The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-11-05
He concluded by speaking at Nashua on
Friday evening.
mn. m'KrsNEx TALKS
Bat ths Bridste. Lesder Il Not vensur-
Tag Any Predictions.


hat ths Bridsto. Leader Il Not vsnsur-
ing Any Predictions.
Hon. lLuthsr II. Mckinney Of Brldgton
was In the city for fsw hours Saturday.
He came down on the noon train and
after transactinE . little private business
In the aftsrnoon left for Dover, n. H.,
where he spoke In the evening. For sew
eral months Mr. Mckinney has been
suffering with serious trouble 70 his
throat 80 that tor the fret time since he
has been engaged in politics he has OF
taken part on the stump IN the present
his usual lively concern In public affairs.
How do ! think that the election
Will result next Tuesday, you ask mef'
said Mr.. Mckinney In an Interesting
interview with a PRESS reporter ct the
West End hotel. "Well 1 am not making
any predictions. This campaign Is a Pc
cuiiar one in that there are 20 many
different sides and aspects that you really
can't put them all together, and form
an intelligent estimate, / have just re-
been spending several DAYS. looked
into the political situation there quite
good deal and saw many men with whom
talked about the outlook. In one bank
/ found that there were 81 men who told
me that they had voted for Mckinley
the great money parade. they told ms
that they should all vote for Bryan this
year. Many other men also met who
stated that they mad also voted for Mo-
| kinley four years ago but who said that
they were now going to vote for bryan.
Some OF these men were Republicans ana
others Of them were Democrats four years
ago. have found that you are meeting
these men right along. 1t is my opinion
that II the people had been LETT TO them
selves this year and II no money had been
| spsnt, that Bryan would win. think
that the moneysd men OF New YORK 40
not want to see Bryan elected. While In
New York / also observed that notwith-
standing the many claims that the Re
| publioans will carry that state by 100000
majority there are many Republicans
| who are hustiing for all that they are
worth for fear that they may not be abie
to carry the state at all.
"Glad particularly am 1 to be able to
state" said MIR. Mckinney, THAT we
have before us In this campaign men OF
the cleansst private and personal oharac-
ters. Both Mckinley and Bryan are two
before the people of the United States for
the high office OF President. Both are
Christians. attend the church and are
| strictly temperate In their habits.
Neither of them drinks Intoxicating
| liquors. Mckinley Is quite a smoker but
/ bryan uDe8 uOU ubb bODaCCO III any
clam acquainted with both OF them init.
mately, coming to know them while l
was In Congress. I was first elected In
| the year 1886 as o Representative from
New Hampshire when Major Mckinley
was one of the Representatives from the
state OF Ohio. Bryan was not In Con-
gress au that time. Four years later waf
again elected and this time Bryan, who
was elected to his first term, coming to
| Washington, i had the chance to meet
him. When Mckinley was in Congress at
| my time there were not enough seats on
the Democratic side of the House to 40
oemmodate all of the members and In
drawing for our seats some OF us were
| obliged to 20 over to the Republican side.
My name being we'll down In the alpha
bet was one of the last to draw. / re-
member that 'Bill' Springer and l were
| among the last to be given Reats AS
the name Of Mckinley is also well down
in the alphabet 1t OF course happened
that Mckinley was not given one OF the
best of seats. He was obliged to take one
in the rear of the hall. After we all
came together 1t was found that only one
seat interviewed between Mckinley and
myself 80 in that way we came TO know
each other very well and to become per-
/ sonaI frfends. Our names being SO
much alike we were constantly receiving
| each Others letters. A finer man person
ally does not live than Mr.. Mckinley and
| Ia fairly devoted to his invalid wife and
never goes anywhere without taking her
along.
"Bryan made an impression from the
first after ne had got to Washington. lie
went there young, smooth faced Fellow
who looked a great deal like Sam Kan
dali, for so many years one OF the Con-
gressmen from pennsylvania. In fact his
resemblance was so striking to Randall
that Bryan was soon called the young
Randall One day while the tariff de-
bats was on, IL came his turn to speak.
He started out without any note and
spoke so ably and eIoquentiy that every
body was attracted by him and gathered
about the chamber TO hear him. When
\ his time of an hour was up some Demo-
crat arose and asked unanimous leave
that Bryan be allowed an extension o.
time. This was granted without voice
being raised In opposition. During my
term was invited to make a trip down
to Alabama to investigate about a
boom there. had the privilege OF in
wiling one or two other members OF Con-
gress and selected Bryan as one OF the
party. He went along and We remained In
the South for six days. ] then came 70
know him very well. While in Washing
ton he was poor man and had TO live
in very quiet manner He Is brilliant
man, a splendid orator, and NO man In
this country could have travelled over the
done the campaigning that he has done.
Cleveland / also knew well. He Sc
lected me to defend him on the floor oil
the House on the pension question. Many
is the time that have been called to the
White House to see him. He never used
TO retire before one o'clock In the morn
ing, Sometimes l would only sse Dan
Lamont, the private secretary, while
making these calls. When IL would get to
be midnight would excuse myself and
say that It would be time for me TO 60,
Lamont would then answer, sOh don't
hurry, the old man hasn't gone to bed
yet Cleveland was very firm man ane
whenever he shook his head his opinion
which had been made up could not bt
changed. But for all that he was cordial
ana gentlemanly in bis demeanor.
"Ben Harrison is one Of the ablest mer
that this country has ever produced, q
very great lawyer. But he had colo
manner about him."
Mr.. Mckinney predicts that Senator
Chandler will fail of reelection u
New Hampshire and that some "dari
/ xx,ttf 10 nh0sats in his pfaca-