Omaha daily bee., 1896-06-19

III tne summer or 1916 Mckinley an.
nounced himself as a candidate for congress
to succeed L.. ID. Woodwork, who was him.
self a candidate for denomination. He also
had three opponents from his own-Stark-
county. In those days delegates to the con
gressional convention were elected by pop
ular vote. Mckinley made a vigorous per.
sonal canvass of his district. He carried
every township of his own county but one,
and he was almost equally successful in the
other counties of the. district. When the
congressional convention met Mckinley was
nominated on the first ballot and his cleo
ton was accomplished as a matter of course.
AS A CONGRESSMAN.
For fourteen consecutive years Mckinley
represented the congressional district OF
which Stark county was a part. His pop
ularity rendered him practically invincible
as a candidate, and three times a democratic
legislature gerrymandered his district in the
nope OF accomplishing his defeat. The first
time, in 1878, his county was transferred to
a district that had always been democratic
by l,SOO majority. Mckinley carried the new
district by 1900 votes. In 1882 the democrats
tried it again and Mckinley was elected
by a bare plurality of eight votes. In 1884
the third attempt to gerrymander Mckinley
out of congress was made, and he was re-
elected by 300 majority.
In 1890 the democrats, having control of
the legislature, made their fourth gerryman-
der of the Mckinley district. His county was
put in a district with Wayne, Medina and
ioihieS SouHlItS, anu the Jour counties thuS
tied together had the year before given a
democratic majority of 1900. Despite the
heaVy odds against him Mckinley made a
spirited contest. He was defeated, but he
mad cut the democratic majority down to 1868
votes, and that on the fullest vote ever cast
in the district. This defeat ended his ca
reer as a congressman, but a year later 1t
made him governor of Ohio.
Mchinleys career as a congressman was
rounded out by the passage of the tariff
law Wn1r Will nUnr hn rn1nrl@I l., 49, lii.
tory OF his. country inseparably connected
with his name. o He had served many years
as an active member of the ways and
means committee and had made the tariff
ms especial study. The election of Presi-
dent Harrison in 1883 brought the re-
publican party into power in all three
branches of the government. Congress con-
vened for the long session in 1889 and
Thomas Be- Reed, was elected speaker of the
house, Mckinley being his leading oppo-
nent In the republican caucus. In making
up the list OF standing committees Speaker
Reed recognized the fitness of Mr. McKin-
ley to deal with the tariff question and ap-
pointed him chairman of the committee on
ways and means.
AS TO Fl MKINLEY BILL.
The republican party had regained con-
troll of the government through it's pledges
to revise the tariff along protection lines.
and the ways and means committee began
the task with all the earnestness and in
dustry at its The Mckinley
tariff law" of 1890 was the result of the
labors of that committee. The long and
exciting debate which Immediately pre-
coded the Mckinley bill" is still fresh in
the minds of the people of the country.
The bill was finally passed by the house
and sent to the senate, where it was
amended by the addition of the reciprocity
clause, originated and advocated with so
much spirit by the late James G.. Blaine,
then secretary of state.
McKinley's part in the famous tariff de-
bate is now a part of the legislative his.
speech on the subject on the day that the
bill passed the house. Adroit parlia-
mentary generalship had prevented the bill
from being weighted down by amendments
not acceptable to the committee on ways
and means. and the measure was up for its
final consideration. Mckinley made his
final appeal for the bill, and his eliminating
effort has been admirably pictured by a
writer in the Washington Post, who the
next day wrote the following:
The occasion, thoroughly advertised. at
tracted to the capitol an immense throng.
The galleries were one mass of humanity
and the anticipation of the vote had com
the attendance of every member.
AS usual, Mr.. Mckinley spoke without notes. |
His voice, penetrating, but not harsh, filled
the chamber and was modulated with all
the art of an elocutionist. His gestures
were those of a man who might have been
''''uNNb W 'hS S'uStt bldttIui an ~ |
p iopriate. His well rounded figure, not
above the medium height, was enveloped in
a close fitting Prince Albert coat, which
In the sedateness of its cut was thoroughly
in keeping with the serious and earnest
tones OF the speaker. His face, paler than
usual. was nevertheless lightened by the
inspiration of the occasion and as 1t was
turned upward to the galleries revealed
the lines which reminded the spectator so
forcibly of the countenanee of Napoleon.
His forehead was broad and high and his
eyes were dark and deep set. The gravity
Of his bearing, the sincerity of his senti-
and the sympathetic quality of his
voice impressed the eye, the intelligence
and the ear.
CLOSE oFtTHE PEN PICTURE.
There were no meretricious glittering
phrases to tickle the fancy, Every sentence
was as solid as the granite in the eternal
he ordinary claP-trap than Mckinley"
Twice has MIR; Mckinley figured
prominently in the national conven-
of his party. In 1855, at
5hiGag9, he WAS chairman Of the
upon the PLATFORM was the signal for an
of enthusiastic applause, which
bis popularity as a national
igure, even eight years ago.
He received another ovation when he read
he plank OF the platform which pledged the
'opublican party anew to the cardinal
doctrine of protection to American industry.
'Nlil ~ w ~ bhlIt nHth
'ome of the delegates had cast their votes
or him for president, he mounted a chair
nd in a few determined words insisted upon
withdrawal OF the votes, asserting at the
anne tine that the Ohio delegation had come
o the convention pledged to the support of
Sherman.
Four years later. at Minneapolis, he was
as permanent chairman of the
.atiCnil convention. He went there favoring
he denomination OF General Harrison. He
vas under no pledges to Harrison, but he
protested just as firmly when many dele
rates east their votes for him. He received
rs votes for the nomination at this con-
In 1891 Mr.. Mckinley was nominated for
governor of Ohio, and was elected by a
majority OF q 900 votes. In 1893 he was
and reelected by the almost
Unprecedented majority of O,0)0 votes.
ilnce the expiration of his second term as
governor he has lived quietly at his home
4 Canton.
Persons who have a coughing spell every
light on account of a tickling sensation in
he throat may overcome 1t at once by a
lose of One Minute Cough Cure.