The herald., 1896-07-09
HAfvNA'S M'kINLEY AS
OHIO'S 40 OVERNOR

1
James Creelman, thu noted star cor.
respondent Of the New York World
writes from Columbus. Ohio. the follow
ing interesting letter of Major McKin-
ley's gubernatorial career:
showed In my dispatch to the World
last Sunday that the state debt of Ohio
was greatly increased under Mckinley's
rule as governor; that the Ohio state in
stitutions were given over to political
plunderers and contractors with pulls;
that Governor Mckinley revealed q sing
ular weakness and inf1rmity of VIII
power in dealing with wealthy corpora
tions. and that Mark Hanna was able to
take possession of the governors private
office. send for state senators and dictate
to the Legislature. while Governor Nc
Kinley stood passively and obediently
In the background.
PROMISES COME HOME TO ROOST.
Major Mckinley is only embarrassed
by q promise when he has to keep 1t.
This has happened occasionally. There
Is one instance known to every man.
woman and child in the state of Ohio.
1t is historic. 1t briefly and keenly sums
up his character.
When Mckinley was a candidate for
the governorship Of Ohio he promised
every office in the gift of the executive
to almost every person politically useful.
Naturally, as events progressed and the
state campaign developed, the lines of
the candidates promises began to cross
each other and things were slightly tan
gled.
Mr.. Mckinley was in a desperate posi-
tion. He had. lost his seat In congress.
In spite of the enormous corruption fund
poured into his district by the trusts
and corporations he had served. Mckin-
leyism had been repudiated by the peo-
pie at the polls 1t was necessary to be
governor of Ohio In order to be serious
candidate for the presidency. Mr.. Me-
kinley bribed the politicians with prom
ises. He promised the Office of state in
spector of oils-the most lucrative poll
tical sinecure at the disposal of the gov
ernor-to at least five different persons.
Mr.. Mckinley was elected. The clamor
for office was appalling. The candidates
for the oil inspectorship beselged the
governors Office. Two of them-George
w. Garfield and B. l.. McElroy-were
politicians of Importance, and each was
in position to prove that Mckinley had
solemnly promised the Office to him.
There was savage contention. The fol-
lowers of the two candidates uttered
threats of war on the governor. Mr.. Nc
Kinley induced the legislature to pass
law creating two oil inspectorships, in
stead of one, and so he redeemed his
promises.
SUBSERVIENCET TO CORPORATIONS
There is another interesting iilustra-
tion of Mr.. Mckinley's official methods
well known to the people of Ohio. Two
years ago bill was introduced in the
legislature ito provide for the abandon
ment of the Hooking canal for canal
purposes, and for leasing the same to
the Columbus, Hooking Valley and Ath-
ems Railroad company. This law gave
the railroad company the right of build
ing road along the Hooking canal. and
turned over the whole canal property to
the corporation for the sum of $4,000
paid down, and an annual rental OF Sl0.-
600. There was a storm of protest. This
was an exceedingly valuable franchise.
for the route paralleled the lines of the
wealthy Hooking Valley railroad and
penetrated the great coal fields. The
Chicago. Columbus and Southeastern
Railroad company offered to pay the
state 100000 in cash and $4,000 year
for the franchise. In spite of this the
act was forced through the leg
islature.
Governor Mckinley made no secret Of
the fact that he regarded the transac-
tion as corrupt bargain. The repre-
sentatives of the Chicago. Columbus
tried tried thive to have sthhssn, thhsn la Railroad company
the franchise should be sold fo6 9nsso rs. o.,tfeeat ,tfeat
est bidder. They offered to value the
canal property at $500, 900, and to bid al
the rate of annual interest upon that
sum, which would have amounted to
at least $25,0O0 a year, twice and half
as much as the Columbus, Hooking
Valley and Athens Railroad company
was to pay. The governor privately
announced that he was in favor of the
amendment, but he did nothing to aid
its passage.
He grew timid when the promoters of
the steal threatened to retaliate politi-
cally. Mr. Mckinley was seldom in his
office. He was presidential candidate.
and his time was occupied chiefly by
speech making in various parts of the
state The amendment was killed.
A WEAK EXECUTIVE.
This was followed by a petition signed
by representatives of the associated
canals and by prominent citizens. rep
resenting $30,000,0 900 of property, asking
the governor to direct the attorney gen.
eral of Ohio to bring quo warranto pro-
ceedings in the superior court to test the
validity of the law. The petitioners went
to the governors office, and their case
was presented by Ex-Governor Foraker,
eX-Judge Harrison, General Powell and
other prominent lawyers. They insisted
that the state had been robbed, that the
law had been passed by corrupt means,
that 1t was special legislation forbidden
by the constitution, and that 1t violated
the agreement between the Uuited
States and the state of Ohio, under
which 100000 acres of federal lands were
acquired for the purpose of a canal.
Governor Mckinley had privately
promised to order the encouragement
to begin the action. But again HIS pres
idential ambition controlled his con-
science. The men who had organized the
steal were powerful Republican politi-
clans.
They told him that the people in the
Hooking valley coal district would re-
sent any Interference on his part If
he authorized the quo warranto proceed
ings he must be prepared to lose the po-
litical support Of two congressional dis
tricts in the next Republican national
convention.
Governor Mckinley refused to act
And now he asks the American people to
make him president of the United States.
/ have written down these facts moder-
ately. JAMES CREELMAN.
Tom l.. Johnson on Finance
Ex-Congressman Tom L. johnson of
Ohio, one of the leading single-tax ad-
vocates of the country recently wrote
letter to Congressman George L. Fifth
ian of Illinois, in which he explained
his position on the financial question as
follows:
THE best and most Democratic
money-a paper money of convenient
denominations, issued directly by the
United States to it's citizens without
the intervention of banks, and made
directly interchangeable for it's bonds,
thus avoiding all need for the hoard