[untitled] [excerpt]
As this is being written on the day
of President McKinley’s funeral I cannot close without some allusion
to him. Why was he so beloved, and why does every good human being
in this country so earnestly lament his demise? He was beloved while
he lived because he was president of the whole people, regardless
of party or locality. He was an impartial president and a wise one.
To me the most lovable of his many good personal qualities was his
tender care of and beautiful devotion to his invalid wife. He was
was [sic] an honest, courageous, tender hearted, approachable
gentleman of the highest type, and above all a conscientious christian.
What a beautiful example to follow. We must believe that mankind
will be better for his having lived as he did and died as he did.
Who knows but that God took him when he did and the way he did,
not only that his life might be an example to us and to posterity,
but to bring this people and its law makers [sic] face to
face in a vivid manner with the canker worm anarchy and their responsibility
for its elimination?
To my mind the enactment of such laws
as will prevent any public expression either in the press or in
public speech, which condemns our form of government or villifies
[sic] the persons who make up our civil authority, would be a step
in the right direction. He who will not yield a cheerful compliance
to the will of a lawfully constituted majority is not a good citizen.
Our Capitol is continually disgraced by members of the U. S. senate
and house of representatives giving expression to sentiments of
inflammatory nature, which are little short of treason. One great
cause for discontent among the ignorant in our land is that unscrupulous
politicians are allowed to appeal to their prejudices and inflame
all that is base in their natures by false statements, which incites
them to deeds of lawlessness. We of the south have seen much of
this with the ignorant and superstitious negro. No man knows what
kind of a president Mr. Roosevelt will make, and I have seen some
expressions which smack of uneasiness, but he is now my president
and I shall continue to hope for the best and believe that he should
have the loyal support of every good citizen so long as he shall
hold unimpeached his high office.
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