The copper era., 1901-09-19
WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
The Simple Story of a Noble
 and Successful Life.

IrunDull county Oillo' Icbi udi , - IslI. At the time when his life wa cut short by the assassin's bullet h was fifty seven years, six months an eighteen days Of age.
 President Mckinley could not boas of distinguished ancestry of cavaliers but he was q man Of the apeopiefSn ":'ose like 4 braham Lincoln from ob scurity to preeminence by his own ef forts. His father was Scotch Irish man and his mother Of German Scotci percentage. They married at New Lis bon, Ohio, in ls3s, while his fathc William Mckinley, Sr., was manager o blast furnace, toiling for his daily bread. Two sons, David and James were born at Lisbon but the head O the family, believing in education, re moved to Niles, Trumbull county, thai he might send his boys to school. II was here in an humble cottage that the man who was tO be numbered among the greatest and purest Of the presidents Of the United States was born few years later.
 William Mckinley at the age Of five entered the village school of Poland and remained in the schools there until he reached his seventeenth year when he earned enough money by teaching to pay his tuition at Allegheny college.
 MILITARY RECORD.
 He remained in the college but few weeks until the civil war broke out. Stirred by patriotism he was among the first to shoulder muskct and go to the front. This step however, was not taken until after and earnest conference with his parents, who approved of his course. He joined a company of vol untcers from his own neighborhood, going out as private to fight for the flag. The company was attached to Itosccran's regiment and saw it's first service in General McClcllan's cam paign in the Kanawha, which resulted in the wrestling of West Virginia from it's parent state.
 7 Mckinley served in the ranks iour- teen months. Promotion came to him after the battle of Antietam. In that battle he was acting as commissary sergeant for his company and during tho heat Of the conflict kept his com radcs on the firing line plentifully supplied with rations, carrying food and water to them himself. His com. radcs were loud in their praises of him and the young volunteer was surprised q few days later to receive from Gov crnor Tod d commission as second lieu tenant. which had been given to him on recommendation of General Hayes.
 Five months later he was promoted tu first lieutenant and soon afterwards made adiutant general of his brigade and remained upon the staff until mus tered out one year later, July, 1863.
 It was an adjutant general that he went through Shcridan's famous cam paign in the Shenandoah valley. While on his way to Winchester dur ing this campaign he distinguished himself by rallviug the panic stricken troops at Ccdar Creek, and at Berry villc his horse was killed under him. To be brovcttcd for bravery on the field of battle is an honor which only soldier can appreciate and when young Mckinley, then only twenty years of age. received commission as major, signed by Abe Lincoln, it read: "For gallant and mcritorious conduct al the battle of Opiquan, Cedar Creek and Fishers Hill."
 EDUCATED HIMSELF.
 At the age of twcnty-twO, the war over. William Mckinley found him. self pcnnilc~s and without the ncces- sary training to earn living, He tempted to enter the regular army, but was dissuadcd from doing so by his sister Anna, who urged him to study law. He took her advice and then be- gan tho up hill task of his life. The man who was one day ;o occupy the executive mansion at Washington and at whose disposal future congress of the United States would one day place $50 ,000,00O to be expended for war pur- poses had not the means to pay his own tuition at a law school. For three years he struggled hcroically and he has never to this day told anyone how he realized his ambition and left the Albany law school in lS6S with a diploma.
 POLITICAL CAREER.
 His early practice was in Stark county and in lSSO he was elected pros- ccuting attorney and in that capacity he served for several years. While thus engaged he is credited with mak- ing some of the best arguments ever heard at the bar.
 When elected 10 congress in 1877 at the age Of thirty-three he was recog- nzed as the foremost lawyer of his section and had the best general prac- ticc at the Stark county bar.
 Early in life Mckinley gave himself over To the study of industrial ques- tions and he was soon recognized in the house as the ablest defender Of the doctrine of protection. His congress- ional prominence, however, did not be- gin until 1880 when Garfield retired