The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1901-09-20

ordered the promotion OF Sergeant Nc
Kinl"y and ordered further that the
promotion should be placed upon the
roster of the company
Step by step after that the young
man won his way up until three months
before he was mustered out he was
mad" major by brcvct for gallant and
mcritorious service at tho battles of
Op"uuan, Cedar Creek nnd Fishers
Iiiil."
His commission was signed "a. Lin
coin"
HIS POLITICAL CAREER.
Returning home from the war, McNin-
ley studied law with Judge Charles l..
GliddCn of Canton and at the Albany
Law school. He was admitted to the bar
in March. 1867. and settled in Canton,
which became his permanent home. lie
soon attracted attention as n lawyer Of
ability. and. although Stark county was
Democratic, he was elected proSCcut.
ing attorney in 1850. but he was defeat.
cd for the same Office two years later.
FROM this time forward Major McI\in.
Icy gave much attention to politics.
The seeming disasters in Mcknlcy';
career brou@ht only greater honors
When Mckinley offered himself as II
candidate for speaker of the house &
representatives. lie found that two 9th.
cr western mcn--Burrows and Cannon
were asking for the place. Reed wa:
tn" oAly eastern a$pirant. ami ne We,
hand!ly 1t is Il tradition in the huu>r
Of representatives that the #p,a!.r'
shall appoint his most Formidable o..
pon"nt chairman Of the ways aHi
means committee, and this chairman
becomes cX oilicio the leader of tic u.;..
jority. This lot fell to Mckinley. Il
was his opportunity, and ne took al.
vantage Of it by formulating tie Nc.
kinney tar.I bill. The outcome i:
known to The world.
Two years later. after McNinlry's
district had been changed 50 az
make the normal majority against L..
more thaH 5000, he was defeated rt
congress. bul he made Stron: Shur
Ing by cutting his opponents vote dCv.
to margin of 800. This led to Ii
nomination aS governor of Ohio. aii
his n"Xt step was to the White HuuS,
Had Mckinley been successful in hi
candidacy for the Sp"aEcrShip. and
iliu ne appointed Reed chairman oi
'h' committee on ways and means. i.
hil pFonahlilty he never would hay"
poem president.
But MckinlCy kept to his work. T..
had no falS" notions of luck. In o.
OF his addresses to young men he sai!
Luck will not last" The prrsidc!
held that
,.,.. ...... Inc fortunate
WhI., si.l..., a,,i,n ~ ,,,a".io. ,,r,. s"r.se''
The one great aim
SO this brace OF temporary setback,
that he experienced merely aiiord,.
him time anh space in which to get :;
fresh hold on the lines of his destiny.
In 1881 he was n dcl.roto ,t I,~
from Ohio to the national convention
and helped 70 nominate James G.
Blaine. At the n"xt national convcn
tion he represented the state in thr
same manner, and supported John
Sherman. At that convention, after
the first days balloting, the Indications
were that Mckinley himself might hr
nominated. Then his strength of Dur
pose and his high ideas of LOYALTY ond
honor showed themselves. for in an
earnest and stirring speech he demand.
ed that no votes be cast for him.
In lS'l he was elected governor of
o os ''''J''i'! vi upou' -l'"o"
o'' nor '"iii'N l.. anippeh'
.,'' '''''ocr'''c c''''!ial"' Inc issue
NV" - 'I.' was ch'""! 'he 'arl!'
p"' 'n'N"lnH "iSo piaccd hlillSelf III
oPPoH.'l''' |" '''c Tree co'ilhge or silver.
III i"'- he WIS again Il delegate nj
"' rye 10 the hH'iohai convention nj
M ieaooiiS' ana was ihhde permanent
Chairman. Although his name was not
hr"uSht h"1or" TN" convention, yet he
i'ceiN'u 10 'otes. lie himS"lf was