The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-10-02
HON. J. H. WALKER
ON M'KINLEY
CONTINUED from Page ~

from graduating from college. He
studied law in the offices of the local
lawyers and was graduated from AL
bany Law School He was famous
for the care and diligence and hard
work with which he prepared all his
cases.
Elected to the 45th Congress at the
age of 49, he at once took a command
ing position there Col. Burke, pro-
pretor of the hotel where Mckinley
lived most of the time he was in Con-
gress, says that he was one of the
hardest w orking men in office. He was
always up to get the first mall at
o'clock, and all his mail of each day
was answered before he returned at
night In Congress Mckinley was
popular and a leader.
I'm the 50th Congress, when the de-
bate was on over the Mckinley and
Mills tariff bills, an opponent of Nc
Kinley from Pennsylvania was stopped
by the speaker at the expiration of his
hour and was not allowed to finish
his speech. When Mckinley got the
floor he said: Mr. Speaker, l yield
to the gentleman from Pennsylvania
just as much Of my hour as will suffice
to close his speech"
1T was in 1889 when formed his ac-
his hotel We found Mrs. Mckinley
in exceedingly delicate health. She re-
eeiVed her guests sitting and never
returned a call. Yet she had hap
pier life than many another woman,
owing to the devotion of her husband.
1.-THE first time that Mckinley came
to Massa chusetts was in the Butler
campaign. The second time was in
1891 when he stopped at my house. He
had promised to give an address in
Mechanics Hall. but it was delivered
under very trying circumstances. On
his journey here he got a copy of a
Worcester evening paper depreciating
his presence in the city, saying that
the meeting would be an absolute fail
ure, and that he was only wanted by a
morning paper of ill-repute which had
procured him to advertise itself.
you can judge Of the state Of mind
l found Mckinley in. He said to me,
Walker. what does this mean?" l had
not read the piece, but did read it as
we drove from the station. Then I~'ald
to him. Mac, you needn't worry about
this. You know me and 1 know you.
1t is true that a paper, on account of
its strong Republcanism, has wanted
to get you here and is paying all the
expenses of the meeting. After the
meeting is over I'll talk 1t over with
you
I'VE found Mechanics Hall packed
as 1t never had been before, nor has
been since in a local meeting. and Nc
Kinley delivered one of his finest
speeches. After the people had gone
who stayed to shake hands with him,
we drove to my home, and a happier
man than Mckinley l never saw. We
passed a very pleasant evening in chat
and then / went to show him his room.
Arrived at the door, he said, Walker,
come in a minute, / want to talk with
you. / went in and it was daybreak
before I came out. We talked over all
the details Of our acquaintanceship
and all the details of the 51st Congress
the most remarkable one
since the first"
Mr. Walker told the we'll known sto-
ry of how Mr.. Mckinley in the Repub
lican Convention of 1888 refused to al
low the delegates from Ohio to vote for
Rim when they were pledged to John
Sherman. He also spoke of the attempt
to substitute Mckinley for President
Harrison at the Convention Of 1892 He
continued "Can It be that one man
who has enjoyed the intimate and close
friendship with such a man can hear
that he has been struck down by an as
sassin without feeling as if he had lost
one of his own household?
And then Mckinley as president.
Great? Yea, great. l had a part in the
enacted on his inaugural.
l felt then with deep depreciation the
of a large body of repre-
sentatives that there should be a war
with Spain. Mckinley felt it too and
stemmed it with an adroitness and
seldom seen. The war final
ly came for the people were deter
mined to it and no president could have
stopped 1t. But the people only chose
the way for the fulfillment Of a pur-
pose which Mckinley had at heart
the liberation OF the people of Cuba"
Mr.. Walker closed his address with a
brief review of President Roosevelt's
career. He spoke of him as a man
who fought evil everywhere he found
IT, a man who does not know the mean
ing of fear. and who is yet cautious
enough not to undertake anything I'M
less he is able to carry it through AS
an illustration of this Mr.. Walker said
THE people of New York wanted
Roosevelt for Governor. The politi-
clans (using the word In its bad sense)
didn't want him. But Plat had to
take Roosevelt or see a Democrat cleo
ted Platt is not fool. He Is one Of
the most remarkable men this coun-
try has produced. So is Quay Men OF
this kind only hold their positions be-
cause Of their transcendent ability.
When Roosevelt was elected. he