The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-11-11
y Originated a Policy or Even an Idea
II His Life, as History Will Show.
/ Cipher in the Protective Tariff, and Has
Edmmed His Sails to Every Passing Wind OF
Currency Legislation Tool OF Dishonest Men.

! ley was candldate for speaker of the house
He was badly beaten by Tom Reed Of
Maine and the presidents (the house has
presidents as well as the senate) required
that Speaker Reed should appoint his un-
successful rival chairman OF the ways and
means committee. Reed appointed Nc
Kinley.
| This was ten years ago, when the re-
publican party first openly acknowledged
its debt to the manufacturing interests
that had purchased its return to power.
The ways and means committee, having
special jurisdiction Of the tariff, was care
| fully drawn with view to paying tn s
debt Reed, always the special attorney
of special privilege, was able to MAKE up
a committee expressly suited for this pur-
pose. BY the accident referred to McKin-
ley became chairman OF the committee
and his name was accordingly given to the
bill the committee drew.
Everybody knows what this bill was; 1t
is reproduced, as Hanna says, with re-
visions and Improvements, in the Ding
ley bill. Every manufacturer who had
contributed to the election OF a republican
majority in congress was invited forward
and asked what he wanted In the way OF
protection" He had but to ask and he
received. The great sucker" public was
not represented in court-ony the fellows
who wanted to exploit the sucker"
1t was a saturnalia of special privilege,
over which Mckinley presided. not from
any force of his own character; not be-
cause he had himself figured out the ques-
ton of special privilege and its adv1n-
tages to the republican party; simply by
reason of the accident OF politics. OF the
thirteen members of the committee he
was the thirteenth in point OF influence.
, know a man to whom he said as much at
> the time a good republican who went
, down to Washington on behalf of an in
dustry which would be wiped out entirely
by one of the schedules in the proposed
bill. To him Mr., Mckinley said q see
the force of all you urge, Mr.. - but
am powerless. There are thirteen men,
bers Of the committee and am only one
He did not say he was the thirteenth, but
: his auditor saw that was what he meant
Yet it became the Mckinley bin" and
: the foundation of McKinley's political for
= tunes.
i See by what tiny threads the fortunes o
politics hang. If any one man is entltleC
to the bad eminence" of fathersh-p Il
e this unspeakable measure 1t is Tom Rec
of Maine. He not only named but doml
= mated the committee that drew 1t. II
nelQ Jne SpeClal DrleI from luc lutc4S af
Z that demanded the measure. OF that com
z, pany Of fallen angels Tenn Reed was easil
a the Lucifer 1t was his bill. It ought il
equity to have been called the Tom Rec
bill" and if 1t had been Tom Reed nigh
Is have been nominated for president In 1881
: ~
8 don't say he would have been electe-
9. for Reed is one Of those positive charac
u tiers with the deadly gift of sarcasm VII
i, make enemies. Otherwise he might nav
~ been nominated at Minneapolis in 1892, a
n he had set his heart on being. Otherwise
i, lots of things. l only tell the story to Il
-e lustrate what is called the luck oil II
~ .. stupid man who can hold his tongu
o Luck! l tell you it is species of negal'
PC genius, and Mckinley is its chief e.
$. emplar
ia But | get ahead of my story. To I'm
Y. Mckinley at his political beginnings 81
~ must 90 back to 1876 when he was NJ
,n elected to congress--the Forty-if Ia
study his silver record. That was Reed
o. first congress also. 1t was great TIN
1e for Ohio in Washington. Garfield WI
NO leader of the house. Sherman was seer
nd tary of the treasury and Hayes-noW
r. more--was in the White House IL
nv Forty fifth congress is chiefly celeprat
in as the arena of the first modern SLY
o. legislation. A special session was can
a in October. 1S77-october 10, to be eAa
lie and within three weeks your Uncle "
a. Bland had introduced his Immortal D
-. for the .frae and unlimited coinage
NJ silver" Under suspension Of the rul
NJ the bill was passed-163 to a. Inc
$50 wasn't much talk in the republican par
~ then about the gold standard.
Was Mckinley, the present champion
- "bonest money" then found in this lit
on spartan band of thirtyfour Not mu
o. Garfield was, and so was Tom Reed
~ Mckinley was one OF the free SILVER n
am jority of 1853 Congressional Record n
1, session, Forty fifth congress page "a
o,y This measure was the basis OF the
w called Bland Allison act of February, Is
20 It was amended in the senate SO as
tar provide for the purchase and coinage
n 1000 900 OF silver every month. Wneu
" was returned to the house Abram 5 lie
lit (democrat) moved to lay 1t en-
table but his motion was defeated BY
ak vote OF II to POS Mckinley was one
"a the 2O5 though his DISTINGUISHED
league. Garfield, voted on the other 6
you congressional Record, second sesi
his Forty-ifth congress, page l2e5) re
av- dent Hayes vetoed the bill. nut II
=. passed over his veto, Mckinley vot
with the majority, February 2s' 1873
'e'
a'' In the Forty-sixth congress Mr..
he Kinley executed Characteristic little
AZ on the silver question. He voted agai
DE bill introduced by his Ohio colleas
lost Mr.. Warner. intended ITO replace 81,
GU. by the side of gold and on the same b
Tort in all coinage laws" This was house
we'd 5s4 and was passed May "a, ls7s--ll4 t.
ms Mr.. Mckinley being one of the nin'
no seven. Congressional Record first
OF sion. Forty sixth congress, page 1893
1 to Before a twelvemonth had passed
his Kinley had done another of his ra
,uld change acts on the silver question.
is the second session OF the same cong
his Mr.. Price, free silver representative
Iowa. introduced bill requiring the
He tional banks to keep their reserve in
!. ana silver. This measure was rejecte
any the house, Mr.. Mckinley voting win
ever majority. Congressional Record, seq
rth. session Forty-sixth congress, rage ~
also There was no silver legislation IN
dill Forty -seventh or Forty eighth congre'
sue but in the first session Of the Forty-h
his Mr.. Bland brought forward another
can silver bill On an adverse report OF