The San Francisco call., 1896-08-09
THE PEOPLES CHOICE.

ASIDE from his distinguished position as
his party's candidate for President, Will
| ham Mckinley is conspicuous character
of the times. He is an ideal citizen of the
United States by right of his lofty patriot
ISM, true manhood and intellectual
strength. For more than thirty years he
has been prominently identified with his
country's name ais soldier or as statesman,
and every public trust that has been COM
mitted Ito his keeping profited by his ad-
ministration of it. Mr.. Mckinley IS
natural leader of men, and because his
own conduct of life is true and faultless,
| his influence is necessarily 1or good,
whether in social, political or commercial
| life. That he is ambitious to be President
| there is no doubt, bat who would turn
away from an honorable opportunity to be
the chief executive of the most powerful
OF the nations of the earthf
Certainly Major Mckinley would like to
he chosen President of the United States
but his am bition is born of desire to be
in position where he can put in operation
such economic policies as are sure to ma
terially aid all the people in their strife
for higher and better conditions of exist
ence. 1t is ambition to help his fellows
rather than ambition to be conspicuous IN
the political and social world. Mr.. McKin-
| ley is not politician in the common ac-
ceptation of the word, but he is political
economist of broad and comprehensive
views, and, moreover, his theoriesof gov
eminent include the betterment of the con-
dition of every person and every interest
in all this broad land.
Al r. F-Ir IL
| stands close to the hearts and well in the
confidence of the people is that more than
two years before the st. Louis convention
the people themselves selected him fer the
next President, and however m much Demo-
| cratic newspapers and orators may try to
make it appear that Mr.. Mckinley owes
his nomination to Mark Hanna, the peo-
pie know better. Had the party held no
convention at all, Mr.. Mckinley would
still be the peoples candidate. The mans S
career for third of a century was known
TO the people, and the industrial situation
was such that the times demanded his
services Mark Hanna did not discover
Major Mckinley, and the ST. Louis con-
vention merely obeyed the voice of the
people when it officially commissioned
him to lead the country out of the sloughs
ard marshes of industrial and commercial
staghation.
That Mr.. Mckinley win be the next
President no observer of the signs of the
times questions, but it is the strong per-
sonality, the honesty of purpose and the
! splendid record he has made in the SER
vice of the country that will elect him.
Mr.. Mckinley is not greater than his party,
| but his party selected him by command of
the people for its best man to administer
the affairs of the whole country. There
never was a Presidential candidate who
more nearly represented the choice of the
rank and file. Mr.. McKinley's nomina-
| ton came ii answer to the call of the peo-
pie, and the people demanded him because
his record III private and in public life sat
islies them that he possessed the qualities
needed to restore confidence in the busi-
ness world, and remove the depressing in
f1uences which Cleveland's administration
had caused to settle upon the channels
and highways of trade, industry and COM
merce.