New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-29
MAJOR McXINLEY'S FIGHT.
-v.rrrREs OF HIS CANVASS AGAINST THE
GERRYMANDER.
.,,Dsr1yG POLITICS UNDER DIFFICULTIES
EFFECTS OF THE MAJORS TRIP THROUGH
WAYNE AND MEDINA COUNTIES.

o, sr.rP coRREsPoSpRNr OF THE TRIBUSEl
con.on Ohio Oct 26-Major Mckinley is not
80. Pullman car canvass Of his new and in
--,ors,v perrymandered Congress district. In
w.. rears with strong and devoted Repub-
- constituency behind him, few speeches
.o.h campaign in the bigger towns sufficed to In
handsome majority on Election Day, and
~ Mckinley was left practically free TO lend the
:H.,,ration of his name and the aid of his excep-
70, oratorical talent to fellow Republican caa-
,:a,,es struggling against less fortunate conditions
rs fall the demand for his services elsewhere
80, h.sr as general and urgent as usual; but the
a.-,,;dabe task put upon him by the Democratic
;,,o,ure of overcoming an adverse majority OF
80. than 1000 in his own district has Kept
h,rn With the exception of two brief runs INFO
.Ucbioan and Pennsylvania almost continuously
~ the stump at home. The thoroughness of last
,r+.r's eerrymander made the contest seem at
erst decidedly hopeless The Democratic lines
,,oked TOO strong TO he carried, and many Repuo-
v..ns even in the district, anticipated at the
,,art merely formal and perfunctory contest
", Mckinley however, took up the fight with
.n,ire earnestness and a determination 10 win
.ranst the ccrrymander if it could be done at any
oost of personal effort, or any sacrifice OF tlme
,omfort or convenience. The canvass in the dis
,,ct. il was seen, would attract National atten-
+on: IL would I've fought explicitly and eXclu-
sivek on the Tariff BILL with which Mr. McKin-
,ev's name is now firmly linked its result would
he a direct and significant test of popular feeling
an the legislation of the session of Congress Just
ended With this view of the campaign upper
most in mind regardless of the question Of
personal success failure, Mr.. Mckinley entered,
Immediately after the adjournment of Congress,
ND oh ctn
inc canvass of his whole political career For
three weeks he has been travelling industrfously
over the district, stimulating his party friends
everywhere TO renewed activity, and winning
votes by the score from among the ranks of the
opposition Up to to-day he has made no less
than thirty-tlIree set speeches. many Of them of
two hours or more in length: He has shaken
hands and exchanged greetings with thousands
Of constituents, and as he said the other day
iohngly, if every man in the district were to vote
for him who had promised to do so. he would tc
returned next week almost unanimously.
Some idea of the strenuous and eXhausting
work that Mr.. Mckinley has been doing and Of
the success with which it is meeting. may he
gathered from glance at some of his experiences
during last weeks trip through parts Of Wayne
and Medina counties. Last Wednesday morning,
by appointment, met the Major and his travelling
companion or two at Orrville, town of 1000
people in the southeastern part Of Wayne County,
upd station on the through railroad line from
Pistsburg to Chicago. Mr.. Mckinley had spoken
twice the day before at villages near the Stark
County line, and had driven to MassillOn for
nights rest The noon train brought him across
to Orvillc, where after a wait of ten or fifteen
minutes double carriage was obtained and a
start made for the first speaking place Of the
day, Wayne County town by the name Of
Marshallvie. This little Village was found Ia
lie about five miles northeast of Orrville, and \
drive of an hour and quarter over the heavy
country roads brought the party to the door Of
the single hotel in the place. BY misunder-
standing the Congressional Committee had adver-
tiscd simply reception at Marshallville, instead
of a speech and so for two or three hours, with
a brief interval for dinner, the Major sat around
the stove In the little hotel Office, and chatted
with the callers who kept coming in steady
stream Mr.. Mckinley had been in the village
SIX years ago. when candidate for Congress i'll
somew hat similarly gcrrymandered district, and
almost everyone recalled his speech of os4 with
hearty interest. Marshallville is a strong Demo-
cratic town but there were few Democrats there
while the Majors visit lasted. Even the hotel
landlord whose political predictions were plainly
Bourbon, thawed out under the warmth of his
guests amabity, and the buxom and stalwart
hostess before Major Mckinley departed. brought
out a register and asked the distinguished Repub-
ican leader to start fresh page with his signature
The candidate was cheercd too, before he started
away, with the assurance that from twenty 10
thirty Democrats in the township would give him
their votes on election day.
From Marshallvillc 20 the next stopping place.
D0yestOwn. was a drive OF perhaps ten miles
through charming stretch Of rolling farming
country, lightly wooded, and dotted thickIy with
ponderous red barns and freshly painted. comfort
able farmhouses. The day had been dull and
threatening one overhead, and dusk came before
Doylestown was reached. This picturesque little
place presents the paradox Of thriving manu-
featuring village quite of any line OF railroad,
the nearest available station being three miles
distant. Even the telegraph wire is still
stranger, all messages having to go ana come
BY telephone to the Office at the railroad DoSlcs-
town is the seat of one branch OF the Miller thrcs-
ing and moving machine works. and this single
industry has built up a town OF about l'""o
Inhabitants. Republicanism is naturally in the
ascendancy and the progressive and vigorous
doctrine which Mr. Mckinley SO conspcuously
represents found here q hearty and popular IN
dorsement. People came in from ten miles about
the country 10 hear the speech in the evening
and an unusually large and successful meeting
was the result The enthusiasm was Kept up
until nearly midnight, when the two bands OF
music. which had been hard at work all evening"
reluctantly blew the moisture out OF their lnstru'
ments and gave il up.
Alas for the nights gayetyl To meet engage
ments the next day. q start had TO be made before
sunrise. and before the drive to the station
through cold and pcltng rain. was finished,
political campaigning had lost. temporarily all
its at,ractiveness. either as study or pursuit,
The warmth of the station and OF the nortnoo"hu
train did something to restore keener interest,"
in the political situation. and the friendly srefI
ing which soon followed in the town OF Meoina'
the county seat of the Republican county OIL .lle
same name, tackled by the Columbus gerry
..s % h. 4hr on southern and Democratic neigh