Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-05-08

DA"ieCu iiOui tuCAI SlcuS, Tic MC-
kinleys, with others Of their tribe and
kind, were taken from chasing the red
deer and the neighbors and carried to
Ireland to harry and run down the
wild Irish Of that Island OF distress.
Subsequently they came to America,
as far to the rear OF the hour as two
centuries ago.
On his mothers side-whereof the
family name was Rose-McKinley was
a Puritan of English stock, though his
ancestors missed the Mayflower and
would appear to have come over with
the Quaker William Penn. But come
as they might, land as they would,
there was no pretense of any sinister
nobility about them. They were
plebeian, and lived next to the ground,
and the coat armor tailors will be able
to embroider nothing for them.
McKinley's ancestors were prompt
warriors, ard fought readily in every
American fracas on the American side,
one of them, indeed-a grandsire-en-
listing 80 many as eight separate
times during the Revolutionary War,
and faithfully seeking pension there
for as soon as such national largesse
was in order.
NOT AN INTELLECTUAL GIANT.
Mckinley is a short man, with wide.
square shoulders and deep chest. He
has keen eyes, as bright as mirrors,
which look steadily at men. His hair
has little or no gray to whiten it, and
is all on duty and holding its own
with time. This is, however, no
hirsute marvel when one remembers
that Mckinley is but fifty-three. No
beard, no mustache mars McKinley's
face, which is as smooth and pale and
handsome as prelate's. Wearing a
frock coat, buttoned close, with linen
white without q speck, neat to the
point of being scrupulous, Mckinley
does not look unlike well-paid pulpi.
teer.
Mentally Mckinley is mediocre. He
is not a brain giant; not a genius.
This is as we'll. The While House
does not need genius. One of your
safe, compact, dexterious, middle
weight thinkers is safest there.
Mckinley never has any original
thoughts. never says any original
things. He is devoid of humor,
neither knows where to laugh nor
how to make others laugh. If he tells
story it is poor story without point,
poorly and pointlessly told. No wit
has he; no epigram, as has Reed, to
stun proposition senseless like a
stroke of lightning. Mckinley talks
smoothly; but is never eloquent. His
voice is good and he has what actors
call "presence," and is capable of feel.
ing if not Of lofty fight. Thus it is
that Mckinley looks we'll and splendid
on the platform pleases and wins with
his appearance; and while he never
exalts, at least he never depresses his
auditors from q first bland, friendly
impression.
McKinley's speeches are not worth
much to read, and teach nothing,
whether of rhetoric or view. Even
his biography writer's and campaign
pamphleteers would appear to boast
themselves rather for that he spoke
ten times day for thirty days than
that he said any deep matters or made
any painting with words. From first
to last no man will discover Mckinley
thinking aught that has not been said,
or pushing through any new trails or
finding new passes through the
mountain for the travel Of his conjec.
ture. His phrasing is commonplace.
Adjectives and nouns, descriptive and
object described, go hand in hand
just as one has found there and heard
them since earliest youth.
There is no warp of fancy with a
wool Of fact to McKinley's word weav-
ing. 1t is rather as if somebody sat
threading beads; common beads on
common thread. His talks abound
in illustration of what I mean-with
such word-linking as " profound states
men" mighty SOUL" "true patriot"
human aspiration" sublime faith"
" leap the bounds,"" enlightened pub
lic." homely simplicity"
MAKES HIM A NAN COMPLETE.
Coming in personal contact with
mon Mckinley is affable, courteous.
without being magnetic. He is sin.
cere withal; he shakes ones's hand in
no spirit of hypocrisy. Mckinley is
what politicians call good mixer.
He remembers faces and names like a
detective.
Over all, as one surveys Mckinley
through the smoke Of cigar which he
has given one, he comes to be manly,
gentle, honest figure of folk, of middle
size and sort; nothing tremendous,
but a great deal that is safe. He is
conservative, and, moreover, he is not
only honest, but man of honor, too.
There are two matters which prejudice
men nightly in favor of Mckinley.
He will fight and he loves his vile.
These might seem to be virtues COM
mon enough, yet he who has them has
left little to do to make him man
complete.
There was one thing as I sat smok-