLE NERVE. " Mr. Roosevelt is the nerviest man I ever saw, and I ain't easily scared myself At one place, while we M-ere going down a slippery hill, one of the horses stumbled. It was a ticklish bit of road, and I was beginning to get somewhat uneasy and began holding the team back, but Mr. Roosevelt said : ' Oh, that don't matter. Push ahead ! ' " At another place we were going around a curve on a dugout — which, you know, is a piece of road cut in a steep hillside. It was a dangerous place, for if we had been upset we would have been pitched headlong down sevent^^-five or a hundred feet. I told Mr. Roosevelt the danger as we drew near this risky spot, and suggested that I should slow up until we struck a better road. He replied : ' Not at all ; push ahead. If you are not afraid I am not. Push ahead ! ' And so we did. Luckih' we had a clear road, and did not meet a single team through the whole drive. . " Did the President talk much ? Very little about the situa- tion. Most of the time he seemed to be in deep thought and verj^ sad. About all the words he spoke were 'Keep up the pace.' He 470 OUR NEW PRESIDENT. held his watch in his hand all the while, and kept continually asking how far we had come or how far we still had to go. Until he got to Aden Lair he had carried a lantern in his har^d, and he offered to do the same with me, but I told him it would be onh- a bother. I tell you, Mr. Roosevelt is a nervy man. I shall never drive over that dark road again without seeming to hear him sa}', 'Push along ! Hurry up! Go faster !' " That is the simple tale of a ride that is destined to be historic. ANXIOUSLY AWAITING HIS ARRIVAL. During the time that " Mike " Cronin was swinging through mountain defiles the little group of watchers at the North Creek station grew more anxious, as further news from the on-fl^-ing President was now shut off. Eagerly they watched the waves of light creep up the eastern sky, and guesses were made as to the probable hour of arrival, but they all proved at least an hour too late, for '' Mike '' Cronin is a veritable Jehu, and the Presi- dent's eager anxiety caused a quick and tireless response. Some of the villagers began to stir about, and each one of those who had kept vigil through the night stood with eyes strained upon the turn in the road where the President was soon to appear. At length, with a simultaneous cry of " There he comes!'' the blacks swept in sight and fairly flew to the platform steps. With one bound Mr. Roosevelt was on the ground. With another he was on the platform receiving the greetings of his private secre- tary, Loeb, who, in low and hurried tones gave him his first news of President McKinley's death. The anxious face at once grew grave and sad. Then he gave the correspondent in waiting a cordial hand grasp. Another handshake with Station Agent Campbell and he rushed into his private car. Superintendent Hammond waved his hand for the start and followed his distinguished guest. Secretary Loeb and the con- ductor also stepped aboard. Nobody else was allowed on the train. The veteran engine driver pulled the throttle, and the party vanished in the mist rising from the Hudson, here a mere ribbon of silver shining in the growing light. OUR NEW PRESIDENT„ 471 Swiftly tliey flew along the bank of this classic stream, banks of vapor still sleeping in the lowlands, and the far snmmits of the green sloped mountains glowing in the beams of the morning sun, still concealed behind them. On they sped, never pausing at the villages still wrapped in slumber, past Luzerne, Corinth, Saratoga, without rest, until Albany was reached, the great dome of its towering capitol doubtless calling up strange dreams and memories in the mind of the nation's new Chief Magistrate. The coming of the new President at Buffalo, the incidents that filled his life between i o'clock in the afternoon and the time he retired, were of the most momentous and impressive character. A special train whirled him from the wilderness of the Adirondacks to tho deathbed of the President within the short space of nine hours. The train consisted of an engine and two cars, and was drawn up at the platform at North Creek, on the eastern slope of Adirondack range, at 5 o'clock in the morning. THE LIGHTNING TRAIN. As soon as Mr. Roosevelt was aboard, the engineer, with instructions to make the run of his life to Albany, pulled the throttle wide open and the train sprang out of the dawn into a stretch of track 104 miles long. j\Ir. Roosevelt's only traveling companion was his secretary, Mr. Loeb. Albany was reached at 8.04 o'clock. With a pause only long enough to change engines the special pulled out of the Albany depot at lightning speed. The curtains of his car were drawn. No railroad train ever made the .ime between Albany and Syracuse that the Roosevelt special did. Syracuse was reached at 10 o'clock. The special sped through Rochester and passed a crowd of nearly 50,000 people, at 12.08. At 1.38 o'clock it pulled into the Buffalo depot, having broken every record for a run between Albau}- and that cit\^ General Roe and Mr. Wilcox were waiting for the Vice- President, who stepped briskly from the train. He clutched the arm of Mr. Wilcox and was guided through the crowd of 3000 people out of the depot to the sidewalk, where a closed carriage 472 OUR XKW PRESIDENT. was awaiting Him. On the box of the carriage was a coachrnan in blue and white livery. As the Vice-President and his companions came out of the depot three men sprang alertly to their sides. The}- were secret service detectives, instructed not to be five feet from the Vice- President until further orders. As soon as the Vice-President, Secretary- of War and ^^Ir. Wilcox had entered the carriage, the door v/as slammed and it dashed through the crowd. Ten feet behind it was another carriage, containing the three secret service men. On either side of it Avere two mounted policemen. Following the carriage containing the detectives was a detail of the signal corps of tbe National Guard, brilliant in trappings of blue and gold, mounted on spirited horses and with sabres and chains clanking in accompaniment to the hoof beats of the horses. THROUGH THE SILENT THRONG. The cavalcade swept through Exchange Place into ]\Iain street, which was choked with people. There were no cheers, no swinging of hats or waving of handkerchiefs. The Vice-President was engaged in earnest conversation with ^Ir. Wilcox. As the carriage drew up in front of the Wilcox residence, on Delaware avenue, there were 5000 people gathered at the inter- section of Allen and North streets." In the house President Roosevelt found waiting for him Mr. ]\Iilburn, Mr. Scatcherd, Secretary of War Root, Secretary Long and Postmaster-General Smith. He changed his clothing and partook of a light luncheon. When he came to resume his headgear he discovered that he had not brought a silk hat with him, so Mr. Scatcherd) whose head is the same size as that of Mr. Roosevelt, sent to his house for one. The President wore that throughout the day. Ten minutes later he entered his carriage to go to the Milburn house. As Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Wilcox stepped into the carriage Mr. Roosevelt discovered that the signal corps was drawn up on either side of the street, forming a cordon through which his carriage was to pass. OUR NEW PRESIDENT. 473 The Vice-President hesitated a minute and then got into the carriage, but as the militia started to follow he leaned out of the window and said something to the coachman. The coachman pulled up his horses. The Vice-President turned, and, discerning Lieutenant Colonel Chapin, who had been detailed to provide a military escort for him, signalled for him to come up. The Vice- President leaned far out of the carriage and said, with manifest displeasure : '^ Colonel, tell your men that I don't want any escort, I only needed two men — two policemen will do. I desire the military escort to remain here." " All right, Mr. President," said Colonel Chapin, saluting. " Go on," said the Vice-President to the coachman of his carriage. The coachman whipped up his horses. The carriage had proceeded about twenty feet when the Vice-President leaned out of the window again. His attention had been attracted by the rattle of hoofs following him. He thought the militia was dis- obeying orders. He discovered it was a detail of mounted police that had been furnished by the city. DOES NOT WANT ANY ESCORT. " Hold on," he called to his coachman. Then, turning to the sergeant, riding at the head of the police detail, he said : "Sergeant, I do not want any escort to the Milburn house. Tell your men to stay here." The sergeant saluted and held his men back. "Go on," said the Vice-President. The policemen turned back, and the carriage, followed by another vehicle containing the Secret Service detectives, dashed up the avenue, which was lined deep with people. As the Vice-President alighted from the car- riage at the Milburn mansion a dozen photographers aimed their cameras at him, but he threw his arm up to prevent them catching his face. The President after the meeting of the Cabinet saw a few personal friends and then putting on his hat said to Secretary Root : " Let us take a little walk ; it will do us both good." Sec- retary Root assented and they walked out on the porch. 474 OUR NEW PRESIDENT. His host, Mr. Ausle}- Wilcox said : "Shan't I go along with you ? " He replied, " No, I am going to take a short walk up the street with Secretary Root and will return again." When he got down to the foot of the walk a couple of policemen and a couple of detectives in citizens' clothes started to follow him. He turned and told his secretary to tell them that he did not desire any protection. " I do not want to estalish the precedent of going about guarded," The policemen and detectives touched their hats, but before he had gone a hundred yards two of them were walking just behind him and two of them were following him on the other side of the street. The two distinguished men attracted but little attention until the}- got near the police lines on Dela- ware avenue, when, as the President stopped to shake hands and say good-bj-e to Secretar}- Root, some of the crowd recognized him and he was surrounded. The police drove the crowd back and the President, when he found that he could not help attracting atten- tion, said good-b3'e to Secretary Root and returned to the house alone. MR. ROOSEVELT TAKES THE OATH OF OFFICE. Hon. Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as President of the United States at 3.36 o'clock on the afternoon of Saturday, Sep- tember 14th. Standing in a low-ceiled, narrow room in the quaint old mansion occupied by Ansley Wilcox, in the fashionable part of Delaware avenue, the aristocratic thoroughfare of Buffalo, Mr. Roosevelt swore to administer the laws of the Government of which he is now the head. He stood erect, holding his right hand high above his head. His massive shoulders were thrown Avell back, as, with his head inclined a little forward, he repeated the form of the oath of office in clear, distinct tones, that fell impressivel}' upon the ears of the fortj'-three persons grouped about the room. His face was a stud\' in earnestness and determination, as he ^ uttered the words which made him President of the United States. His face was mucli paler than it was wont to be, and his eyes, though bright and steady, gleamed mistily through his big-bowed OUR NEW PRESIDENT. 475 gold spectacles. His attire was sombre and modest. A well-fit- ting worsted frock coat draped his athletic figure almost to the knees. His trousers were dark gray, with pinstripes. A thin skein of golden chain looped from the two lower pockets of his waistcoat. While he was waiting for the ceremony he toyed with this chain with his right hand. The place selected for the ceremony of taking the oath was the library of Mr. Wilcox's house, a rather small room, but pic- turesque, the heavy oak trimmings and the massive bookcases giving it somewhat the appearance of a legal den. -A prett}^ bay window with stained glass and heav}^ hangings formed a back- ground, and against this the President took his position. Judge Hazel stood near the President in the baj^ window, and the latter showed his extreme nervousness by plucking at the lapel of his long frock coat and nervously tapping the hardwood floor with his heel. He stepped over once to Secretar}^ Root, and for about five minutes they conversed earnestly. The question at issue was whether the President should first sign an oath of office and then swear in or whether he should swear in first and sign the document in the case after. SECRETARY ROOT BREAKS DOWN. At precisely 3.32 o'clock Secretary Root ceased his conver- sation with the President, and, stepping back, while an absolute hush fell upon every one in the room, said in an almost inaudible voice : "Mr. Vice-President, I " Then his voice broke, and for fully two minutes the tears came down his face and his lips quivered, so that he could not continue his utterances. There were sympathetic tears from those about him, and two great drops ran down either cheek of the successor of William McKinley. Mr. Root's chin was on his breast. Suddenly throw- ing back his head, as if with an effort, he continued in broken voice : " I have been requested, on behalf of the Cabinet of the late President, at least those who are present in Buffalo, all except 476 OUR NEW PRESIDENT. two, to request that for reasons of weight affcctiug the affairs of government, 3'ou should proceed to take the constitutioual oath of ofBce of President of the United States." Judge Hazel had stepped to the rear of the Piesident, and Mr. Roosevelt, coming closer to Secretary Root, said, in a voice that at first wavered, but finally came deep and strong, while, as if to control his nervousness, he held firmly to the lapel of his coat with his right hand : "I shall take the oath at once in accordance with your I'e- quest, and in'this hour of deep and terrible national bereavement I wish to state that it shall be my aim to continue absolute!}' unbroken the policy of President IMcKinlc}- for the peace and prosperity and honor of our beloved country." A HUSH LIKE THAT OF DEATH. The President stepped farther into the bay window, and Judge Hazel, taking up the constitutional oath of office, which had been prepared on parchment, asked the President to raise his right hand and repeat it after him. There was a hush like death in the room as the Judge read a few words at a time, and the Presi- dent, in a strong voice and without a tremor, and with his raised hand as steady as if carved from marble, repeated it after him. "And thus I swear," he ended it. The hand dropped by the side, the chin for an instant rested on the breast, and the silence remained unbroken for a couple of minutes, as though the new President of the United States was offering silent pra3'er. Judge Hazel broke the silence, saying: "Mr. President, please attach 3^our signature." And the President, turning to a small table near-by, wrote " Theodore Roosevelt " at the bottom of the document in a firm hand. " I should like to see the members of the Cabinet a few moments after the others retire," said the President, and this was the signal for the score of the people, who had been favored by witnessing the ceremou}-, to retire. As they turned to go the President said : " I will shake OUR NEW PRESIDP:NT. 477 Tiands witli you people, gladly," and, with something of his old smile returning, he first shook hands with the members of the Cabinet present, then Senator Depew and finally with a few guests and newspaper men. Those present in the room were Secretar}- of the Navy Long, Secretarjr of Agriculture Wilson, Secretar}^ of the Interior Hitch- cock, Ansley Wilcox, his personal friend ; William Loeb, private secretary of Mr. Roosevelt ; Secretary of War Root, Post- master General Smith, Senator Depew, Dr. Mann and Dr. Stock- ton and twenty-four representatives of American and English ncAvspapers, who had been invited by Mr. Roosevelt to witness the ceremony. In a doorway stood Mrs. Wilcox, Miss Wilcox, Mrs. John G. Milburn, Mrs. Carlton Sprague, Mrs. Dr. Mann and Mrs. Charles Carrey. INTIMATE FRIEND OF THE DEAD RULER. The first man to enter the house after the ceremou}^ attracted almost as much attention as the new President. It was Senator Mark Hanna, the most intimate friend of the dead ruler. The meeting between Senator Hanna and the new President was cordial, though naturally solemn. The Senator did not look well, his face was pale and furrowed with gray lines. His eyes lacked the steady gleam which politicians have known for many j^ears. He leaned heavily on a stout cane. President Roosevelt descried Mr. Hanna before he had mounted the steps of the house. He came alertly and expec- tantly through the crowd of well wishers surrounding him and held out both hands. " How do you do, Senator, I am glad to see you," he said, in tones rather modified from his usual resonant enunciation. The lifelong friend of the dead President had his soft gra}^ slouch hat in his right hand. He transferred it to his left, which held his cane, and holding out his right hand, he looked steadily at the new national chieftain. " Mr. President," he said, and those who were standing within a few feet thought they detected a quaver in his voice. " Mr. President, I wish you success and a 478 OUR NEW PRESIDENT. prosperous administration ; I trust that j^ou will command me if I can be of service." The two men, easil}- the two most interesting iigures in the great tragedy, clasped hands for nearly a minute, but did not ex- change another word. The President walked to the door beside the limping figure of the Ohio vSenator, who, as he passed down the stone walk faced the crowd and received man}- hearty hand- shakes, and heard many words of sympath} , but it is doubtful if he appreciated them. He looked straight ahead as he went, and extended his hand in the most perfunctorv manner. As he entered the carriage waiting for him and was driven away his eyes were bent on the floor of the carriage, and he seemed to be thinking deeph'. For an hour after the ceremou}^ which had made him President, Air. Roosevelt stood in the drawing room of the Wilcox mansion and heard expressions of good will. These were varied in form and he voiced his thanks most heartil3\ FERVENT BLESSINGS ON ROOSEVELT. "God bless 3'ou, Mr. President," "I wish you success, Mr. President, the country will pra}- for 3'our success, Mr. President," were the customar}- forms of salutation and congratulation. A correspondent, who stood just back of Mr. Roosevelt, did not hear the words "I congratulate 3'ou," used once. There could be no congratulations over President McKinley's death. When all of the persons who had witnessed the ceremony had left the house and the last of the callers had gone, the President retired to the apartments reserved for his use during his sta}^ in Buffalo. The President passed the evening rather quietly at Mr. Wilcox's home, dining quite late. Governor B. B. Odell, of New York ; Congressman Lucius Littauer, of New York, and William Warden, of Buffalo, called during the evening, as did also Colonel Russell Harrison. The President, M-hile affable, showed some effects of the long journe}' and the day's strain. However, he found time to have a chat with Governor Odell. The Governor told the President that he intended issuing a proclamation concern- ing the President's death, and discussed the tenor of it. President OUR NEW PRESIDENT. 479 Roosevelt said that he, too, would issue a proclamation, and that he had put it in the hands of Secretaiy Cortel3^ou to prepare as to form, after preparing the substance. At a meeting of the Cabinet in the afternoon. President Roosevelt requested that the members retain their positions, at least for the present, and they promised that they would do so. He also received assurances that Secretaries Ha}^ and Gage, who were absent, would remain for the time being. The first official act of President Roosevelt was the issuing of the following proclamation, the appropriateness and felicitous expression of which could not be improved : PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT. " By the President of the United States of America, a proclamation : "A terrible bereavement has befallen our people. The Presi- dent of the United States has been struck down ; a crime com- mitted not only against the Chief Magistrate, but against every law-abiding and liberty-loving citizen. "President McKinley crowned a life of largest love for his fellowmen, of most earnest endeavor for their welfare, by a death of Christian fortitude ; and both the way in which he lived his life and the way in which, in the supreme hour of trial, he met his death, will remain forever a precious heritage of our people. " It is meet that we, as a nation, express our abiding love and reverence for his life, our deep sorrow for his untimeU^ death, "Now, therefore, I, Theodore Roosevelt, President of the United States of America, do appoint Thursda}^ next, September 19, the day in which the body of the dead President will be laid in its last earthly resting place, as a day of mourning and prayer throughout the United States. I earnestly recommend all the people to assemble in their respective places of divine worship, there to bow down in submission to the will of Almighty God, and to pay out of full hearts their homage of love and reverence to the great and good President, whose death has smitten the nation with bitter grief. 480 OUR NEW PRESIDENT. " In witness wHereof I have hereunto set ni}' hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. ''Done at the city of Washington, the 14th day of September, A.D., one thousand nine hundred and one, and of the Inde- pendence of the United States the one hundred and twenty-sixth. ''(Seal.) THEODORE ROOSEVELT " B}^ the President, "JOHN HAY, Secretary of State." CHAPTER XXVI. The Hero of San Juan — President Roosevelt's Active Life — Ancestry and Education — His Strong Personality — A Man of Deep Convictions and Great Courage. Presidents die, but our government continues with unim. paired vitality. Stocks fall, but values remain. The govern- ment of this Republic is based on the bedrock of the Constitution, and has in it, we fondly hope, the principle of immortality. A stricken nation weeps for its beloved President, William McKin- ley, but its grief has in it no element of serious doubt or appre- hension for the future. There is no interregnum. Theodore Roosevelt is President of the United States. No man ever came to the President's ofi&ce so young as he, but for twenty years he has been in the public eye. He has had more political experience and has been more in touch with public events than a large number of our Presidents previous to their inauguration. He has been all his life a student of our history and of public questions. He is a man of high standards and strong convictions and intense patriotism. His impetuous zeai and earnestness in whatever he under- takes has been heretofore one of the main sources of his strength and political success. Tempered and sobered by the grave responsibilities of his new position, these qualities, wisely directed, will make his administration a power for good, full of solid achievement that makes for the peace and happiness of the people. While, therefore, we mourn with unaffected grief for our be- loved and honored President, William McKinley, there is no cause for alarm or uneasiness for the future. In the language of President McKinley, in one of his public addresses, "The structure of the fathers stands secure upon the foundations on which they raised it, and is to-day, as it has been in the years past, and as it will be in the years to come, the Government of the people, by the people, 31 481 482 SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. for the people. Be not disturbed. There is no fear for the Republic." Theodore Roosevelt was bom in New York city on October 27, 1858, and comes from a family that for generations has been noted for its wealth, social position, high intelligence, disinterested public spirit, general usefulness and philanthropy. He is a Knickerbocker of the Knickerbockers, being seventh in descent from Klaas Martensen van Roosevelt, who, with his wife, Jannetje Samuels-Thomas, emigrated from the Netherlands to New Amsterdam in 1649, and became one of the most promi- nent and prosperous burghers of that settlement. For two and a half centuries the descendants of this couple have flourished in and near the city of New York, maintaining unimpaired the high social standing assumed at the beginning, and by thrift, industry and enterprise adding materially to the wealth acquired by inheri- tance. With the special opportunities for distinction afforded by the Revolution, a number of them came into marked prominence. CELEBRATED ANCESTORS. Just previous to that struggle, and during its earlier years, Isaac Roosevelt was a member of the New York Provincial Con • gress. Later he sat in the State Legislature, and for several years was a member of the New York City Council. For quite a long period he was President of the Bank of New York. Jacobus J. Roosevelt, great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch, who was born in 1759, gave his services without compensation as com- missary during the War for Independence. A brother of this Revolutionary patriot, Nicolas J. Roosevelt, born in New York city in 1767, was an inventor of ability, and an associate of Robert L. Livingston, John Stevens and Robert Fulton in developing the steamboat and steam navigation. The grandfather of Governor Roosevelt, Cornelius van Shaick Roosevelt, born in New York city in 1794, was an importer of hardware and plate glass, and one of the five richest men in the town. He was one of the founders of the Chemical Bank. One of his brothers, James J. Roosevelt, was a warm friend and ardent SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. 483 supporter of Andrew Jackson; served in tlie New York Legisla- ture and in Congress, and was a Justice of the Supreme Court of New York from 185 1 to 1859. A cousin, James Henry Roosevelt, was distinguished for his philanthropies, and left an estate of a million dollars— which, by good management was doubled in value — to found the famous Roosevelt Hospital in New York city. Cornelius V. S. Roosevelt married Mary Barnhill, of Philadelphia. Of their six sons, the sole survivor is the Hon. Robert B. Roosevelt, one of New York's most distinguished citizens, who has served in Congress and also as a United States Minister to the Netherlands. Theodore, another son, born in New York City, and deceased in 1878, was the father of President Theodore Roosevelt. He married Martha Bulloch, who with four of their children, sur- vived him. Theodore Roosevelt, Sr., continued in the business founded by his father, and became a controlling factor in the plate glass trade. He greatly augmented the family fortune, and at his death was reputed a millionaire. WEALTH NO BAR TO ACTIVITY. •Theodore Roosevelt, therefore, was born to comparative wealth, but did not let that deter him from a life of activity. After grad- uating from Harvard, in 1880, he spent some time in European travel, climbing the Alps and tramping through the country dis- tricts of Germany. On his return home, he began the study of law, but plunged at once into politics, and in 1881 was elected to the State Assembly. By re-election he continued in that body during the sessions of 1883 and 1884. He introduced important reform measures, and his entire legislative career was made conspicuous by the courage and zeal with which he assailed political abuses. In 1886 Mr. Roosevelt was the Republican candidate for Mayor against Abram S. Hewitt, United Democracy, and Henry George, United Labor. Mr. Hewitt was elected by about 22,000 plurality. In 1889 he was appointed by President Harrison a member of the United States Civil Service Commission. His 484 SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. ability and rugged honesty in the administration of the affairs of that office greatly helped to strengthen his hold on popular regard. He continuedin that office until May i, 1895, when he resigned to accept the office of Police Commissioner from Mayor Strong. Through his fearlessness and administrative ability as President of the Board, the demoralized police force was greatl}^ improved. Earl 3^ in 1897 ^^ ^^^ called by the President to give up his New York office to become Assistant Secretar}'- of the Navy. Then again his energy and quick mastery of detail had much to do with the speedy equipment of the navy for its brilliant feats in the war with Spain. CRAVED SERVICE IN THE FIELD. But soon after the outbreak of the war his patriotism and love of active life led him to leave the comparative quiet of his government office for service in the field. As a lieutenant-colonel of volunteers he recruited the First Volunteer Cavalry, popularly known as the Rough Riders. The men were gathered largely from the cowbo3^s of the West and Southwest, but also numbered many college-bred men of the East. In the beginning he was second in command, with the rank of lieutenant colonel, Dr. Leonard Wood being colonel. But at the close of the w^ar the latter was a brigadier general, and Roosevelt was colonel in command. Since no horses were trans- ported to Cuba, this regiment, together with the rest of the cav- alry, was obliged to serve on foot. The regiment distinguished itself in the Santiago campaign, and Colonel Roosevelt became famous for his bravery in leading the charge up San Juan Hill on July i. He was an efficient officer, and won the love and admiration of his men. His care for them was shown by the circulation of the famous " round robin," which he wrote, protesting against keeping the arm}' longer in Cuba. This violation of official rule deeply angered some of those in power at Washington, and there was a talk of visiting dis- pleasure on his head. But Roosevelt was by this time in such SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. 435 high favor with the whole people that nothing was done beyond the publication of a letter by Secretary of War Alger reflecting on Roosevelt, which was received with general denunciation, and Roosevelt was, instead, commissioned colonel on July 11. Colonel Roosevelt was nominated as Governor of New York State on September 27, 1898, receiving 753 votes, as againt 214 for Governor Frank S. Black. His Democratic opponent was Judge Augustus Van Wyck. Colonel Roosevelt entered into the campaign with characteristic enthusiasm, and visited nearly every part of the State. He drew to his support the majority of the Independent Republicans and many of the Democrats, and carried New York State by a plurality of 18,079. A STRONG CHARACTER. He brought to the new position the same force and personality that he had displayed in everything he had previously under, taken. Although classed in some particulars as an Independent Republican, he did not totally ignore the machine. Nor did he invariably follow its advice. He consulted all factions and fol- lowed what seemed to him to be the best course for the State. He maintained his reputation for independence, yet held the re- spect of the greater part of the machine managers. As the Presidential year of 1900 approached, it became ap- parent that there was a popular demand that Roosevelt should have a place on the Republican ticket. He at first refused to listen to any such suggestion, declaring that he much preferred to be Governor of New York, but was finally induced to consent to the use of his name, and at the convention held in this city, in June, 1900, he was enthusiastically nominated for Vice-Presi- dent. He went into the campaign with his accustomed vigor, making a tour of the country and speaking at many places. His tour was, in fact, the one picturesque feature of an otherwise rather dull and uninteresting campaign. After his election he spent the winter quietly, with the exception of a hunting trip in the Rocky Mountains, on returning from which he had to contradict numerous wild stories of his 486 SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. alleged exploits, written by imaginative correspondents who were never near his party. He presided over the Senate during the session of 1901 with dignity and a comprehension of his duties which made a favorable impression on that bod}^ and upon the country. In the midst of his intensel}^ active life Mr. Roosevelt has found time to do considerable literary work. The year after he was graduated from college he published his "Naval War of 1812 ;" in 1886 there came from his pen a "Life of Thomas H. Benton," published in the "American Statesmen Series;" the following year he published a "Life of Gouverneur Morris," which was followed in 1888 by his popular " Ranch Life and Hunting Trail." AUTHOR OF MANY WORKS. In 1889 were published the first two volumes of what he consid- ers his greatest work, "The Winning of the W^est," In 1890 he added to the series of " Historic Towns " a " Histor}- of New York City." "Essays on Practical Politics," published in 1892, was followed the next year by "The Wilderness Hunter," while in 1894 he added a third volume to his " Winning of the West." Ill i898he collected a volume of essays, entitled "American Political Ideas." Since the Spanish war he has written a book on " The Rough Riders." When Theodore Roosevelt was first considered b}- the Repub- lican leaders for the position of Vice President, the possibility of his succession to the office of Chief Magistrate was thoroughly debated, and it M-as resolved that should he be called, under the organic law to act as President of the United States he would be a perfectly safe man for his party and for the people. There were those who feared his strenuosity — his radicalism in certain lines and his sturdy insistence on reform in the party, but after fully considering the character and history of the famous Rough Rider leader, his character was passed and he was voted a sound party man and an eligible and trust}'- candidate. Roosevelt's character is summed up pretty well in this mes SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. 487 sage "he sent a few years ago to a meeting of young men in New York City : " First and foremost be American, heart and soul, and go in with any person, heedless of anything but that person's qualifica- tions. For myself I'd as quickly work beside Pat Dugan as with the last descendant of a patroon ; it literally makes no difference to me so long as the work is good and the man is in earnest One other thing I'd like to teach the young man of wealth. That he who has not got wealth owes his first duty to his family, but he who has means owes his first duty to his State. It is ignoble to try to heap money on money. I would preach the doctrine of work to all, and to the men of wealth the doctrine of unremunerative work." NEEDS NO APOLOGIES. A salient point in the public and private career of Theodore Roosevelt is that no one ever had to apologize for him. Away out on the northwestern border of North Dakota, 600 miles from St. Paul, where the little Missouri winds its swift way through the heart of the Bad Lands, there stands the town of Medora. There Theodore Roosevelt first put the eight-pointed cross brand on his own cattle, and gave the outside world an initial illustra- tion of what kind of strenuousness he believed in. Before that time (1886-87) his personality had impressed itself upon college mates at Columbia and the small circle of intimate friends about him in New York city. But Medora, whether he intended it to be so or not, was the starting point in his public career. The man who would "come west" and not steal cattle from his neighbors, who would "tote" fair, who, bred in luxury, would take the worst as well as the best of ranch life without a murmer, was a novelty to the press as well as the public, and as " cow man " the present President of the United States is known. " What strong direction did your home influence take in your boyhood ? " was asked Mr. Roosevelt. " Why," he replied, " I was brought up with the constant injunction to be active and industrious. My father— all my people — held that no one had a right to merely cumber the 488 SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. earth ; that the most contemptible of created beings is the man who does nothing. I imbibed the idea that I must work hard, whether at making money or whatever. " The whole family training taught me that I must be doing, must be working — and at decent work. I made my health what it is. I determined to be strong and well, and did everything to make myself so. By the time I entered Harvard College I was able to take my part in whatever sports I liked. I wrestled and sparred and ran a great deal while in college, and though I never came in first, I got more good out of the exercise than those who did, because I immensel}^ enjo3'ed it and never injured myself. PRACTICED WRESTLING AND BOXING. " I was fond of wrestling and boxing ; I think I was a good deal of a wrestler, and though I never won a championship, 3'et more than once I won my trial heats and got into the final round. I was captain of ni}^ polo team at one time, but since I left college I have taken most of my exercise in the 'cow countrj^' or moun- tain hunting." Returning from the West he plunged into politics and was thrice chosen to the New York Legislature, wherein he became famous as a free lance. It was at this time that Mr. Roosevelt became involved in a conflict wath the party organization and defeated it. He did it so thoroughly that his own delegates were sent to the count}^. State and national conventions of 1884. That was the 3'ear James G. Blaine desired to be President. Mr. Roosevelt escaped the Blaine contagion and took the New York delegation awav from that statesman. He formed a combination between the Arthur and Edmunds men and defeated the Blaine following. He was sent to the Chicago convention with Andrew D. White, George William Curtis and a number of other famous men. It may be written here that Mr. Roosevelt never left the Republi- can party, but he has always felt that upon a question of principle he was bound to act upon his own judgment. He has held that city politics should be divorced from those of the State and the nation; SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. 489 that politics is not a grab game for spoils, but a dignified, honor- able science to be unselfishly pursued ; and yet he recognizes the fact that, in order to do good work in politics one must work with his party, which is to say with an organization. As a legislator he was a sore spot to "machine" partisans or men of corrupt in- clinations. Courageous men loved him. While in the Legislature he secured the passage of the measure which gave the Mayor of New York the power and op-^ortunity to do his best in wielding the appointing power in connection wdth the police force. Prior to this the old Tweed charter had vested in the aldermen the power of rejecting or accepting the Mayor's appointments. The Roosevelt bill took this power from the aldermen. The Roosevelt investigation of the same year placed the county clerk's office, which had been reaping $82,000 a year in fees, upon a salar}', and various other reforms were effected. In 1886 Mr. Roosevelt ran for Mayor of New York and polled a larger proportion of the total vote than was polled b}- any Republican canditate until W. L. Strong was elected. CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSIONER. When General Harrison came to the Presidency he appointed Mr. Roosevelt Civil Service Commissioner, and that position he held until he became Police Commissioner of the city of New York. In the six 3^ears that he was Civil Service Commissioner he saw the law applied to twice as many offices as w^hen he took the office ; in fact, he added 20,000 offices to the scope of the reform law. The law was also well executed while he Mas in office. From the Police Commissionership he passed to the position of Assistant Secretary of the Navy, where he woke up the fossils, gave Dewey the Manila opportunit}^, infused vigor into the officialism of Washington, made some people dislike him and a great many more care for him, and when war was threatened jumped into the centre of action with Colonel Leonard S. Wood and organized the Rough Riders. They fought like demons at Las Guasimas. They passed on to Kettle Hill, to San Juan and 490 SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. to Santiago, He was on the firing line alwa3's, taking just what his men did, asking no more. Regular army officers called him an "ideal commander." His regiment was cared for as few were during the short period of the Spanish-American War. From Santiago he went to Camp Wikoff, andthence to the Governorship of New York by popular will. As Governor, he marked himself by his persistent fight against legislative corruption, and in favor of fair corporation taxation. Mr. Roosevelt married Miss Edith Kermit Carrow in iSS6, and the}^ have five children, three bo3'S and two girls, and a daughter by the first Mrs. Roosevelt. His home, where all his children were born, is called Sagamore Hill, and is at 03'ster Ba}^, L. I. In New York city he sometimes occupies a rented house. Mrs. Roosevelt and the children are essentially a part of his life. While his official duties keep him away from them thev are never absent from his thought nor he from theirs. His home life is as ideal as his public life is clean. MADE SPEECHES IN THE WEST. Colonel Roosevelt visited the West and made several speeches in which he full}^ maintained the independent stand he years ago assumed, but heartil}^ endorsed the policies of the administration and the fundamental principles of the Republican party. Theodore Roosevelt has had sorrow, having lost a beloved mother and a most charming wife, his first love, who was Aliss Alice Lee, of Boston. Thej^ died in the same house within a few hours of each other, and the grief of the great strong man was pitiful to behold. The present Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, who, before her mar- riage was Edith Carow, of New York, is a remarkable woman, and one of rare personality. She is a woman of the highest principle and of a far more than ordinary mental calibre. From her earliest childhood she has been an omnivorous reader and a constant student. She has alwa\"s shrunk from anything like notoriet3% and the necessar3^ publicit3' that her husband's position has forced upon her has been, so far as la3' in her power, made less SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. 49I conspicuous. Sbe is a New Yorker by birth, was educated at one of the fashionable schools and has spent several years traveling abroad. She is an accomplished linguist and her musical knowl- edge is far above the ordinary. Ever since her marriage she has devoted herself, heart and soul, to her husband's career and at the same time has been a devoted mother. She has not, in one sense of the word, gone into society at all, although by her birth as well as her marriage she has always had a position which involves certain social duties. Her circle of acquaintances has been from childhood the same as her husband's, and they have among their friends the leading people of the country. Mrs. Roosevelt is rather petite, has brown hair and brown eyes, a clear skin with some color when she is excited, but her chief beauty is her mouth, which is marvelously expressive. HIS PERSON AND DRESS. Mrs. Roosevelt dresses neatly and simply with a quiet ele- gance. Her wealth of tresses is pushed back from the forehead, except a few curly ringlets that play about her temples. She is not an athlete, but she is a finished horsewoman and is fond of outdoor exercise. Mrs. Roosevelt is a member of half a dozen clubs and has long been identified with a score of charities. She possesses the great talent which made Mrs. Cleveland so popular, of remembering the faces of people she meets once or twice and also being able to remember all about them. She is the boon companion, as well as the very wise and tender mother, of her stepdaughter and her own children, who are much younger than Miss Alice Roosevelt. She has a wide knov/ledge of politics, both foreign and American. She is a frail looking women, but has much more strength than she apparently possesses. She is deeply religious. Mr. Roosevelt's two sisters are women noted for their rare charm, intelligence and their most gracious manners. Mrs. Cowles, formerly Miss Anna Roosevelt, has been married only a few years, although she is older than her brother Theodore. Her 492 SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. charitable work is known the world over, and her business ability is striking. When her cousin, Mr. J. Roosevelt, was in charge of the British Embassy in London, she went over as his guest and stayed with him for a time, taking charge of his household. Her success as a hostess was marvelous in London, in fact, in Eng- land, where she made countless warm friends, and where she met Commander Cowles, whom she married the following year. In Washington, where she is a very marked personality, she comes nearer to having a salon than any other American woman. STRONG LOVE OF HOME. The Roosevelt love of home is a marked characteristic of the family not confined at all to this generation, for the Roosevelt clanish- nesswas at one time a byword, and to this daj- the immediate members of the Roosevelt family apparently find more pleasure in each other's society than in that of any of their friends. Mr. Roosevelt certainly takes intense pleasure in being with his children, as they do in being with him. Home for the Roosevelt is the " dearest spot on earth." A prominent journal says : — " Upon Theodore Roosevelt, whom circumstances as unexpected as they are sad have made the twenty-fifth President of the United States, the e3'es of an ex- pectant nation are now turned, dimmed though the}- be with tears. What will the new President make of his opportunity ? What will be his policy, and whom will he seek for his advisers ? Such are the questions on many lips. President Roosevelt has as j-et had little to say on these topics of absorbing public interest ; indeed, volubility on these subjects on his part would at this time have been most unbecoming. The few words spoken b}' him, however, after the oath of office had been administered by Judge Hazel at Buffalo arc reassuring. " ' In this hour of deej) and national bereavement,' said the newly inaugurated Chief Alagistrate, ' I wish to state that it shall be my aim to continue absolutely and without variance the policy of President McKinley for the peace and prosperity and honor of SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. 498 our beloved countr3^' Nothing more could be desired, particu- larly if the words of tbe incoming Executive referred to the later policy of his lamented predecessor, whose outlook had become broadened by experience and inspired by a spirit more cosmopoli- tan than that which had characterized the putative author of the McKinley bill. "But Mr. Roosevelt is not an unknown quantity in public life in the United States. Few men at his age in recent Ameri- can history have attained equal distinction and notoriety — the word being used in no invidious or disparaging sense. He has lived in the white light of publicity almost from his youthful cow- boy days. He sprang into early fame as the historian of the conquest of the Great West, and has since remained prominent; with few intermissions, in various branches of the public service more or less important. He has been Police Commissioner in New York city, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Colonel of Vol- unteers, Governor of his native State, and Vice President of the Union ; and now he has attained the highest honor within reach of an American citizen. HIS CHARACTER AN OPEN BOOK. " If Theodore Roosevelt's character has not been read by the American people as an open book spread out before them, it has not been through any fault of his own. He has not been content to talk of the strenuous life ; he has lived it. Intensity is his predominant trait. His greatest failing, perhaps, is lack of steadiness — by which it is not to be inferred that he is weak. Far from that being the case, he is, if anything, too strong-willed. But what is meant is that he has betrayed in the past want of poise. This failing, however, is usually associated with imma- turity, and is likely to be sloughed off as the individual possessed of it attains riper experience. " President Roosevelt has wit and grit, and if he shall keep his feet on firm ground, the affairs of the nation will doubtless be quite secure in his hands, and will be conducted by him with dis- creet conservatism. The weight of responsibility is not conducive 494 SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT to soaring ; and thus ballasted there is every ground for expecting President Roosevelt to turn his back to the glor3^-crowned heights and to travel the safe though prosaic and toilsome path of duty, as will be required of him by the national interests." The following estimate of Mr. Roosevelt was written during the campaign that made him Vice-President. It is from a Colorado poet in praise of the Rough Rider : " Now, doff your hat to Teddy, boys, for he's the proper man. His life has been a triumph since its starting first began. His pluck and spirit in the days he roamed upon the range Has builded up a character no circumstance can change. From a cowboy on the ' round-up ' to the Governor of his State We've always found a man in him that's strictly up to date. As a daring ' bronco buster,' or a Colonel in command, We'll greet him with McKinley with an open, hearty hand. He served his country nobly and fired his faithful boys With patriotic valor, amid the cannon's noise. And, as they to him were loyal, in battle's fierce array. So will the voters prove to be upon election day. Now doff your hats to Teddy, boys, the man with grit and nerve In every office that he fills, the people will he serve. Progression is his policy, no laggard in the race, He'll lead us on to victory, whatever be the pace." Theodore Roosevelt is the third graduate of Harvard Uni- versity to hold the highest honor in the gift of the American people. John Adams and John Quincy Adams were graduated from Harvard. It was in 1825 when J. Q. Adams became presi- dent. Now comes Roosevelt. Roosevelt entered Harvard in 1876, when he was eighteen years old. His work in college was charac- terized by the enthusiasm and earnestness which have become known to all the people as dominant traits of his character in public life. When he came to the Cambridge college he was a slight lac and not in robust health, but he at once took a judicious anc regular interest in athletics and in a little while the effects were apparent in his stalwart figure and redoubled energy. He SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. 495 wrestled and sparred and ran a great deal, but never indulging in athletic work to the point of injury. In his studies young Roosevelt was looked upon " as pecu- liarly earnest and mature in the way he took hold of things," as one of his classmates put it. Ex-Mayor Josiah Quincy, of Boston, who was in college with Roosevelt, says of him : " He exhibited in his college days most of the traits of character which he has shown in after years and on the larger stage of political life. In appearance and manner he has changed remarkably little in twenty years, and I should say that his lead- ing characteristic in college was the very quality of strenuousness which is now so associated with his public character. In what- ever he did he showed unusual energy, and the same aggressive earnestness which has carried so far in later life. MATURE BEYOND HIS YEARS. " He exhibited a maturity of character, if not of intellectual development, greater than that of most of his classmates, and was looked upon as one of the notable members of the class — as one who possessed certain qualities of leadership and of popularity which might carry him far in the days to come, if not counter- balanced by impulsiveness in action or obstinacy in adhering to his own ideas. He was certainly regarded as a man of unusually good fighting qualities, of determination, pluck and tenacity. "If his classmates had been asked in their senior j^ear to pick out the one member of the class who would be best adapted for such a service which he rendered with the Rough Riders in Cuba I think that, almost with one voice, they would have named Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt is in many respects as broad and typical an American as the country has produced." Both his fellows and his teachers say that he was much above the average as a student. He was just as original, just as reliant on his own judgment as he is now. In a mere matter of opinion or of dogma he had no respect for an instructor say-so above his own convictions, and some of his contemporaries in college recall with smiles some very strenuous discussions with teachers in 496 SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. which he was involved by his habit of defending his own convic- tions. At graduation he was one of the comparative! 3' few who took honors, his subject being natural history. When 3^onng Roose- velt entered college he developed the taste for hunting and natural history which has since led him so often and so far through field and forest. His rifle and his hunting kit were the most conspicu- ous things in his room. His birds he mounted himself. Live turtles and insects were alwa}- s to be found in his studj--, and one who lived in the house with him at the time recalls well the excitement caused by a particularly^ large turtle sent by a friend from the southern seas, which got out of its box one night and started for the bathroom in search for water. Alth.ough well toward the top as a student he still had his full share of the ga.y rout that whiles dull care awa}-. In his sophomore 3^ear he was one of the fort3^ men in his class who belonged to the Institute of 1770. BELONGED TO SEVERAL CLUBS. In his senior 3'ear he was a member of the Porcelain, the Alpha Delta Phi, and the Hasty Pudding Clubs, being secretar3' of the last named. In the society of Boston he was often seen. Roosevelt's niembershiD in clubs other than social shows conspicuoiisU^ the kind of college man he was. In rowing, base- ball and foot-ball he was an earnest champion, but never a promi- nent participant. In the other athletic contests he was often seen. It was as a boxer that he excelled. Boxing was a regular feature of the Harvard contests of that day, and " Tedd3'," as he was uni- versall3^ called, was the winner of man3' a bout. He had his share in college journalism. During his senior year he was one of the editors of the "Advocate." Unlike the other editors, he was not himself a frequent contributor. The range of his interests is shown b3^ this enumeration of clubs in which he had membership. The Natural Histor3' Societ3', of which he was vice-president ; the Art Club, of which Professor Charles Eliot Norton was the president ; the Finance Club, the Glee Club (associate member), the Harvard Rifle Corps, the O. K, SKETCH OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. 497 Society, of wbicli he was treasurer, and the Harvard Athletic Association, of which he was steward. Roosevelt's share of class-day honors was membership in the class committee. All who knew Roosevelt in his college days speak of him as dashing and picturesque in his ways and hand- some appearance. His photograph, taken at graduation, shows no moustache, but a rather generous allowance of side whiskers. Although he was near sighted and wore glasses at the time, they do not appear in the photograph. Maturity and sobriety are the most evident characteristics of the countenance. A companion of student days tells a story to show that the future President did things then much as he does them now. A horse in a stable close to Roosevelt's room made a sudden noise one night which de- manded instant attention. BOUNDED FROM AN UPPER WINDOW. Young Roosevelt was in bed at the time, but he waited not for daytime clothes. Nor did he even wait to go down the steps. He bounded out the second-story window, and had quieted the row before the less impetuous neighbors arrived. It was while in college that he conceived the idea of his history of the American Navy in the War of 1812. This volume was written soon after leaving college. He was not yet twenty-four when it was completed. In view of the position which the author afterward held, next to the head of the American Navy, the preface, written before the beginning of our present navy, is of striking interest. He says : "At present people are beginning to realize that it is folly for the great English-speaking Republic to rely for defense upon a navy composed partly of antiquated hulks and partly of new vessels rather more worthless than the old." 32 CHAPTER XXVII. President Roosevelt in the Battle of San Juan — Story of Brave Exploits — Narrow Escape — Ballad of "Teddy's Terrors." THE part acted by President Roosevelt in our war with Spain gave him great prominence and showed the sterling charac- teristics of the man. General Wheeler's official account of the first battle at Santiago officially known as the battle of Siboney, or La Quasina, thus refers to the famous Rough Rider : " Colonel Wood's regiment was on the extreme left of the line and too far distant for me to be a personal witness of the individual conduct of the officers and men ; but the magnificent bravery shown by the regiment under the lead of Colonel Wood testifies to his courage and skill and the energy and determina- tion of his officers, which have been marked from the moment he reported to me at Tampa, Fla., and I have abundant evidence of his brave and good conduct on the field, and I recommend him for the consideration of the Government. I must rel\^ upon his report to do justice to his officers and men, but I desire person- ally to add that all I have said regarding Colonel Wood applies equally to Colonel Roosevelt. " I was immediately with the troops of the First and Tenth Regular Cavalry, dismounted, and I personally noticed their brave and good conduct, which will be specially mentioned by General Young." " There must have been nearly fifteen hundred Spaniards in front and to the sides of us," said Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt just after the fight. " They held the ridges with the rifle pits and machine guns, and hid a body of men in ambush in the thick jungle at the sides of the road over which we were advanc- ing. Our advance guard struck the men in ambush and drove them out. But they lost Captain Capron, Lieutenant Thomas and about fifteen men killed or wounded. 498 STORY OF BRAVE EXPLOITS. 499 "The Spanisli firing was accurate, so accurate indeed fhat it surprised me, and their firing was fearfully heavy. I want to say a word for our own men," continued Lieutenant-Colonel Roose- velt. "Every ofl&cer and man did his duty up to the handle. Not a man flinched." From another officer who took a prominent part in the flght- iug, more details were obtained. "When the firing began," said he, "Lieutenant-Colonel Roosevelt took the right wing with Troops G and K, under Captains Llewelyn and Jenkins, and moved to the support of Captain Capron, who was getting it hard. At the same time Colonel Wood and Major Brodie took the left wing and advanced in open order on the Spanish right wing. Major Brodie \vas wounded before the troops had advanced one hundred yards. Colonel Wood then took the right wing and shifted Colonel Roosevelt to the left. "WITH A YELL, THE MEN SPRANG FORWARD." " In the meantime the fire of the Spaniards had increased in volume, but, notwithstanding this, an order for a general charge was given, and with a yell the men sprang forward. Colonel Roosevelt, in front of his men, snatched a rifle and ammunition belt from a wounded soldier, and cheering and yelling with his men, led the advance. In a moment the bullets were singing like a swarm of bees all around them, and every instant some poor fellow went down. On the right wing Captain McClintock had his leg broken by a bullet from a machine gun, while four of his men went down. At the same time Captain Luna, of Troop F, lost nine of his men. Then the reserves, Troops K and E, were ordered up. " There was no more hesitation. Colonel Wood, with the right wing, charged straight at a block-house eight hundred yards away, and Colonel Roosevelt on the left, charged at the same time. Up the men went, yelling like fiends and never stopping to return the fire of the Spaniards, but keeping on with a grim determination to capture the block-house. " That charge was the end. When within five hundred yards 500 STORY OF BRAVE EXPLOITS. of tte coveted point the Spaniards broke and ran, and for the first time we had the pleasure, which the Spaniards had been experi- encing all through the engagement, of shooting with the enemy in sight." Said an officer of high rank : " I cannot speak too highly of Colonel Theodore Roosevelt. He is every inch a fighter, and led a charge of dismounted cavalry against men in pits at San Juan successfull3^ It was a wonderful charge, and showed Roosevelt's grit. I was not there, but I have been told of it repeatedly by those who saw the Colonel on the hill. Two reports made by Colonel Theodore Roosevelt to his superior officer in front of Santiago in July were given out by the War Department at Washington, December 22, 1898. Both re- ports describe the operations of the Rough Riders in the battle of San Juan, the second telling a much fuller story. THE BRAVE TROOPERS. In his first report, dated July 4th, he mentions by name many of the troopers who distinguished themselves by their bravery. This part of the report, which was made by Roosevelt, as lieu- tenant-colonel in charge of the regiment, to Colonel Wood, tem- porarily in charge of the brigade, was as follows : "We went into the fight about four hundred and ninety strong. Eighty-six were killed or wounded and there are half a dozen missing. The great heat prostrated nearl}' forty men, some of them among the best in the regiment. Besides Captain O'Neill and Lieutenant Haskell, who were killed. Lieutenants Leahy, Devereaux and Case were wounded. All behaved with great gallantry. As for Captain O'Neill, his loss is one of the severest that could have befallen the regiment. He was a man of cool head, great executive ability and literally dauntless courage. " To attempt to give a list of the men who showed signal valor would necessitate sending in an almost complete roster of the regiment. Many of the cases which I mention stand merely as examples of the rest, not as exceptions. STORY OF BRAVE EXPLOITS. 501 "Captain Jenkins acted as Major and showed such con- spicuous gallantry and efficiency that I earnestly hope he may be promoted to major as soon as a vacancy occurs. Captains Lewellen, Mullet and Luna led their troops throughout the charges, handling them admirably. At the end of the battle Lieutenants Kane, Greenwood and Goodrich were in charge of their troops immediately under my eye, and I wish particularl}^ to commend their conduct throughout. *' But the most conspicuous gallantry was shown by Trooper Rowland. He was wounded in the side in our first fight, but kept in the firing line. He was sent to the hospital the next day, but left it and marched out to us, overtaking us, and fought all through this battle with such indifference to danger that I was forced again and again to restrain and threaten him for running needless risks. CLIMBED A WIRE FENCE. " Great gallantry was also shown by four troopers whom I cannot identif}^ and by Trooper Winslow Clark, of Troop G. It was after we had taken the first hill. I had called out to rush the second, and having by that time lost my horse, climbed a wire fence and started toward it. " After going a couple of hundred yards under a heavy fire, I found that no one else had come. As I discovered later, it was simply because in the confusion, with men shooting and being shot, they had not noticed me start I told the five men to wait a moment, as it might be misunderstood if we all ran back, while I ran back and started the regiment, and as soon as I did so the regiment came with a rush. " But meanwhile the five men coolly lay down in the open, returning the fire from the trenches. It is to be wondered at that only Clark was seriously wounded, and he called out, as we passed again, to lay his canteen where he could reach it, but to continue the charge and leave him where he was. All the wounded had to be left until after the fight, for we could spare no men from the firing line. Very respectfully, " Theodore Roosevelt." 502 STORY OF BRAVE EXPLOITS. ?"r The second and more important report was addressed to Brig- adier General Wood, and dated Camp Hamilton, near Santiago, July 20tli. It was as follows : "Sir — In obedienee to 3'our directions I herewith report on the operations of my regiment from the ist to the 17th inst, inclusive " As I have already made you two reports about the first day's operations, I shall pass over them rather briefly. " On the morning of the first day my regiment was formed at the head of the second brigade, by the El Paso sugar mill. When the batteries opened the Spaniards replied to us with shrapnel, which killed and wounded several of the men of my regiment. We then marched towards the right, and my regiment crossed theford before the balloon came down there and attracted the fire of the enemy, so at that point we lost no one. My orders had been to march forward until I joined General Lawton's right wing, but after going about three-quarters of a mile, I was halted and told to remain in reserve near the creek by a deep lane. A SHOWER OF BULLETS. " The bullets dropped thick among us for the next hour while we lay there, and many of my men were killed or wounded. Among the former was Captain O'Neill, whose loss was a very heavy blow to the regiment, for he was a singularly gallant and efiicient officer. Acting Lieutenant Haskell was also shot at this time. He showed the utmost courage and had been of great use during the fighting and marching. It seems to me some action should be taken about him. "You then sent me word to move forward in support of the regular cavalry, and I advanced the regiment in column of com- panies, each company deployed as skirmishers. We moved through several skirmish lines of the regiment ahead of us, as it seemed to me our only chance was in rushing the intrenchments in front instead of firing at them from a distance. " Accordingly we charged the blockhouse and entrenchments on the hill to our right against a heavy fire. It was taken in STORY OF BRAVE EXPLOITS. 503 good style, tlie men of my regiment thus being the first to capture any fortified position and to break through the Spanish lines. The guidons of G and E trood were first at this point, but some of the men of A and B troops, who were wath me personally, got in ahead of them. At the last wire fence up this hill I was obliged to abandon my horse, and after that we went on foot. "After capturing this hill we first of all directed a heavy fire upon the San Juan hill to our left, which was at the time being assailed by the regular infantry and cavalry, supported by Captain Parker's Gatling guns. By the time San Juan was taken a large force had assembled on the hill we had previously captured, consisting not only of my own regiment, but of the Ninth and portions of other cavalry regiments. CHARGE UNDER HOT FIRE. '* We then charged forward under a very heavy fire across the valley against the Spanish entrenchments on the hill in the rear of San Juan hill. This we also took, capturing several prisoners. "We then formed in whatever order we could and moved for- ward, driving the Spanish before us to the crest of the hills in front, which were immediately opposite the city of Santiago itself Here I received orders to halt and hold the line on the hill's crest. I had at the time fragments of the Sixth Cavalry Regi- ment and an occasional infantryman under me — three or four hundred men all told. As I was the highest there, I took com- mand of all of them, and so continued till next morning. " The Spaniards attempted a counter attack that afternoon, but were easily driven back, and then, until after dark, we remained under a heavy fire from their rifles and great guns, lying flat on our faces on a gentle slope just behind the crest. "Captain Parker's Gatling battery was run up to the right of my regiment and did most excellent and gallant service. In order to charge the men had, of course, been obliged to throw away their packs, and we had nothing to sleep in and nothing to eat. We were lucky enough, however, to find in the last block- house captured, the Spanish dinners, still cooking, which we ate 504 STORY OF BRAVE EXPLOITS. with relish. They consisted chiefly of rice and peas, with a big pot containing a stew of fresh meat, probably for the officers. " We also distributed the captured Spanish blankets as far as they would go among our men, and gathered a good deal of Mauser ammunition for use in the Colt rapid fire guns, which were being brought up. That night we dug entrenchments across the front. " At three o'clock in the morning the Spaniards made another attack upon us, which was easily repelled, and at four they opened the day with a heavy rifle and shrapnel fire. All day long we remained under this, replying whenever we got the chance. In the evening, at about eight o'clock, the Spaniards fired three guns and then opened a very heavy rifle fire, their skirmishers coming well forward. MEN IN THE TRENCHES. " I got all my«nien down into the trenches, as did the other command near me, and we opened a heavy return fire. The Spanish advance was at once stopped, and after an hour their fire died away. This night we completed most of our trenches and began to build bomb proofs. The protection afforded our men was good, and the next morning I had but one man wounded from the rifle and shell fire until twelve o'clock, when the truce came. "I do not mention the officers and men who particularl}- dis- tinguished themselves as I have nothing to add in this respect to what was contained in my former letter. " There were numerous Red Cross flags flying in the various parts of the city, two of them so arranged that they directly covered batteries in our front and for some time were the cause of our not firing at them. The Spanish guerrillas were ver}^ active, especially in our rear, where they seemed by preference to attack the wounded men who were being carried on litters, the doctors and medical attendants with Red Cross flags on theii arms and the burial parties. " I organized a detail of sharpshooters and sent them out after the guerrillas, of whom the}^ killed thirteen. Two of the men thus killed were shot several hours after the truce had been STORY OF BRAVE EXPLOITS. 5a5 in operation, because, in spite of this fact, they kept firing upon our men as they went to draw water. They were stationed in the trees, as the guerrillas were generally, and, owing to the density of the foliage and to the use of smokeless powder rifles, it was an exceedingly difficult matter to locate them. "For the next seven days, until the loth, we lay in our line while the truce continued. We had continually to work at addi- tional bombproofs and at the trenches, and as we had no proper supply of food and utterly inadequate medical facilities the men suffered a good deal. The officers chipped together, purchased beans, tomatoes and sugar for the men, so that they might have some relief from the bacon and hardtack. With a great deal of difficulty we got them coffee. FOUGHT AFTER BEING WOUNDED. "As for the sick and wounded, they suffered so in the hospitals when sent to the rear for lack of food and attention that we found it best to keep them at the front and give them such care as our own doctors could. As I mentioned in my previous letter, thirteen of our wounded men continued to fight through the battle in spite of their injuries. In spite of their wounds those sent to the rear, many both sick and wounded, came up to rejoin us as soon as their condition allowed them to walk. " On the loth the truce was at an end and the bombardment reopened. As far as our lines were concerned, it was on the Spanish part very feeble. We suffered no losses, and speedily got the fire from their trenches in our front completely under control. On the nth we moved three-quarters of a mile to the right, the truce again being on. " Nothing happened there, except we continued to watch and do our best to get the men, especially the sick, properly fed. Having no transportation, and being able to get hardly any through the regular channels, we used anything we could find — captured Spanish cavalry horses, abandoned mules, some of which had been injured, but which our men took and cured; diminutive, skinny ponies purchased from the Cubans, etc. 506 STORY OF BRAVE EXPLOITS. " By these means and by the exertions of the officers we were able, from time to time, to get supplies of beans, sugar, tomatoes and even oatmeal, while from the Red Cross people we got our invaluable load of rice, cornmeal, etc. "All of this was of the utmost consequence, not only for the sick, but for those nominally well, as the lack of proper food was telling terribly on the men. It was utterly impossible to get them clothes and shoes. Those they had were, in many cases, literally dropping to pieces. " On the seventeenth the city surrendered. On the eighteenth we shifted camp to here, the best camp we have had, but the march hither under the noonday sun told very heavily on our men, weakened by underfeeding and overwork, and the next morning 123 cases were reported to the doctor, and I now have but half of the 600 men, with which I landed four weeks ago, fit for duty, and these are not fit to do anything like the work they could do then. A NIGHT OF HARDSHIPS. " As we had but one wagon, the change necessitated leaving much of my stuff behind, with a night of discomfort, with scant}^ shelter and scant}^ food for the most of the officers and man}^ of the men. Onl}^ the possession of the improvised pack train alluded to above, saved us from being worse. " Yesterday I sent in a detail of six officers and men to see if they could not purchase or make arrangements for a suppl}^ of proper food and proper clothing for the men, even if we had to pay it out of our own pockets. Our suffering has been due, primarily, to lack of transportation and of proper food or suffi- cient clothing and of medical supplies. " We should now have wagon sheets for tentage. Very respectfully, W^ Among the United States regulars whose terms of enlistment expired during the Santiago campaign, and who quit the service upon returning to this country, was a man of the Ninth Infantry, STORY OF BRAVE EXPLOITS. 507 known to tHe members of the regiment as Johnson of Maryland. He was a tall, lanky Southerner, and the pride of the Ninth be- cause of his marksmanship, which was so true that Johnson was head and shoulders over all the others in handling a Krag- Jorgensen. He appeared to be the most contented man in Uncle Sam's service, and often spoke of re-enlisting, until an event occurred just after the first day's fighting at San Juan, which caused him to change his mind, and he vowed never to handle a gun again. He would never speak of it to his comrades, but they all knew why he quit ; and although they argued and tried to persuade him to remain, Johnson only sookhis head and said, " No, boys, I can't stay with you any longer. I'd like to, but don't ask me again. I can't do it. I must get out." STORY OF A TROOPER. One of the members of Johnson's company tells the story of what caused the Ninth to loose its crack shot. " We had been engaged in the hottest kind of work for some hours, and after taking the first line of Spanish trenches we were fixing them up for our own use. The Spaniards had been driven back, but their sharpshooters were still at it, picking off our men here and there. The Mauser bullets were whizzing around us pretty lively, and I noticed that Johnson was getting more and more impatient every minute, and acting as if he was just aching to get at those Spanish sharpshooters, and finally he turned to me, and in his drawling tone, said: 'Say, its tough we can't get a chance at them.' " He soon got his chance, however, for just as dusk began our captain ordered a dozen of us to advance a short distance ahead, and well beyond the trenches our forces had captured. When we arrived on the spot we were halted on the edge of a dense wood. Just ahead of us was an open space of clear ground, and on the other side of that a low, thick brush, which extended as far as I could see. "Just before night came on we received our final orders, 508 STORY OF BRAVE EXPLOITS. which were to paj^ particular attention to the brush just ahead of us on the other side of the clearing, and to shoot at the first head we saw. We had settled down to our tiresome occupation of watching and waiting, but always prepared for anj^thing, and Johnson and I were talking in low tones of the day's fighting we had just passed through, when we heard the sound of a dry twig breaking. We were alert in an instant, and all the men in our line were looking straight ahead with pieces half raised, ready for use. As I looked at Johnson I could see him smile, apparently with the hope of a chance to shoot. The sound repeated itself, this time a little nearer, but still quite indistinct. " An instant later we again heard it, and it sounded directly ahead of Johnson and me, and was, beyond a doubt, a cautious tread, but too heavy for a man. While we waited in almost breathless silence for something to happen we again heard the cautious tread, now quite plain. It was the tread of a horse and was just ahead of us. Suddenly, as the head became plainer, a dark object appeared just above the top of the brush. Dozens of guns were raised, but Johnson whispered : 'I've got him.' HORSE AND RIDER STEP OUT. " He crawled a few paces forward and we saw him raise his gun, his fingers nervously working on the trigger. At that instant the brush parted and a horse and rider stepped out. We saw Johnson stretch out his piece and we expected to see a flash, but just then the rider turned in his saddle, and by the dim light from the dull red glow that still tinged the sky we saw a pair of eyeglasses flash. We all knew at once who it was, but not one of us spoke. We were probably too horrified, and before I could say a word Johnson turned to me, and with a look on his face I shall never forget, exclaimed in a hoarse voice : " ' My God, Ben, Roosevelt ! And I nearly plucked him !' "With this he threw his gun from him and just sat there and stared at the place in the brush where Colonel Roosevelt and his horse had entered. The latter, when he heard the voices of our men, came straight up to us, and appeared surprised to find STORY OF BRAVE EXPLOITS. 509 US SO far beyond the trench. When he heard of the orders about shooting at the first head we saw, he smiled and said : "'That is the first I've heard of the orders. They were probably issued while I was away on a little reconnoitering on my own hook.' " He spoke cheeringly to the men about and passed on, little thinking how near he was to death a few minutes before. The more we thought of it after he passed the more in the dumps we got, for every one of us loved the Colonel of the Rough Riders, particularly for his kindness to his men, and I tell you it was a gloomy crowd that sat there watching Johnson, who, with his head supported by his hand, was either praying or thinking hard. NOT HAPPY AFTERWARD. "We were relieved shortly afterward, and as we marched back in silence Johnson walked with bowed head and none of us spoke to him, for we imagined that he felt as if he would like to be alone. From that day Johnson showed a restlessness that was new to him, and I never saw him so happy as the day he stepped aboard the transport bound for home. "I don't know whether any word of the affair ever reached Colonel Roosevelt's ears, but it was a mighty narrow ! escape, and I tell you that I would rather have twenty-five Spaniards with a bead on me at lOO yards than for Johnson to pick me out for a target at 300 yards. In the first case you would have a good chance of escaping injury, but with Johnson shooting it was a clear case of cashing in your chips." THE BALLAD OF "TEDDY'S TERRORS." As Related by Round-up Rube, of Rattlesnake Gulcf. There wus a lovely regiment whose men wus strong and stout, Far some, they had diplomas, and fer some wus warrants out. And Wood, he was their colonel bold, an' Teddy was his mate, And they called 'em "Teddy's Lambkin's," fer their gentleness wus great, Now a good ole man named Shafter says to Teddy and to Wood : — "There's a joint called Santiago where we ain't well understood, — 510 STORY OF BRAVE EXPLOITS. So, take yer lamb-like regiment, and if you are polite I think yer gentle little ways '11 set the matter right." So when Teddy's boy's got movin' and the sun was on the fry, And the atmosphere was coaxing them to lay right down and die, Some gents from Santiago who wus mad 'cause they wus there Lay down behind some bushes to put bullets through their hair. Now Teddy's happy Sunday School wus movin' on its way A-seekin' in its peaceful style some Dagos fer to slay ; And the gents from Santiago, with aversion in their hearts Wus hiding at the cross-roads fer to blow 'em all apart. There's a Spanish comic paper that has give us sundry digs— A-callin' of us cowards and dishonest Yankee pigs; And I guess these folks had read it, and had thought 'twould be immense Jest to paralyze them lambkins they wus runnin' up agains'. So when our boys had pretty near arrived where they wus at, And the time it was propitious fer to start that there combat. They let her fly a-thinkin' they would make a dreadful tear. An' then rubber-necked to see if any Yankees wus still there. Now you can well imagine wot a dreadful start they had To see 'em still a' standin' there and lookin' bold and bad, Fer when this gentle regiment had heard the bullets fly, They had a vi-lent hankerin' to make them Spaniards die. So Teddy, he came runnin' with his glasses on his nose, And when the Spanish saw his teeth you may beheve they froze ; And Wood was there 'long with 'im, with his cheese-knife in his hand, Wliile at their heels came yellin' all that peaceful, gentle band. They fought them bloody Spaniards at their own familiar game. And the gents from Santiago didn't like it quite the same — Fer you plug yer next door neighbor with a rifle ball or two And he don't feel so robustous as when he's a-pluggin' you. So when the shells wus hoppin', while the breech-blocks clicked and smoked, An' the powder wouldn't blow away until a fellow choked. That regiment of Yankee pigs wus gunnin' through the bush. An' raisin' merry hell with that there Santiago push. Then Teddy seen 'em runnin', and he gives a monstrous bawl. And grabbed a red hot rifle where a guy had let it fall. And fixiii' of his spectacles more firmly on his face. He started to assassinate them all around the place. STORY OF BRAVE EXPLOITS. 511 So through the scrubby underbrush from bay'n't plant to tree, Where the thorns would rip a feller's pants a shockin' sight to see, He led his boy's a-dancin' on, a shoutin' left and right, And not missin' many Spanish knobs that showed 'emselves in sight. And when them Santiago gents wus finished to their cost. Then Teddy's boys, they took a look, and found that they wus lost, And as their crewel enemies was freed from earthly pain. They all sat down to wait fer friends to lead 'em back again. That's the tale of Teddy's terrors, and the valiant deed they done, But all tales, they should have morals, so o' course this tale has one. So paste this idea in yer cage, wotevcr else you do, Fer perhaps you'll thank me fer it yet before yer game is through : — The soldier-boy that wears the blue is gentle-like and meek. But I doubt he'll mind the Bible if you soak him on the cheek ; An' should you get him riled a bit, you want to have a care, Fer if he ever starts to fight he'll finish — Gawd knows where ! Stephen F. Whitman. THE NOMINATION. As the time for the nominating conventions in 1900 drew near, public attention was turned to Mr. Roosevelt as a candidate for Vice-President. The nomination was thrust upon him. In nominating Governor Roosevelt for Vice-President, Colonel Young of Iowa, spoke as follows: " On the ship Yucatan was that famous regiment of Rough Riders of the far West and the Mississippi Valley (applause). In command of that regiment was that fearless young American, student, scholar, plainsman, reviewer, historian, statesman, sol- dier, of the middle West by adoption, of New York by birth. That fleet sailed around the point, coming to the place of landing, stood off the harbor, two years ago to-morrow, and the navy bom- barded that shore to make a place for landing, and no man who lives who was in that campaign as an officer, as a soldier, or as a camp follower, can fail to recall the spectacle ; and, if he closes his eyes he sees the awful scenes in that campaign in June and July, 1898. oi2 ST01<\ UF BRAVE EXPLOITS. "And the leader of that campaign of one of those regiments shall be the name that I shall place before the Convention for the office of Vice-President of the United States (applanse.) "Now, gentlemen of the Convention, I place before you this distinguished leader of Republicanism of the United States ; this leader of the aspirations of the people, whose hearts are right, and this leader of the aspirations of the young men of this countr}'. Their hearts and consciences are with this young leader, whom I shall name for the Vice-Presidency of the United States— Theodore Roosevelt, of New York." (Loud cheering.) When the roll of states was called, it is needless to say every delegate voted for Roosevelt with one exception, and that was himself. A demonstration of the wildest and most enthusiastic character, and lasting half an hour, followed the announcement that Roosevelt was the nominee for Vice-President. Palms were waved, the standards of the various delegations were hurried to the platform, the band attempted to make itself heard amid the loud acclaim, processions of excited, cheering dele- gates marched up and down the aisles, and the popular New York Governor was congratulated by as many as could get within reach of him. 57 4 ' ^^ '> ,^^ 'A ,^\ '>!. , o^ •^>. c,S- ^■'.: '^^ ' .^-'^-: ^^ ''^ ,^^ \'^ ^^ ^-^.v .. ^ ^*" f ^.- »\.^ ^*■ . aV >> •>^ ^, ^ « '"'''o . '-\ ' . ' o -is . \%:. >' c^^ s. .^ .^°- I''-. V V vO ^--0^ A-i^ ^^\s^^.y, \.^'r;^^^\o^ '^^ ,-xV N^ #^ ^^'"^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 013 788 845 2 # laiKiUi