Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1901-09-20
THE LATE PRESIDENTS CAREER
Ho Has Been Conspicuous In the Poll
.1tics of the Country for 25 Scnrs.

~ shc NouhtT1 toT 30 hcnTnt
William Mckinley has been charac-
terlzed by prominent man who
Knew him intimately for years as fol-
lows: Quiet, dignifed, modest, con-,
slderate OF others; ever mindful Of
the long service of the veterans of
his party, true as steel to his friends.
rnhestating at the call of duty. no
matter what the personal sacrifice:
uhwavering in his integrity, full of
tact IN overcoming opposition, yet
unyielding in vital principles; with
heart full of sympathy for those
who toll, a disposition unspoiled by
success and n spotless private life.
William Mckinley stood before the
American people as one of the finest
types of courageous, preserving, vig-
orous and developing manhood that
America ever produced"
William Mckinley, the twenty-fifth
president of the United States, has
been conspicuous in the politics of
the country for % years. He was
born at Niles, Trumbull county, O..
January 30, 1S42.
His father, William Mckinley, was
of Scotch-Irish extraction and n pio-
neer of the Western Reserve. His
Nancy Allison, brought a slight Ger
man strain into his blood. The fam.
lily were fairly prosperous and the
late president had more than the or
binary chance for an education. He
went to an academy at Niles several
terms and then became a teacher.
1t was while still teaching that the
terrible strife among the states broke
a. IA IInln Of
the army.
He enlisted in the now famous
Twenty-third Ohio, which was COM
manded at different times by men
who afterwards became very con-
spicuous in public life. The late pres
ident fairly rushed to the front in
army life. In the early fall of 1869
he was promoted to second lieuten-
ant, shortly afterwards to first lieu
tenant, and on July 25, 1864, to cap
tain. Later he was breveted maior
by President Lincoln for gallant serv-
ices in number of battles, notable
among them being the battles of
Fishers hill and Cedar creek. The
success of Mckinley during the war
came near changing the course of his
entire life. At the close of hostilities
he was offered commission in the
regular army. 1t was only through
the earnest solicitation of his father
that he gave up the idea of an army
career and turned to the study of
law.
McKinley's success at the bar was
marked, and in two years he was
elected to the office of prosecuting at
torney for Stark county.
On In ba
to Miss Ida SaXton the daughter of a
then prominent citizen of Canton.
From the beginning of the union the
president showed an almost unparal-
leled devotion to his wife. Sorrow
early entered the home, two daugh-
ters dying and Mrs. Mckinley herself
suffering greatly from serious i'll
health.
This sorrow seemed only to identify
the interests of the two the more and
to make each the more careful of the
Others welfare.
He was first elected to congress in
1876 and served continuously until
March, 1891, except that late in the
first session of his fourth term in
contest over his seat the house de-
cided against him and in favor of the
mainder of that term Mr.. Mckinley
was retired.
In June. 1891, he was unanimously
nominated by tne republican party of
Ohio for governor and was elected by
handsome plurality. In the fall of
1893 he was triumphantly elected by
plurality of over $4,000.
In 1896 he was nominated by the
nntinnol .ant,Ilioan l,o1l
at st. Louis for president and elected
at the November election of the same
year. His denomination at the last
republican national convention held
in Philadelphia and his later re-elec-
tion is fresh in the minds of the peo-
pie.
During the % years of active politi-
cal life Mr. Mckinley saw many ups
and downs and many times his fall
was predicted.
The first time that the political OBJ
seques of the late president were
read by his critics was in $780, after
the passage of the famous Mckinley
tariff law. The next election the re-
publican party went down to defeat.
Even Mckinley himself was defeated,
as he lost his congressional district by
small majority. 1t was freely pre-
dicted that his political career was
over. But in spite of these dreful
forecasts in the year following, Nc
Kinley was nominated and elected
governor of Ohio by comfortable
majority, and two years later by a
far more emphatic vote.
At the nauonal republican conven-
ton held in Minneapolis in 1892 Me-
Kinley's name was first prominently
mentioned as candidate for pres-
dent of the United States. McKinley's
name went before the convention
strongly against his own will. as he
was chairman of the convention and
the united desire of the party leaders
seemed to be TO nominate Gen. Harri-
son, of Indiana. In spite of Mr.. Nc
Kinley's opposition his name went be-
fore the convention and he received