The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-28
THE REPUBLICAN CHIEFS
POINTS FROM THE CAREERS OF THE
MEN WHO HEAD THE TICKET.
The Services which Entftle Mckinley
and Roosevelt to the support of
the Country.s Voters,
New York Tribune.

tWenty-elSntn QudQTenllldi TERM "a tidt
office. BY its enthusiastic action this week
it is evident that the Republican party
is well satisfied TO have four years more
of Mckinley. Though his commanding
figure is so constantly in the eyes of the
people and his name so frequently on their
lips, yet a renewed acquaintance With the
career of Mckinley the man and the pub
lie servant is not out of place. as he again
returns to the source of his power and
asks for another term In the office he has
filled so brilliantly.
The McKinleys are of Scotch-Irish de-
scent. and came to America about 80 years
ago William Mckinley. the father of the
President. married in 1929 Nancy Campbell
Allison, who was Of English and Scotch
German descent. The President is the sew
enth Of their nine children. His father was
an iron manufacturer. He was a man of
ability and character, in religion a devout
Methodist and in politics an ardent Wing
and Republican. He lived to see his son Gov
ernor of Ohio. Mrs. Mckinley saw her son
President, and died on Dec. II. 1897, at the
age of lightweight. Their son, who was
born at Niles, O., on Jan. %. ls43. began
his education I'm the public schools of his
native place, but when he was nine years
old the family removed to Poland, Mahon-
ing county, Ohio, where his education was
continued in the Union Seminary. He en-
tered Allegheny College. Meadville, Pa, in
1860, but his health soon broke down from
overstudy, and he was compelled to leave
college. On his recovery he became a clerk
in the Poland postoffice. where he remained
until the war broke out.
A PRIVATE IN THE CIVIL WAR.
On Tune IL. 1861. Mckinley enlisted as a
private in Company E of the Twenty-third
Ohio Volunteer Infantry. Among the Of
ficers of this famous regiment were Gener-.
ais w. s. Rosecrans. Rutherford B. Hayes,
who became President in 1877: E. p. Scam
mon. James M. Comley and Colonel STAN
icy Matthews. Mckinley served on the
staff of Generals r. 3. Hayes, George
Crook and Winfield s. Hancock. OF his
military career it may be said that botn
as a private and as an officer. both in the
commissary department and on the fighting
line, he was courageous, clear headed and
calm. For services rendered in the winter
camp of Fayetteville he received his first
promotion. becoming a commissary SER
eeant on April Is. 1862. After the summers
campaign in Virginia McKinley's regiment
took part on Sept. IA and IL in the battles
of South Mountain and Antietam, and IL
was for his extraordinary services as COM
missary sergeant during the latter battle
ina IC was DIOUlOtcu " Dc cCCOlu lltu-
tenant. Not long after this the regimental
colonel. r. b. Hayes, entered in his diary:
Our new second lieutenant, Mckinley, re-
turned to-day-an exceedingly bright, in
telligent and gentlemanly young officer.
He promises to be one of the best" AT a
little later date he added: He has kept the
promise in every sense of the word" By
Feb. z, 1863, he became a first lieutenant.
and on July Is of the following year, when
he was only twenty-one. he was made cap
tain for ~gallantry and faithfulness in the
battle of Kernstown near Winchester.) A
little later, at Perryville, his horse was
shot under him, and on March IA. 1865. he
received his commission as major by
brevet "for gallant and meritorious serv-
ices at the battles of Opequan, Cedar
creek and Fishers Hill" He took part in
which his regiment participated, and when
he was mustered out on July IS, 1866, he
was in perfect health.
ENTRANCE INTO POLITICAL LIFE.
Returning home. he studied law with
Judge Charles E. Gidden, of Canton, and
at the Albany Law School. He was ad-
mitted to the bar in March. 1867. and set
tied in Canton, which has since been his
home. He soon attracted attention as a
lawyer of ability, and, although Stark
county was Democratic, he was elected
prosecuting attorney in 1869. but he was
defeated for the same Office two years
later. From this time forward Major Nc
Kinley gave much attention to politics.
In 1876 he was elected to Congress. That
year the Democratic Legislature OF Ohio
gerrymandered the State, but neverthe-
less Mckinley was returned TO Congress
in 1878, as he was also in 1880. 1882, 1884 and
1855. He was unseated in 1884. and was
finally defeated in 1890, when his district
was gerrymandered again. In 1883 he
showed great ability in opposing the Mills
bill, representing approximately President
Cle~veland's policy of tariff for revenue
only" When the Republicans assumed
control In 1889 he was appointed chairman
of the ways and means committee. and
presently gave the Nation the great meas
ure that bore his name.
Ever since he cast his first vote for Lin
coin in 1864 Mckinley has been a Repub-
lican. In 1884 he was a delegate at large
from Ohio to the national convention, and
helped to nominate James G.. Blaine. At
the next national convention he repre-
scented the State in the same manner, and
supported John Sherman. At that conven-
ton, after the first days balloting. the in
dications were hat Mckinley himself
might be nominated. Then his strength of
purpose and his high ideas of loyalty and
honor showed themselves, for in an earnest
and stirring speech he demanded that no
votes be cast for him In 1881 he was
elected Governor of Ohio by a majority of
about y 600 over Ex-Governor James Il.
Campbell, the Democratic candidate. The
issue then at stake was chiefly the tariff.
but Mckinley also placed himself in op-
position 10 the free coinage Of silver. In
1892 he was again a delegate at large to
the national convention at Minneapolis.
and was made permanent chairman. AL
though his name was not brought before
the convention, yet he received lS2 votes.
He himself was a strong supporter of
President Harrison.
ELECTION TO THE PRESIDENCY.
In 1893 Major Mckinley was reelected
Governor of Ohio by a majority of 81. 995.
At the expiration of his term he returned
to Canton. He had been a political speaker
and leader in Congress, known and adj
mired throughout the country, and his
popularity and the confidence of the peo-
pie In his principles and purposes were
constantly increasing. Hence there was lit
tie surprise when he was nominated on the
first ballot ar the Republican national con-
vention at ST. Louis in 1896. Though the
tariff question was at stake in that cam
paign. yet the free coinage of silver was
the all important question. and on the
issue of sound money he was elected over
William j. Bryan. the Populist and Demo-
cratic candidate.
To review his four years of service as
of this brevity. Major Mckinley was mar
ried on Jan. %, 1871, to Miss Ida Saxton,
of Canton, daughter of James A. and Cath
crime Dewalt Saxton. Two ~ght were
horn to them, one in 1871 and one in 1873.
but both died In early childhood Mrs. Me-
Kfnley is q woman OF exceptional charm
and nobility of character. The President