The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-04-10

tnIs nS-o4l continued the MAJOR paying no
more attention 10 his friends business
matters than the friend paid 20 the major
public duties. Mr.. Mckinley had reason
TO believe, in a general way, that his oyn
means and those OF his wife together
amounted to;about s12eO 90.
Without either notice or warning and al
once, this business friend failed II then
turned out, so tie Eagle is assured. that
the distinction which should have been
preserved BY this friend between his own
business investments and the svsiis of
which ne had been pat IN trust had not
been made. and that all had gone, up to-
gether. That is the way. in which. when
governor OF Ohio. Mr.. Mckinley found his
own property gone and that OF his wife.
He owed no debts, for he lived within his
means. but he owned nothing but his sal
'ary or vases from day TO day. In these
circumstances four or FIVE of his personal
friends. some OF them Democrats. others
Republicans and Others Independent. OF
whom none had any relations with any in
terests that we're or could De or had been
affected by law. resolved that he should
be placed exactly where ne was before.
They opened subscription 20 a Mckinley
fund with .contributions of their own, and
received subscriptions TO il from various
quarters. When exactly the amount which
the governor and his wife lost had been
received. the subscriptions we're closed and
such as came IN after that time were re-
turned. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Mckinley
knew or know from whom these supscrip-
tons came or in what amounts they came.
The avails which they had lost were
brought back again and they were given in
fee simple to the governors wife.
This is, we learn, the history in brief. but
in all of this event. 1t is a history which.
in the Eagles opinion, reflects credit on
human nature and illustrates the failure of
william Mckinley to look after his own
interests during the time in which he was
wholly occupied in looking after the pub
lie interests, and he understood them. We.
have no doubt that, had he mixed his pri-
waite interests with his public duties, he
would have been '-as well on" as any Of
those who criticize him for his exclusive
attention to public affairs. The New York
Evening Post says that the discussion OF
this incident, in the event OF Mr.. McKin-
ley's nomination. will prove as damaging
as a discussion of the business affairs of
James c.. Blaine did. That, we take *,
win depend on the facts. since the facts
are things which are stubborn beyond the
power of anything in all this world TO
change except, OF course, The New York 1
Evening Post. There IS no part of poll
tics understood alike by the Eagle and
Ly William Mckinley. IT. politics. they
are as Ear apart as the poles. but there is
a preference for truth. a hatred Of injus-
tice and Hostility &c Misrepresentation.
either direct or indirect, here which has
irnpelled us 10 state these facts. as we IN
thein, without decoration, abate-
ment or Gev.ce
We do not believe that there is anything
in the facts which is discreditable 10 the
but We do believe there Is that
character IN them which can make lying
about them very discreditsble either TO
Democrats or TO Republicans. and we
would reduce the temptation and the pos.
sibirty 10 such diseredit by straightfor-
ward statement OF the facts themselves. |
And we do confess that we would quite as |
lief do an act Of justice to a political OPP
oonent as TO political supporter. for there |
$ quality in justice per sc which makes
L attractive in this quarter, and which |
entities those who practice it to be agree
able commentator of the Conscience
which they carry around with them and
If which they would rather have the APP
prevail than any other approval they know
IL -Brooklyn Eagle.