The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-06-19

seeking a third term" something not
accorded its representatives. He had
strong opposition for the nomination.
some Of 1t ranking up until the elec-
tion. and that. with the popular dis
content temporarily prevailing, brought
his majority down to eight votes.
About this there Is told story. After
the election Major Mckinley went to
Washington and called on Secretary
Folger, at the treasury department.
Foiger had just been defeated for gov
| ernor OF New York by Grover Cleve-
land, by the somewhat unwieldy ma
| jority of 49,, eco votes To him McKin-
ley complained of the result in his dis
trict.
MY majority was only eight votes
he said.
Young man." said Secretary Fo.ger,
''let me tell you that eight votes is a
mighty big Republican majority this
| fall"
1t Is unnecessary to dwell upon Major
| McKinley's record in congress. The
people know it. 1t is 40 unimportant
part Of the history Of our own times.
He was active and prominent from the
very first. When James A. Garfield
became president Major Mckinley took
his place on the ways and means COM
mittee. In the Fifty-first congress
Speaker Reed made him its chairman
and he framed the famous tariff bill
that bears his name, and led the fight
.hat resulted In its passage. During
those fourteen years In the house the
name OF William Mckinley, of Ohio, be-
came known to the whole people.
Possibly no measure passed by con-
sress has been the subject CT so much
discussion and 50 widely varying opin-
ions as has the Mckinley tariff bill. It's
friends have sung its praises; it's enc
mics have been loud in their denuncia-
tions. Before 1t had got into practical
operation, the overwhelming Demo-
cratic victories of 1890 threw uncertain
ty over the result of the presidential
contest of 1892, and the business inter-
ests of the country took alarm. The
advent to power on March 4, 1898. OF q
party pledged against the protective
principle upon which the bin was
based led to q paralyZation of business
that became almost complete pending
the prOtracted struggle which ended in
its repeal by the Wilson bill 1t can
hardly be said that the Mckinley bill
had fair show. And yet under it es-
tablished industries prospered. new
ones were begun and revenues sufficient
| to pay the expenses Of the government
and reduce the national debt were pro-
duced. 1t will hardly be said that the
Wilson bill has accomplished all or any
Of these desirable ends.
| A famous feature of this bill was the
reciprocity clause" The credit for
this important clause has been. and in
q large measure most justly, accorded
to James G. Blaine. But an often re-
peated charge has been made
taht Major Mckinley opposed the
further form the truth. As evil
dence Of this. the following extracts
from an authorized interview with Will
liam f. Curtis, secretary Of the Bureau
Of American Republics, are to the point.
Mr.. Curtis was for many years close to
Mr.. Blaine, and this interview was pub
| lished q year and a half before that
| statesman's lamented death. 1t ap-
| peared in the Massillion Independent"
of August 10, 1891. Mr.. Curtis being then
| visitor to that city. After stating
that Mr.. Blaine opposed any disurb-
| ance of the duties on South American
products, to which the ways and means
committee did not agree, Mr. Curtis
| said:
when Mr.. Blaine found that 1t was
proposed to remove the duty on sugar,
he sent me to Mr.. Mckinley with a
| proposition which he wanted added to
| the bill as an amendment. 1t after
| ward became known as the Hale amend
ment. 1t provided that the president
should be authorized to take off the
duty on sugar whenever the sugar pro-
ducing nations removed their duties on
our farm products and certain other ar
ticles.
"Mr. Mckinley presented this amend
| ment to the committee on ways and
means. 1t was not adopted. Mr.. Nc
Kinley voted for 1t the first time 1t was
presented. Then second proposition
containing some notifications was pre-
sented and Mr.. Mckinley voted for that,
as he voted for the Blaine reciprocity
| amendment every time it was submit
ted In whatever form.
1T has been currently reported that
Mr.. Blaine denounced the Mckinley bill
with so much vigor that he smashed
his hat. Mr.. Blaine's opposition to the
! bill was because of the free sugar
clause. He criticised the refusal Of
congress to take advantage Of condi-
tions which he thought were very IA
vorable to our trade. They proposed to
throw away the duty on sugar when he
wanted them to trade with it.
when what was known as the Aid
| rich amendment was adopted, MIR.
Blaine was perfectly satisfied and there
is nothing In the current tales that he
Is unfrlendly to Major Mckinley. On
the contrary, he is one of his warmest
friends. Had it not been for Mr.. Nc
Kinley and Senator Aldrich. of Rhode
Island, the reciprocity clause In the
tariff act would never have been
adopted"
Samuel ]. Randall. Of Pennsylvania,
was speaker when Major Mckinley en-
tered congress, and they became warm
friends. There was one memorable
scene In the Fiftieth congress in which
both figured. 1t occurred on May IS,
! 1888, the day on which the general de-
bate closed on the Mills bill. Randall
opposed this measure, and incurred the
displeasure Of the rampant free trade
element headed by Mills, Of Texas. He
took the floor to speak against the bill.