The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-12
His Visits to the Bay
State
BEGAN 10 YEARSAG0
First Speech Was Made at
Lowell in 1882.


Club It may be interesting to recall the
previous times that Mr.. Mckinley has
been in the Bay State. How many peo-
pie remember William McKinley's first
speech in Massachusetts, asks writer
in the Boston Sunday Herald In an
swer to the query, he says:
A little more than 16 years ago-on
Saturday, Oct Is, 1882, to be exact-a
travel-stained man entered the repub-
ltcan state committee Headquarters in
this city and reported himself for duty
on the stump in Massachusetts. Maj.
William Mckinley Of Ohio was the man.
and he was one of many members of
congress who had been drafted for SER
vice in Massachusetts to help the re-
publican party in its great battle for
the governorship, with the opposition
led b. BENJAMIN F. Butler.
II was a famous year. this of 1852
when, for the second time since the civil
war, the republican candidate for gov
erner of Massachusetts was defeated
Mckinley met at the republican state
com. headquarters CA. Stott OF Lowell.
chairman Of the committee, and Col.
T. n Haskell its secretary. He chatted
with those gentlemen a few minutes
ana then went to the house Of w NJ
osborne, his cousin. where he remained
over Sunday. On the following Monday
ne went to Lowell. where he made his
frst political speech in Massachusetts,
Mckinley was at that time a repre-
sentative in congress from Ohio. hay
ing been first elected in 1873 and re-
Erected IN 1889 and 1882, but his great
fame had yet TO be achieved. His move
mentS attracted no great amount Of at
tentlon then although his speeches
We're able and powerful. He was but
one of many able speakers who lifted
up thelr voices in that celebrated cam
paign
Although it was wholly BY chance
that his FIRST assignment should be to
Lowell. the principal town Of a district
where Gen. Butler was likely to make
the greatest inruads Of political prose
lytls1n, it Was an extremely fortuitous
rate that took him there
MI. A.eiNlhieT met at that time
Charles A. Stott. who is now vice ures-
ident of the Home Market club. H. aiso
met IN Lowell Frederic T. Greenhalee
ri that time not yet a year out of the
city S executive chair, who was subse-
quenty to ripen the acquaintance then
formed on the field Of national affairs
ana TO earn distinction as one of the
say states most lonored governors
CHARLES II. Alien then a candidate. and
EIe S@"atA, was also one with whom
MAJ. Mckinley was by his Lowell visit
ID DeS4n an acquaintance to he
strengthened into an intimate personal
friendship in congress.
Inc night of the meeting. Oct. 30. 1850
vas pleasant. Huntington Hall was
crowded. r. r. Bishop, the candidate
LOT governor, was the special guest
ana both he and Mai Mckinley were
escorted to the hall from the American
rouse by the boys in blue" preceded
~ band, and accompanied by an
occasional flare OF red fire along Cen
lfal ana Merrimack streets. The bows
N Biue was an organization of veter-
ans o. the civil war. formed a. couple
OF years previously for campaign pur-
poses. The commander Charles n. Co-
pufn, mad been selected to call the
meeting TO order The organization
was therefore under the command ~
MAJ. Frank C. Wasiey The veterans
Win their oily torches. marched into
the nail and took seats at the front
anu a little while afterward while a
band in the gallery played See. the
coHauetlnS hero comes" the officers
~ the meeting, with Commander CO.
pllEn, the Hon. Frederic T. Greenhalge
VINO was TO preside and Mr. Rishon
MAJ. Stott and Maj. Mckinley and 9th
ers bringing up the rear, marched IN
10 the platform.
The. two majors focked together on
ne PLATFORM as if attracted by some
aHlnltN, and took seats in the front cir.
Gle. near one another. Both received
Iloeral applause as they came into
view. While the audience apparentIv
knew little as TO the identity Of The
VISITOR from the Buckeye State the
SoIdlefS at least knew odd Closeup -
as they used to call Mai. Stott. and
cheered nm as was their wont
Maj. Mckinley sat through the first
hour and half OF the meeting win
out exhibiting any particular evidence
OF interest except to laugh with the
others at Mr.. Greenhalge's salIfes. The
latter was in his happiest mood. and he
was never happier than before an an
preclatiNe audience. He was nol,ipoc
fun at Gen. Butler They were noigh7
bors and personal friends. but This
could not restrain Mr.. Greenbalga'e
satire, especially when the hearers
knew them both.
Maj. Mckinley, as a listener. NAV NOT
have comprehended the point of ali tbe
GEAR shafts of wit that Mr.. Greenhalge
launched at his distinguished toWne-
man and neighboi but he did not fail
TO catch the spirit of humor that pre-
vailed. Mr.. Greenhalge's speech wae
attended with continuous laughter and
applause, and it was due in a preatar
part 10 him than TO any expectation of
entertainment by Mr.. Bishop or nv
MAJ. MCKINLEY himself that the q
O'Clock mill bells, which for three-orar-
ters of century have rung Lower
folks TO bed, did not scatter the audi
ence as usual.
1t was accordingly we'll on toward 10
clock when Mr.. Greenhalge. with his
peculiar felicity, introduced Mai. Nc
Nlniey. The Ohioan then delivered ~
speeGn on national affairs that fully
equalled, If IL did not eclipse. the 81
forts that had preceded him. so far as
the bona fide discussion of political is
sues was concerned
MAJ. Mckinley returned to the Amar-
lean House TO spend the night. and or
the next day took an early train 10
Boston. w
William Mckinley, as plain .nnior >,
as congressman and as governor Of
ONO, has not infrequently been in Bos-
Ton FrlNateiy ne has visited relatives
mere Gen. William M. Osborne---not
long ago police commissioner. and now
consul general to London--being his
cousin. His conspicuous public visits
were in 1882, 1885 1891 and 1895,
In 1878 and 1880 he was elected con-
gresham from the 18th district of
Ohio. And here comes in a bit OF NO
litical history that connects the dis
rant past with the impressive present
and Introduces the president as a cam.
paign orator In Massachusetts,
i was largely through the efforts of
Col. u. Fl. Haskell, in 1880, secretary Of
the republican state committee, that
Maj. Mckinley came to this state TO
take part in the gubernatorial contest
Of 1882.
Congressman McKinley's voice first
,sest 49, 4 "A q. n