The Oamaru Mail. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1901.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVI, Issue 8228, 16 September 1901, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1901.

President M'Kinley is 'dead, and all Christendom Trill unite with, the United, States in mourning tie fatal termination! of t/he wounds inflicted by the anarchist assassin a little over a week ago. The apparently confident bulletins issued from tim-e to time as to the -condition of tlie dent lad created a strong tope that the prayers 'offered in all quarters <>f -tie world for lis recovery would be '.realised. But at the end of the week tie .sufferer's condition became unsatisfactory and. tihen critical, and oti Saturday came to us -ttoe news tihat he w.as dying. Prepared as everyone thus was for the sad event, tlie news of the President's death lhas everywhere created a feeling of regret, acute and sincere. The object | of the assassin, though delayed, has been, attained, and it is a contemplation of that fact itlhat deepens and broadens , tie sympathy that is everywhere felt for 'Mrs M'Kinley in the loss of a loving ihu-sband and for tie people of tlie United States an the loss of mi enlightened, fearless, and upright President. Had death come in the ordinary way all would 'have deplored tie event, but none would lave felt it so keenly as they do ■under the present circumstances. In the death of President M'Kinley the anarchists lave scored a momentary victory in their war against organised society and constituted authority; but it is possible that the dastardly killing of tie unoffending President 'Of tie United States may lead to their complete undoing, and if wis sihoula 536 so—if tlie foul crime 'should lead to drastic measures being adopted against tie i anarchists—President M'Kinley's death-, like Ms life, will not lave without profit to (tie nation le served so- faithfully and to the wlole world. In- anotler part of this issue we give an outline of tie deafl President's career, and iit is -only necessary to -remark he-re that the greater part of lis life was devoted to the serviceof tie people in some capacity or other. Whether they agree with him or not in the policy 2ie adopted, all must unite in a frank recognition of the fact that -throughout lis long public career he preserved am unsullied reputation, and that he was ever animated by an earnest desire to promote tie _ welfare of lis country. A man with, definite aims and- of strong convictions, le succeeded in steering a- straight course and at tie same time retaining lie goodwill' of all manner of men. That- m a country with a heterogeneous population, separated by conflicting -sentiments and prejudices, must be counted ' an achievement -redounding to lis credit. At times there. was an appearance of unfriendliness on -tie part of President M Kmley towards Great Britain, font at heart, we •believe, he was a sincere friend. However, that may foe, nowhere will hisdeata be more sincerely lamented than in the British Empire, and it, is not too much,' to ■say that erent will lave a tendency to draw tie two Anglo-Saxon nations more closely together.

llt is to-day our painful duty 'to record the dea'tlh of Mr Scobie Mackenzie which occurred, nob unexpectedly. at- liis residence I yesfceyday, The nam© of Mr Scobie Mackenzie is know* (throughout- the whole icolony, anid <ev-etry!wihere, even ■amongst those who Iknew hdm not- &QF aipprov&d of ihis political actions, tie news of hip dea§h • -will be .received with .sincere regret. Ma? Mackenzie first entered Parliament in 1884 tas mam.be r for Mount Idand as an opponent of telle Atkinson Ministry, and a supporter of 'Sir Robert (then- Mr) Stout. He at once commanded attention as a jiew member who gave promise of becraiBtvcr a figure in parliament. His speech in 'mo-vins- the Address-in-Reply after it'he first Ministry came into ofiice showed him ito be a fluent ana ■ "pleasant speaker, possessed of a large fund of -general information as well *as a close fcnorwlsd<re <of political Affairs. J3acli succeeding session helped ito confirm the good impression created by his maid-en effort, jaiid -Mr Mackenzie soon established a claim' Ibo rank amongst .the foremost debaters of itihe Douse. Ip 1887, -when the Stout-y.ogel Ministry 'brougta- aojfji a revised t-ariff of ' la Protebtionist character, &e -broke aiway froom tihe party, and thereafter -he enjoyed ithe sjcio-re congenial position of a free-la#cs. He continued to represent Mlounlt Ida until Hihe readjustment of t'h e electorates -in 1893 pnaetfioafly wiped out that seat 'by amalgamaitanig a large -portion of it with a portion lof the Wbit-aki seat, represented -by the late Sir John M'Kenzie, E-veryone -will reanem!ber ithe election contest for Waihem-o in 1893 between the "two Macks," and ihoTV the Me Minister for Lands succeeded in defeatbing has brilliant- opponent by a suihstanltiail majority. It was the most- imjpoTitant political contest ever fought in the apd -will long live in recollec>feions if 'co-lojafcrts. It is no secret efforts were made upQn both sides to avoid the -duel, for it was felt that tii : e <Jsfeat of either of the contestants would mean a loss to tihe House. Mr Scobie Mackenzie 'could have had another seat •without opposition had he been disposed to relinquish the struggle for "W-aihemo ; but he declined Jto withdraw from « contest to -which tihe eves of the -wh-ole colony were turned with It-he keenest interest, and consequently was lexcluded from the Jlouse for three yea-rs. 'lt- is lonly a' little -more than eight yeairs since itha/t political battle royal was fought, but in that shout of (time -Death lias claimed both the principals in the jmeimiorlable duel. But a feiv short weeks since 'the colony was called upon to mourn the death of Sir John M'Kenzie, and now a new sorrow is oast- upon it by the de'at"h of Mr ,goolbie -Mackenzie. lit is pleasant to reflect that-, keen as was 'that contest, bath men retained a feeling of warm (friendship for each other. None, we know, regretted imore itfaan Sir John M'Kenzie itihe exclusion of Mr Scribie Mackenzie from- Itihe House, nor more gladly welcomed than he ([lis re-entry to it three years -later. At the eiedtapii oi 1,896 Mr Scobie Mackenzie was returned -a# the senior member for the Oity of BunecMn, but he foiled to retain his seat at the last general election, and since Ifclien has passed almost out- of sight-. This is not the time nor the place to examine critically the deceased getftlemwn's value lais a uolitician or to form an estimate of Itiuj (jervices 'he Tendered ito- the colony. It must suffice to say .that- lie shone most ■as a critic, in which capacity ;lie has had "few equals -in the colony. Endowed wit'li special gifts in that direction, he fell rirort i» constructive ability. Had it neett idtiherwise-, .he mig'bt have acquired Cabinet'iaMk and fame as an administrator. As a 'orillianib critic and 'an oraifcor who ■gave pleasure to his hearers, even when they with him. Mr Scobie Mackenzie's name will'.long be remembered by ■all who -had fhe privilege ty Rearing Kim .either within the walls "of Paiißatiien-t or upon itfce public platform. -But; probaibily t>v those who knew him and enjoyed tihe pleasure of his societ-v his memory will f)e most fondly cherished because of his *t.tractive nature n,nd his personal worth.