The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-07
CAREER OF A GREAT MAN
WILLIAM M'kINLEf AS CITIZEN,
AND STATESMAN.
Traits and characteristics OF a Man
Who Has Served His Country
Well IL Many Positions.

William Mckinley was born at Niles,
Trumbull county. Ohio. on Jan. %. 1913.
After attending the public schools, he went
10 Poland Academy, and subsequently To
Allegheny Academy. but before attaining
his majority had become a teacher In the
public schools. On June IL, 1861, when he
was in his nineteenth year. he enlisted as
a private in the Twenty-third Ohio Nolun-
teers. becoming ~commissary sergeant on
April 10, 1862; second lieutenant on Sept. .
of the same year; first lieutenant on Feb.
I, 1868; and captain on July p, 1854. He
served successfully on the STATS OF Gems.
R. b. Hayes, George Crook. and Winfield
S. Hancock, and towards the close Of the
war was detailed as acting assistant ad-
jutant general of the First Division, First
Army Corps, on the staff of Gen. S. S. Car
roll. He was brevetted major OF volunteers
for gallantry in battle in March, 1866. and
in July following was mustered out Of the
service.
Major Mckinley then applied himself TO
the study of the law, which he completed by
a course at the Albany. n. Y, Law School.
In 1861 he was admitted to the bar and set
tied at Canton, O., in the practice of his
profession, that town since remaining his
home. In 1869 he was elected prosecuting
attorney of Stark county, but served only
one term in that office. In 1876 he made his
entrance upon the field Of national politics
and was elected a member of the lower
house of Congress. in which for the next
fourteen years he represented the congress
sional district of which his county was a
part. AS chairman of the ways and means
mmitt ne reported the tariff law of 1890.
in the preparation Of which he took q lead
ing part, and it has always been known by
his name. In November Of that year Ma
jor Mckinley was defeated for reelection
to Congress. the new apportionment of the
State having been so gerrymandered as to
throw him into a Democratic district, but
he succeeded in reducing the usual adverse
majority from 5000 to 800. There was, how
ever, practically no interval in his public
career. for in 1891, a few months after he
retired from the House, he was elected
Governor of Ohio by a plurality of 21,5l1
over James Z. Campbell, the Democratic
incumbent of the office. Two years later he
was reelected by a plurality of SO,S95 over
Lawrence Z. Neal, Democrat. and retired
from the governorship at the close of 1895.
Major Mckinley served as a DELEGATE at
large In the Republican national convention
OF 1884, when ne supported Blaine for Presi-
dent, and as a member OF the committee on
resolutions read the platform to the con-
Vention. In 1888 he was again a delegate at
large from Ohio, supported JOIN Sherman
for the nomination, and as chairman Of the
on resolutions again reported the
platform. In 1892 he appeared for the third
time as a delegate at large from Ohio, ana
served as permanent chairman of the con-
ventlon. On that occasion Major Mckinley
advocated the denomination OF President
Harrison, but. Notwithstanding his refusal
to permit the use of his name, 1S2 votes
We're cast for him for the presidential nom
inatiOn. At the national convention held at
St. Louis in June, 1896, Major Mckinley was
made the presidential candidate Of the Re
publican party, receiving 66115 votes to
S4h9 for Thomas B. Reed, 60ls for
Matthew S. Quay. IS for Levi p. Nor
ton. 35Ia for William B.. Allison and ! for
J. Donald Cameron, with twenty-four del
egates absent, the number of votes neces-
sary for a choice being 462. In November
following, Major Mckinley received 7,106, l99
votes to 6.502,6 S5 for William j. Bryan, Civ
ing him a plurality OF Cos. 514. and a clear
majority of the popular vote of 2S. 753 over
all opposition. In the Electoral College
the vote stood I'll for Mckinley to 176 for
Bryan. In November. 1909. President Nc
Kinley's popular vote was 7,214,027 and
Bryan's was 6.342, 514, McKinley's plurality
being S71.5l3. In the Electoral College the
vote stood 2S2 for Mckinley and 15 for
Bryan.