The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-05-09
Early Chapters of the Legislative
Biography of Major Mckinley.

Early Chapters of the Legislative
Biography of Major Mckinley.
WILLIAM MCKINLEY's appearance in ma
tional politics was almost simultaneous
with that of RUTHERFORD B. HAYES. Geo
logically, he belongs to the Ohio drift of the
HAYES period. Before his election to the
Forty-ffth Congress his military high-water
mark had been that of Captain and brevet
Major in the Union army. and his highest
civil office that Of Public Prosecutor in
Stark county.
MCKINLEY was sworn in as q Representa-
tive on Oct. IS, 1877. In the same Ohio
delegation were JAMES A. GARFIELD, JACOB
ID. Cox, and CHARLES FOSTER. The House
was Democratic. and SAMUEL j. RANDALL
was Speaker. The first time MCKINLEY
arose in the House was on Dec. 10, when he
presented the petition of some iron manu-
| facturers in his own town of Cantor and else
where, praying Congress to take no action
concerning tariff revision until it had made
nm official inquiry into the condition Of the
various industries Of the country. At the
same time the Major put in two private
pension bills.
His first speech was delivered on April Is,
1878. 1t was n tariff speech, an argument
for protection and against free trade or tariff
reform, and it is practically the same speech
which the Major has been delivering from
time to time ever since. 1t was deliberately
prepared and earnestly delivered, but while
heard with respectful attention it did not
produce any profound impression Of it's au-
thor's greatness az a thinker or orator.
This speech concludes with an appeal
against tariff agitation which is interesting
to read now:
MIR. Chairman, there never was u time in the his
tory OF this country more inauspicious than the pres
ent time for the dreamer and the theorist 10 put into
practical operation his impracticable theories OF
political economy. The country does not want them:
the business men OF the country do not want them.
They want quiet to recuperate their wasted forces;
and I am sure I utter no sentiment new or original
when I say that II this House will promptly pass the
appropriation bills and other pressing legislation.
following this with an Immediate adjournment. the
people will applaud such n course as the work OF
statesmen and the wisdom OF men or affairs"
During the three sessions of that Forty
fifth Congress MCKINLEY was on his feet in
the House only nine times; except once, al
ways for unimportant incidental remarks.
Being reelected to the Forty-sixth Con-
gress, the Major gained by Speaker RAN
DALL's appointment a place rs a minority
member of an important committee, that
on the Judiciary. Almost on the ~anniver-
sary of his first speech in Congress he de-
livered a second, opposing the Democratic
attempt to repeal those Federal election
laws which, to the satisfaction of all good
citizens, have since then been wiped off the
statute books. MCKINLEY's defence of the
odious DAVENPORT laws, and Of Federal in
reference and force displayed the narrow
est spirit of partisan intolerance.
But the most interesting thing about
MCKINLEY's bloody shirt speech Of April
10. 1879, is hat it led to n personal Incl
dent, unimportant in itself, but, like many
unimportant incidents, luciferous in it's
revelation OF character. MCKINLEY had
been attacking the Southern Democrats and
intimating that now they were in power at
Washington they would never pause, il I'M
checked, until they had nullified the results
of the war, including the constitutional
amendments. In support OF his prediction
he quoted some OF the rubbish which used
to appear In the now almost forgotten OkO-
Iona States. He also quoted from a recent
speech in the louise by JOE BLACKBURN of
Kentucky:
H-'N 500 k@aAe Ais hN hlNlHNt thht u
gentleman from kentucky, who now presldes over this
with so much ability, declared a few days
ago, upon the floor OF this House, 1t is this organlza.
tion. the Democratic. that has come back TO rule and
that means to rule That this Is their purpose | have
never doubted. How and in what manner. let the
gentleman's own words speak. and / read an extract
from his speech:
I'VE DO not intend to stop until we have stricken
the last vestIge of your war measures from the statute
book"
Vhn Iona xuna In rAN,nnkoa "a Al.
Whole, and Mr., BLACKBURN was in the
chair. Mr.. FINLEY of Ohio thus interposed
in his behalf:
"Mr, FINLEY-wnl my colleague yield a momentr
MI. MCkINLEY-I cannot yield.
Mr.. FINLEY-I desire simply to ask the gentleman
to finish the sentence he las read IN part. / do not
he has garbied anything; but why does no not
finish reading the sentence
Mi. McKINLEY-I hare not OdrbIed al all. II tho
from Kentucky [Mr, BLACKBURSL who is
now in the chair. or my colleague MIR. FISIKYl wants
the entire speech read, ana l can have my time CA
tended for that purpose. I shall be very glad,
MI. FiSLEl-I merely ask for the completion OF the
Then Mr.. BLACKBURN, in the chair, him
self appealed TO MCKINLEY for decent
in the matter OF the quotation;
The Chairman mi. BIAoKBURSl-If the gentleman
from ohio will permit tho present occupant of the
chair, he viii ask that tho gentleman read. not tho
entire speech but the sentence, Instead OF a part OF
the sentence.
Mr., McKISIEY-wha sentence Is III
The ChairmAn-The one last referred 70 by the
"AT. MCKNIEY-Havs you. sir, tho whole spseeh
II so, l viii gladly read further.
THE Cbairman-The Chair hos not a copy at haad.
"hE McRlSLEH-I would not DO the gentleman any
In Justice for tho word.
THE chalrman-rhO Chair win furnish a copy to
the gentleman.
M. McKEIEr-Ths gentleman r0p Kentucky L.