The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-16
A CONGRESSIONAL PRESIDENT
Mckinley Rules Through Congress,
Not Over 1t.

G. l.. Hunter in Ainslee's Magazine.
The training of President Mckinley
has been such that he certainly ought
to be a congressional president. He
was a member of the house of repre-
sentativeJ for thirteen years. during
which he rose to the position of leader
of his party and took part in much of
the most important legislation. Here
he learned to understand the real mo-
tives of the average congressman, and
to appreciate the fact that many of his
fellow members were men of marked
ability, and that most were men of
honesty. Here he watched with impa-
thence the congressional attitude
of Cleveland. Here he became the ac-
quaintance or friend of Republicans
and Democrats who were later to sup
port or oppose the policies of his ad-
ministration Here he acquired an in
innate knowledge of the working of
the entire governmental machine.
President Mckinley is at once a par
tisan and a peace-maker. He has set
tied many party quarrels, and is said
never to have been a participant in
| any. At times he has shown loyalty
to others almost too altruistc to seem
credible in political life.
Thc most notable instance was in
1888, when the ohio delegation went
| to the national Republican convention
| pledged for Sherman. There were sew
eral candidates and the contest was
| prolonged. The delegates were becom-
| ing weary. There was an admirable
chance for a dark horse When 1t came
| to the sixth ballot some one voted for
| William Mckinley. The delegates
| cheerei The state following gave him
| seventeen votes. 1t looked like Nc
| Kinley. His labors for Sherman. his
| pleas for the Ohio senator as he went
| from delegation to delegation had won
| support for himself. Then Mckinley,
/ with a stern look in his face. stepped
on q. chair and began to speak. There
| was in his voice a tone not natural to
It, a defiant tone. The Ohio delegation.
had been instructed for Sherman, he
| said, and duty forbade Mckinley to
remain silent.
should not respect myself II could
find 1t in my heart to do, or to permit
to be done that which could even be
ground for any one TO suspect that
wavered in my loyalty to Ohio, or any
devotion to the chief of her choice and
! the chief of mine. / do not request--I
demand--that no delegate who would
cast reflection upon me shall cast a
ballot for me-
| McKinleys nomination at the ST
Louis convention in 1896 was the nat
ural result of his career as a party
! leader. Other Republican leaders as
well as the Republican rank and file
called for Mckinley. All were his
| friends. for he had antagoniZed none.
His election. they believed, would pro-
mote the interests of the party as well
as the interests of the country.
1t is as party leader that Mckinley
has been able to WELD the vast influ-
ence which some complain of and 9TH
ers deny. His parties allies in con-
gress, to whom some say he is too sub
! missive, stand by him through thick
| and thin. They are alert to check
mate moves made against him or his
administration by political opponents S
| In return. they reap the reward thai
| comes from the control of political pa
! trOnage. They take counsel with tie
| president, and can therefore explain
| the motives of the administration tC
the country at large. They advise the
president, and as he often gives in tc
them, they are able with better grace
to give in to him upon occasion. p" 'si-
dent Mckinley has not been content
however, to maintain harmony within
the ranks of his own party He has
made numerous efforts to enlist the
aid of political opponents. 1t is hardly
necessary to add what evervnoG !
knows, that he has done this with re-
| marka BILE success