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     It is with no perfunctory grief that the people of the United States mourn the death of William McKinley, their late president. The feeling of bereavement is as widespread as the bounds of the country—indeed, it is wider than that, as is shown by the messages from foreign lands—and is entirely sincere. Mr. McKinley had great sweetness of character, rare tact and perfect amiability. He had had long years of experience in public affairs, both as a legislator and in executive capacity. His acquaintance was very large and was confined to no party, creed or section. He loved peace, but when peaceful acquiescence in wrong became intolerable he conducted a war that was short but eminently successful. He was well informed of, and intensely interested in, the industrial needs of the country and has been identified with a prosperous era. He was prudent, cautious, safe—a well-tried man in whom his countrymen had confidence. He was a patriot, but he was even more than that—a good man who endeavored to order his life by the love and laws of God. In short, it is not too much to say that Mr. McKinley fell not far short of the attributes of the ideal president.
     It was this man who fell a victim to the bullet of an anarchist. The crime is inexplicable to a well regulated mind; but if it is possible for human ingenuity to prevent its recurrence new laws must be devised for the purpose. The murder plunged a nation in mourning, excited universal horror against the assassin and will redouble the efforts of all nations to stamp out anarchy, but it has had little effect on the prosperity of the country. President Roosevelt quietly took up the new duties imposed upon him by the constitution, and, although the people were profoundly moved, disturbance to business was comparatively slight. The stock market reports and the general tone of the people show that confidence in the progress of the nation is unimpaired. This is as the late president himself would have wished and is the only bright side to a distressing calamity.