St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-08-25

MKINLEY AS A SPEAKER.
Still, Gov. Mckinley makes great
number of public speeches. He cannot
I fill one of a hundred of the requests
which he receives, and of late years
his speeches have covered a wide
range. He has spoken at soldiers re-
unions, has given literary addresses
at university commandments and has
discussed religious questions at the
conventions of the Epworth League
and Christian Endeavor. He is a
strong speaker, and the impressions
which he makes are lasting. He has a
round, SonorouS voice, and he can
make himself heard in any crowd. He
has fine presence upon the stump.
His features are much like those of
Daniel Webster. He has the same
full, characteristic forehead, the same
deep-set, piercing eyes. looking out
from under heavy eyebrows, and his
jaw is equally broad and massive. He
is a finer-looking man than Webster.
His features are more clearly cut, and
the honesty which shines out of them
was not so apparent in that greatest
orator of the last generation. McKin-
ley speaks for hours without diminu-
ton of force or repetition of ideas. He
uses short sentences and makes it a
principle never to speak unless he has
something to say. He believes in plain
Anglo-SaXon and avoids classical
phrases. During my talk with him to-
day 1 asked him how he prepared his
speeches. He replied:
when 1 have an important speech
to make it absorbs me- 1t is hard
work, and it takes all there is in me-
I go over the subject again and again
in all its phases in my mind. I read
all L can get hold of upon it, and the
speech gradually grows until it is
ready for delivery. If it is one that
has to be given to the press, dictate
it to my stenographer and see that the
copy is given out beforehand. This
clarifies my thought, and though
seldom make exactly the speech that
have dictated, it is substantially the
same
do you like to speak?"
mo, 1 do not" replied Gov. McKin-
ley, emphatically. 81 dread it.. My
heart goes down into my boots when
ever get up before an audience, and I
tremble until L have begun to talk.
This is always so, and still have been
making speeches for twenty-three
years."
do you remember your first public
speech?' I asked.
eyes, indeed; very WE'LL" replied the
governor, with a laugh. 1T was upon
my return home with the troops at the
close of the war. L lived ! the little
village of Poland, near Youngstown,
and a reception was given in honor of
the soldiers. One of the judges of the
county made the welcoming speech,
and L was chosen to give the response.
I was then just twenty-one years old"
HOW HE BECAME A SOLDIER.
"How old were you when you went
into the army, governor?' L asked.
81 was just seventeen" was the re-
ply. ST was acting as a country
school teacher at the time the war
broke out. My father was anxious to
give me a good education. He moved
with his family to the little town of
Poland, in order that I might go into
the academy there, and when l was
about fifteen or sixteen he sent me to
the Allegheny college at Meadville, Pa.
I fell sick there and had to come home.
When I became better l took up
teaching and got country school near
Poland. This left to go to the army"
"By the way, governor, what did
they pay you for teaching?'
my wages were, I think, $50
month. and I boarded around. My
parents, however, lived only three
miles from the school house, and the
most of the time I stayed with them
and walked to the school and back
every day. Six miles would be big
walk for me now, I suppose, but 1t
did not seem much them.
"Weu, while I was teaching" con-
tinued Gov Mckinley, Fort Sumter
was fired on, and every one was wild
TO go to the war. A company was
formed in Poland, and 1 enlisted. Gen.
John c.. Fremont inspected ana mus
tered in the company. He examined
me. was then very slight, not much
bigger than you are. Gen. Fremont, L
remember, seemed great man to me,
n. how of seventeen, whose mind had
been thrilled with the story OF MS
wonderful adventures in the West l
remember he pounded my chest and
looked square into my eyes, and finally
pronounced me fit for a soldier.
.In what regiment were you, gov
ernor?''
.My first service was in the twenty
third Ohio, and I remained In that
regiment throughout the war"
A MODEST SOLDIER.
What was your rank when you en-
tered?"
.It was that of q private" replied
LIaj. Mckinley. 1.-THE first colonel Of my
regiment was Rosecrans, who after
ward became general. Our lieutenant
colonel was Stanley Matthews, after
wards United States senator and JUS
lice of the supreme court, and our ma
jor was rutherford 3. Hayes, who
was to become a general and after
wards to serve as governor of Ohio
and as president of the United States"
cit was remarkable regiment,
wasn't it?' said I.
"Yes," replied the governor, land the
great body of the regiment was worthy
of the great commanders"
tAnd you were a private, governor"
said I, as looked into the bright gray
eyes of the man who may yet be
president Of these United States.
won't you tell me something about
your life as a private soldier?'
at was just like that of the other
soldiers" replied Gov. Mckinley. my
experiences did not differ from those
of million young men who went into
that great war. There was nothing
uncommon about 1t. It was simply
the incidents of camp and march and
battle common to the soldier in gen.
eral. We carried our muskets and
marched along together. We all Of
us felt our importance, I suppose"
but you did not remain a private?"
eyes, I did," replied Gov. Mckinley.
IT remained a private for over
year. I was then promoted to be SER
geant of the company. This was after
the battle of Antietam. Rutherford B.
Hayes-he had become colonel
brought me my commission, and later
on served on the staffs of Gen.
Hayes, Maj. Gen. Crook and Maj. Gen.
Hancock. In 1864 was made a major
by brevet by President Lincoln"
i,,1y rAf