Fergus County argus., 1891-09-03
oHI0's MODEL LEADER.
A Brief Sketch Of the Home Life and Char.
acter Of Major Mckinley.

inter Ocean. Iner6 are many lea
lures of the present campaign in Ohio
that give most favorable outlook
for Republicans. Business is good
and crops are excellent, and that con-
tentment which accompanies prosper
ity prevails on the farm, in the ham,
let, in the workshop, and in the marts
OF trade. Then, too, the issues are
such as to excite great interest in every
man and every woman who is thought
ful either about state or national af-
fairs; for the same ballot that decides
who is to be the governor of the state
for the next two years also decides
whether a Republican or Democrat
shall sit for six years in the United
States senate as successor to that
veteran statesman, John Sherman,
who has so long and so honorably
represented the state in that highest
ard ablest of legislative bodies.
In addition to all this the Republi-
cans have q leader who, both for his
brains and his heart, has the respect
and admiration of all citizens without
regard to party. 1t is rare, indeed,
that the most uncompromising and
determined defender and advocate OF
the principles of a party commands
the respect and esteem of that party's
opponents. But such rare exception
Major Mckinley is. The very embod-
iment of all that free traders hate the
most, those of them who listen to him
or know him find that both pens and
tongues lose their bitterness when he
is the subject on which they discourse.
Brave, manly and earnest in urging
his political views, he disdains subter-
fuge and Misrepresentation, and in
the open challenges all i'm the defense
OF his cause. But more than this, be-
hind his noble public character is a
pure and exalted private life that
TOUGHEST the tenderest part oil the in
ner nature of both publican and saint
OF no public man in modern times can
it be truly said that he stands today
at the head of his marshaled hosts,
"sans peur ct sans reproche." A rep
resentative Republican, he is more, a
representative American, nay, more
still, a representative man. Cast in a
heroic mold he is a model leader, such
as men havefollowed to the stake and
to death or victory amid the crash of
battle.
With all these characteristics Major
Mckinley is a plain, common-sense
man, an obedient son, a devoted and
affectionate husband. 1t has been
said that mo man is hero to his
valet" meaning, of course, that hero
ism is inconsistent with ideas obtained
by intimate association. As Major
Mckinley has no valet, being simply a
plain American citizen, that test can
not be applied; but certain it is that
where he is best known he has always
been most loved and admired. In
spite of money and outside influences,
in those places where the people were
most intimate with his life and char
acter, he always ran ahead of his
household in Canton, his father and
mother, both over so years old, and
his wife, who for many years has been
an invalid, he has all the sweet and
heroic characteristics OF a Sidney or a
Bayard.
Some OF the stories OF his devotion
to his mother and wife do honor to
our common humanity, and, though
possibly sentimental, remind us that
though the days OF chivalry have
passed, the spirit, refined ana I'M
proved, still fingers among us. To his
invalid wife he has been lover, nurse,
and physician, watching with her in
hours OF pain, reading with her in con-
valescence, advising with her, and re-
ceiving inspiration from her in return
when partial strength came back. 1t
is told OF him that when closely en-
gagged in the laborious duties devolv-
ing upon him as chairman OF the ways
and means committee he would al
most daily excuse himself from his CO.
laborers and hasten to his wife's room
to cheer her with his presence an'i
with his own hand administer the
medicine. Instead of going with his
fellow members to the capitol restau.
rant his habit was to take a cab and
drive home, that he might take lun-
cheon with his wife.
These may be little things, but they
touch all hearts. Every wife who is
loved and every husband who loves
must feel little closer to the man o
whom such things can be told. They
indicate one OF the many features IL
Major McKinley's character that max,
his leadership an element of strength
in this great campaign. Even if othe
features of the campaign We're unfav
orable, McKinley's leadership alon
would give strength to the belief tha
the Republicans OF Ohio will surel.
win.