The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-06-29
Major Mckinley Kind Hearted
and AmfabIe
And Too Much Given to Prom
Use Making.
A WEAK MAN IN OFFICE
Timid Before the Onslaughts OF
Politicians
And Yields to the Demands OF
Corporations.

the celebrated correspondent OF the
World, who accompanied the japanese
army into China, was expelled from
Cuba by General Weyler, and publish
ed the details of PierpOnt Morgan's
gold bond conspiracy, has been sent TO
describe Governor Mckinley as ne
finds him Mr.. Creelman's letter from
Columbus is as follows.
1 showed in my dispatch to the World
last sunday that the state debt OF Ohio
was greatly increased under Mckin-
leys rule as governor; that the ONO
state institutions were given over 10
political plunderers and contractors
with pulls; that Governor Mckinley re-
vealed q singular weakness and in
trinity Of viii power in dealing with
wealthy corporations and that Marc
Hanna was able to take possession Of
the governors private Office, send for
state senators and dictate to the legis-
lature, While Governor Mckinley stood
passiVely and Obediently in the back
ground.
Major Mckinley is only embarrassed
by a promise when he has to keep il.
This has happened occasionally There
is one instance known to every man,
woman and child in the state Of Ohio.
Tt is historic. 1t briefly and keenly
sums Up his character.
When Mr.. Mckinley was q candidate
for the gOVernOrship of Ohio he prom
lsed every Office in the gift Of the ex-
ecut1ve to almost every person pOliti-
cally useful Naturally. as events pro
gressed and the state campaign devel-
ODcd, the lines of the candidates prom
ises began to cross each other and
things were slightly tangled.
AIr. Mckinley was in a desperate po-
sition- He had lost his seat in con
gresS. In spite of the enormous cor
ruptiOn fund poured into his district
by the trusts and corporations he had
served, NfcKinleyism had been repu-
dated by the people at the polls. It
was necessary TO be governor of Ohio
in order to be a serious candidate for
{ n nfr1EF fr1Ia I17-iI bod
the politicians with promises. He prom
ised the Office of state inspector of oils
the most lucrative sinecure at the
disposal Of the gONernOr-tO at least
i've different persons Mr.. Mckinley
was elected. The clamOr for Office was
appalling. The candidates for the oil
insDectorship besieged the governor
Office. Two OF them-GeOrge W. eau
field and 3. L. McEiroy-were politi-
clans of importance. and each was in a
position to prove that Mr.. Mckinley
had sOlemnly promised the Office to
him. There was savage contention.
The followers of the two candidates ut
tered threats of war on the governor.
Mr.. Mckinley induced the legislature
to pass q law creating two oil inspect
orships instead of one, and SO he re-
deemed his promises
There is another interesting illustTa-
/ ton Of Mr. McKinley's official methods
well known to the people of Ohio. Two
years ago a bill was introduced in the
legislature TO provide for the aban-
Comment of the Hooking canal for pur-
poses. and for leasing the same to the
Railroad company" This law gave the
railroad company the right Of building
a road along the Hooking canal and
turned over the whole canal property
to the corporation for the sum of $50. 000
paid down and an annual rental of $40
GOO There was a storm Of protest This
was an exceedingly valuable franchise.
for the route paralleled the lines Of
the wealthy Hooking Valley railroad
and penetrated the great coal fields.
The Chicago, Columbus & Southeastern
Railroad company offered to pay the
state 500 eco in cash and ST. 600 q year
for the franchise. In spite Of this the
original act was forced through the
Governor Mckinley made no secret
of the fact that he regarded the trans
action as q corrupt bargain. The rep
reSentatives Of the Chicago, Columbus
& Southeastern Railroad company tried
to have the law amended 50 that the
franchise should be sold to the highest
bidder. They offered to value the canal
property ct S5000G0 and to bid at the
rate of annual interest upon that sum,
which would have amounted to AT
least $4,000 q year. twice and a half
as much as the Columbus Hooking
Valley & Athens Railroad company was
to pay The governor announced that
he was in favor of the amendment but
he did nothing to aid its passage.
He grew umid when the promoters Of
litically- Mr.. Mckinley was seldom in
! his Office He was a presidential can
/ didate and his time was occupied chief
/ ly by speechmaling in various parts Of
/ the state The amendment was killed.
This was followed by petition SIGN
I ed by representativ of the associated
canals and by prominent citizens req
I resenting $50 900. 600 of property asking
/ the governor to direct the attorney
/ general of Ohio to bring quo WarrantO
/ proceedings in the supreme court to
/ test the validity of the law The petit
4 TONERS went to the governors once
/ and their case was presented by ex-
/ Governor FORAKER, ex-Judge Harrison.
I General Powell and other prominent
/ lawyers They insisted that the state
/ had been robbed, that the law had been
/ passed by corrupt means. that is was
4 special legislation forbidden bv +ba
4 constitution and that it violated the
) agreement between the United states
and the state of Ohio under which SEQ :
3 goo acres of federal lands We're acquired
for the purpose of a canal
Governor Mckinley had rrfv-a +e1--
/ promised to order the attorney general
/ to begin the action. But again his pres
idential ambition controlled his CON
I science The men who had orga nfzad
/ the steal We're powerful Republican
They told him that the people in the
Hochlus valley coal district would re-
/ sent any Interference on his part. If
/ he authorIzed the quo warrauto pro
/ ceedlngs ne must be prepared to lose
! the political support Of two CONGRESS
! sional districts in the next Republican
+ national convention
I Governor McKfnley refused to act
7 and now he asks the American r7eor1a
/ to make him president Of the United
States have written down these
; facts moderately.
JAMES CREELMAN.
ladies' shirt waists Numbered so tba,