Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-11-05

itc(fMEhN1 u 'pl. n. IL. Mt' ililt III ~
iS9s26r4 PiItsburE Dispatch. "dd' z
SSS-i sad chapter to the m,m-
urics OF the White House. 1t was my
fortune I" know President NJ 'i>'nl'y
somewhat intimately from The tim ID"
appeared III Congress. in 1877. Until ms
death He WAS born At Niles. o.. on
the .9ili oi January. lSi'. and il 1861.
when Only |. years OF age. he 'n ii'ch
as a priylt" II the Twcn,E-third ., i
Volunteers. nd served dun ing tn ~
tire war. retiring" :s hrcNtt m Jrr Tor
''Callautfy ILu m"ri:otionS service
He served in the ranks as Il rrivat" FOR
Ii months. during which pei iud h" was
frequently in the fame OF battle. After
The war he studied law. and was al
mitscd to the bar In 1861. when y" mad
Canton his home. where he had sine:
resided. lie VAS seven times con
scc,,tiycIy elected to Congress. The
Demo- rats once decided To defeat him
by Il Gcrrymander that made his dis
trict Democratic. but he oNcrcame th"
party ma ajority, although he lost his
seat on Il contest = and two years later.
the Eepublicans having rcgaincd
power i'll the state. his old district
vsa restored from which hn WIS regu-
t3TlN returned pN EHTSt MA JtfllltN uiitl!
l>Gn. when III. Dcuiocats. having again
rarrie,l the legislature. gave him dis
irjCt with over 1000 Dcmocratic ma
-oritv. rnIauntcd by the advcr.c
,olitical tide that confronted Inn h.
rf,ain lcca .n' 4 candidate ana largely
:NCceGcd his part" vote. hut vas de-
,at,G by hess than onc-thirl Tie no
al ncmocrati, ma aioritv OF ~. dis
~, 4
or governor ana elected ny over 1000.
nd in lS9" he was reelected by over
u.ono ma iori'y. being the largest ever
ivcn = "audiudte for governor. with
ia single exception of Eronrh's .la-
atty over Nalaniir-hAn in '~.,. In
~, after an earnest StruG:;i, with
,lch competitors rs Spaa!;".' l:"..i.
t.cvcrnur Morton ana others. h. was
.ominate,l for President on the first
,allrt by more than q two-thirdS vote.
nd elected by :; popular plurality Of
n.pop. ana received ~ votes in the
'cctoral college to 11s for William j.
ryan He was rcnominatel in l"co by
10 unanimous vote of his party con-
.ution on & poll of thu delegate
u Theodore Roosevelt was nominated
ltl him for president, falling
st one short Of Mckinlcy's votc--anJ
lat one vot" was cast by Roosevelt
mSclf. The result was his r"-clec-
IN by the largest popular majority
or given 10 any Presidential candi-
tie.
Mckinley carly became olr uf the
publican leaders of national fame.
,~:e.s Some time before his
ever DnltCrcu ,tirp,p.pt from Com
Where ErcsS he was chairman n
Duty Called of ilv Ways ana
M"nus cnInmitt." and
. author of what WAS known rs the
cKinley tariff. PASSED in 1890 and
proved b. President Harrison. In all
public career hr was Il model of
'rsonal purity in every relation Of
g, and the ouly imp"rfcction have
-, heard imputed 10 him was in it
!f a virtue. He was a man Of the
ndcst and g"ntlcst disposition. and
woS claimed that at times his kind
nature would dominat" his judg-
ent: but none ever assumed that
non the distinct issue was pr" scented
tween the right and til" wrong Nc
'nley ever falt"rcd. II" was Z de-
.htful companion. an able and
:,ivalrous foc ana tirrlosS in The per
-rrancc of AL his public duties II"
s been criticised as the author of
= Mckinley tariff. but al who aic
II advised on The subject know that
political environment mad" ii i'm
Gsiblc for him to make any different
vision "C our tariff laws With III"
. npc OF success. Will" that tariff
1dc his party suffer til" most over
helminC defeat that has eyer bcf1llcn
IN its history. il did not in any
~ diminish I,ublic cOnIid"nc" in Nc
nlcy. as is shown by the immense
to he received III r.,ccsS Of his party
his hopeless -truEGl" for lr"lec'ion
q Eerrynin n1crcd district. and by his
tcCtiou and recollection rs governor Ot
lc state. I met him frequently during |
. Is career in Congress. and. liE" all
ho haI the opportunity Of personal
lt.rcUu:Sc with him. hay" only the
.ost a,crr"abl" rccoIlcctionS Of him |
10Th as a public ana private charac-
ct. ]ic was . positive partisan. but. |
hove all. Ia WaS rs patriotic in the
discharge Of his high responsible civil
,luiieS IS l." was when hc bore his
musiiet in thc ranks. Offering his life
for his country.