The evening times., 1896-06-19
His Life as Soldier, Teacher,
Lawyer and Statesman.
HAS A FINE WAR RECORD
His Percentage, Boyhood and Strug-
giles of Early ManiiOod-How He
First Came Into Prominence In the
Political ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of
the Republican Candidate.

stock, anu inherltS the Sterlns aDiNty
and character of his ancestors. His lore
fathers held Offices OF trust and were noted
for coed citizenship, for upright morals,
and were recognized as men or more tiah
ordinary executive ubiilty.
The parents of William Mckinley were
iatncr was EorD in Pennsylvania, Novem-
her / 5, 1907, and when twenty-five years
old, married Nancy Allison. Mrs; Me
Kinley, the mother of William Mckinley,
strong character, and has always been
devoted to her distinguished son. William
Mckinley had three brothers ana i've
sisters. From his ancestors lie Inherited
the reverence for religion, love of free in
stitutions. devotion to the cause or the
people. and u distinct admiration for the
public school system and all freeinstituti0rs
that are truly republican and truly AmeTi-
can. His own life, though with broader
opportunities and Il larger field than that
OF his ancestors, was entirely in keeping
with the kind of stock he comes from
At the time of william SicKiniey's birth
his father was engaged in the iron manu-
featuring industry in Niles, he having
Inherited It line OF work from his
part of his toyfcod days at Poland. a
small village south OF Youngstown. where
he attended the seminary. Previous to
his entering the seminary his hoyhoad
vas spent at his fathers home pretty much
as every hoy's life is srent. He was
boy like all others. fond Of fun, Interested
in outdoor sports. hunting and fishing,
and participated In these whenever TIE
opportunity presented itself He attended
the public schools and became a teacher
for short period.
WAS A CLOSE STUDENT.
While in Poland he studied hard and as
he advanced in his work did odd js.hs
during the vacation to help pay his way.
This life, while it developed and sharp
eDed the intellect, had a tendency to
shorten the perioi between bcyhSod and
manhood. Before he was eighteen years
old the war Of the rebeliion broke out
aud he enlisted in the Union Army.
The records show that william Mckinley
united with the Methodist Episcopal Church
at Poland in S5S, and was regarded as
Bible student of great promise. Tie in
tiuenct OF his mother was the greatest
help To him,
His early education may be summed up
IN this way. From curly childhood he had
the great advantage of that careful. in
tclhgeDt religious training, which parents
OF the high character of his father and
mother would he likely TO iDculcate. He
had the advantage of sound intellect and
good education on both sides. He had the
advantages of the public school of Poland
aftcrward Of the academy which was an
excellent institution for those times. He
left the academy when about seventeen
years Of age. and entered Allegheny Col
iege. Here, however, he remained only Il
short time returning to Poland in CON
sequence OF illness. Recovering he did
"A
country school.
1t was at this point of his life that
ne en!isfci. He was not yet eighteen years
Old, but the outbreak of the war iDflamed
nus ambition and aroused his patriotism
to such degree that he enlisted as a
private soldier. His first service was in
the Twenty-thrd Ohio Volunteer In
iabtry. with which he remained until the
close OF the war. being mustered out rs
captniD and brcvet major, at the age of
twenty-one.
Young as he was II was found that Nc
h,hley possessed a rare capacity for n Roy
OF MS age. Mckinley was In the regiment
nr which William s. Rosecrans was the
colonel The lieut. ena nt-ooloBel was Stan
icy Matthe VS., a scholar. and an able law
yer VINO anerward became justice on
Tue preme Court bench. Rutherford
b. Hayes was the major
HIS SM1LITARYRECORD
When Robert Porter was made the COM
mandant OF the regiment young Mckinley
was appointed on the ooloEel's staff. From
tnat time he naturally progressed. The
Oatue OF Antetani. September II, 1859,
was one OF the hloodiest days of the war
That battle began at daylight. Before
uayhght men were IN the ranks and prepar-
ing Tor it. Without breakfast. witt out
coffee, they went into the fight nd IL con.
tinued until after the sun had set
Early IN the afternoon, with the exertion
required OF the men, they were furnished
and thirsty and to some extent broken IN
spirit. The commissary department OF
The brigade was under Sergeant McKin-
leys administration and personal super-
vision. From his hands every man In the
regiment was served with rot coffee and
warm meats. He passed under fire aud de-
iivered these things, so essential for the men
for whom he was labOring. This incident
was related 10 Governor Tod shortly after
ward and with the emphasis that distins-
nlshed that great war governor he said
Let Mckinley be promoted from sergeant
to lieutenant. Mckinley was accord
lngiy promoted.
William Mckinley. ir., Won promotion
in the ranks on his merits as a soldier and
not by family or political influence First
TO commissary sergeant. then To second
lieutenant for gallantry In action at the
battle Of Ant'etam on the recnmr' ert,at'ou
of his colonel. and SO on step by step until
at the cose nf the war he was made ma ior
by breyet. Soon after his appointment as
stonnd lieutenant ie WAS detailed np the
staff Of Col. Hayes in 1862 and his sinh
scquent service was as y STAFF cfficer
w"ii Generals Hayes, Crooks, Sheridan
and Hancock.
MKINLEY AS A POLITICIAN.
His success during the war OF the re-
bcllion has had its counterpart in civil
life in the public service. When Someone
remarked in the presence of Gen. HAYES
that Major Mckinley possessed many bril-
liant Qualities as public man: that he
was skiiiinl IN debate. and tactful as a
leader. hut was lacking in business ability
he received this reply:
"A man who before he had attained
INC age or twenty-one kept up the sup
plies for the army of Gen. Crook in active
service jn ihe field. is not lacking IN
business ability"
Mckinley. after his military career, re-
turned to Ohio and ent cred civil fife al the
age OF twenty-five. He began the study of
law with Judge Charles E. Glidden. OF
Nhhop)rg county. ami took course at the
Albany. n. Y, law school. He was admit
TOD IN trr bar in the spring of 1867 in
Canton, Ohio, where he began his ca reer
as practitioner.
He was married to Miss Ida saxton. of
oant9n, o;d On January 20, 1871, in the quaint
almost entirely by Miss Saxton's grand
father. Miss Saxton Is an Ohio woman, born
and bred. She comes OF good family on
both sides and has the distinction OF being
a granddaughter OF the famous Johr Sax
Ton The bate James a. Saxton. the father
OF Mrs Mckinley, was a man of affairs, a
banker and capitalist. and it was in the
ianof luxury Mrs Mckinley was broughtup.
II was about the time that he was od-
mitted to the bar that he began to
turn his attention TO politics. and being
possessed OF manv pGnr'ar GuaIities he
cessfui Ia r--y-,- r-->-,, 600 -.
the prosecuting attorney for Stark county,
Ohio.
The distinction wIich McKinleY enjoys
"a +" public VAN may he said - d,.> f-n-,
1884. IT was at the p-eat pa tion,l con.
vantior Of 1894. at Chicago. at whic', his
Claims to 1eadership--or. at least, TO be
cnrsiie-ed as ono of tho nromipent ma,, of
the nntia, in tho r'rnciis Of his r,-tr--
comn to he reco gnized. He was "Baipe
man. n this convention.
In 1eSS he was delegate to the o-eat
"niin,al H""vontinr bal p. C'ica CO. E-o-,
1sT7 to 1892 he was member of Con-
gress.
HIS CAREER IN CONGRESS.
Major McKinley's career as Congress
man began when he was elected on the
Republican ticket To the Forty-fisth Con-
<. eSS. lie was alS.,-tt u: effsber III the Forty
lsix