Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1901-09-20
MIR. M'kINLEY,
A SHORT SKETCH.

SHORT SKETCH.
William Mckinley was born al
Niles, Trumbull county. Ohio. Janu.
airy 20. 1s43. His ancestors lived In
pennsylvania, whence they emigrated
nom Scotland fully 200 years ago. His
grandfather. Daniel Mckinley. was a
soldier in the revolution. DISTINGUISHED
Tor gallantry at Brandywine. German.
town and Monmouth. His father was
an Industrious. sensible and prosper.
GUS iron manufacturer, who died In
1892 at the age of SIS: his mother Is
still living at Canton, Ohio. at the ad.
vanced age OF 81. Young Mckinley
was educated at the public schools
and at the Poland tMahoning county,
academy. and attended for a short
time the Methodist college at Meade
vile, Pa.
In June, 1861. ne enlisted in the
Twenty-third Ohio volunteer infantry
as private soldier. On September
"a. 1862. he was promoted to second
lieutenant; on February Z, 1863, to
first lieutenant: on July rs, 1864, to
captain and was brevetted major by
President Lincoln for gallant and
meritorious services at the battles OF
Opequan, Fishers Hill and Cedar
creek. He served on the staff Of ex-
President Hayes and Major General
Crook. and after Crooks capture he
served for time or the staff OF Major
General Hancock and subsequently on
the staff of General Samuel S. Carroll
He was with the famous Twenty-third
In all its battles. and was mustered
out with it on July 26, 1865. He had Q
liking for the military profession and
1t was said that, but for the advice OF
his father he would. at the solicitation
OF General Carroll, have attached him
self to the regular army.
Services in Congress.
At the close of the war McKinlev re.
turned to Ohio. studied law. opened an
Office in Canton, Stark county. in 1867
and in 1869 was elected prosecuting
attorney Of Stark county.
He was elected to congress in 1876
and served continuously in the house
Of representatives until March, 1891
IA years in all-except part Of his
fourth term, when he was unseated
late in the first session. His seat was
given to the late Jonathan Wallace
of East Liverpool. his democratic
competitor. While in congress Major
| Mckinley served on the committees
OF revision Of laws. judiciary, expendi
lures, postoffice department and rules.
Tariff Leader in House.
| Mr.. McKinley's first four years in
congress were in preparation for his
greater work began in 1881, when Gar.
| field was elected to the presidency,
and the place Garfield held on the
ways and means committee Of the
house was given to the young man
who soon became known as the cham
pion of protection.
He became the republican leader on
the floor in the tariff debates and en-.
tered into the discussion with so much
enthusiasm that for the first time in
congress these discussions Of tariff
schedules became interesting and
even entertaining to the general pub
lic Speaker Reed once said Of Nc.
kinley that he was the most passion.
ate American He was chairman OF
the committee on resolutions in the
republican national conventions of
1884 and 1883. and men who served
on that committee with him said that
ne nominated 1t like MdSleI Spin
by his enthusiasm and passionate de-
votion to the principle he had so much
at heart In 1890 he was defeated
for reelection.
Governor Of Ohio.
Mckinley was out of congress, but
not out of politics, because the repub-
lieans of Ohio would not let him re
tire to private life. They had demo.
cratic administration. with popular
governor. and they needed strong
man to defeat him. They began to
talk about Mckinley as the candidate,
and when the convention assembled,
in June. 1891, it had only to ratifv the
choice Of the people by nominating
Mckinley by reclamation.
Then followed one of the most mem.
orable campaigns ever waged in the
Buckeye state. Mckinley began his
campaign the first Of August. and for
three months he travelled night and
day. making from two to a dozen
speeches a day. until he had visited
every county in the state. His cam
paign was on national issues. on the
tariff, on protection. and eloquently