The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-11-25
MCKINLEY AND HANNA.
The Trust the Former Placed in the Latter
and How 1t was Returned.

From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
The Union Club of Cleveland rendered
Mr.. Hanna a banquet Monday night,
when he made what was probably the
longest speech Of his life.
Mr.. Hanna said that the evening was
very nearly an anniversary of what oc-
CURED two years ago. IL was just about
this time, in 1894, that William Mckin-
lev intrusted his Presidential fortunes TO
Marcus 4. Hanna. This declaration was
a remarkable instance of taking the pub
lie into ones confidence. We recall no
parallel to ii. Yet why treat as pro-
found secret matter of that kind? The
very words of the commissioner are given
as near as memory could recall them.
"My friend, trust you with my future"
adding, MARK, there are some things
will not do TO be President oftheenited
States, and / leave my honor in your
hands, That surely was a great respon-
sibility for any one man to assume. but
in politics, large or small, candidate
who has contest in prospect does well
10 select from among his friends some one
man to lead his forces, and Major Me-
Kinley could not have made better
choice.
The day when Major Mckinley put his
candidacy in the hands of Mr.. Hanna
was an important date in history, but it
was not the beginning of that candidacy
itself. That began, at the very latest,
the morning after the election of Novem-
ber 6. 1894, when il became perfectly
evident that people had repented of
their folly in 1892. But it would be more
exact, perhaps, TO say that it dates from
Wednesday. November S, 1898, when the
country was electrified by the glad news
that Ohio had elected the father of the
Mckinley bill Governor by plurality
of 5000 over Neal, the father of the free
trade plank in the Democratic platform
of 1892. Had Ohio elected Neal he and
not Mckinley would have been the "logi-
cal candidate of his party" That was
a national election hardly less than the
one of 1896. 1t was certainly the turning
point in the presidential fortunes of Will
liam Mckinley.
At the time Governor Mckinley, as he
then was. intrusted his political fortunes
to Mr.. Hanna, he was hardly less dis
tinct personality in the minds of the peo'
pie than he is to-day. He was popular
favorite wherever the American doctrine
of protection was really understood. He
had shown that in the campaign just
closed. There never was such cam
paign as Mckinley made that fall, be-
ginning at Paris, H., and taking in sub
stantially all the prairie States. The
speeches were reported fully and read
eagerly. They were so rich in facts,
cogently presented, that the nomination
ard election of 1896 seemed inevitable
Yet they were not. Many an opportuni.
ty presented itself for making a bad
was made justifies Mr.. Hanna's selection
Monday, for the first time since the
election. Mr.. Hanna and the next Presi
dent met. 1t was just two weeks TO 4
day after the election before the agen
called on his principal. 1t must have
been meeting to add new emphasis tC
the word cordiality. There were dark
days during the campaign, but theil
shadow only serves low as background
for the picture. In his speech at Cleve
land, Mr.. Hanna further took the public
into his confidence by telling what he
said when he went to Canton the frs
time after the St. Louis convention ''M'
Kinley, haven't forgotten my trust, and
bring it back without blot, and not /;
single promise to redeem That was 1
remarkable record, but no one familiar
with the proceedings Of that convention
will doubt the truth of the declaration.