The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1901-09-20
Biographical sketch.

William Mckinley was born at Niles.
Trumbull County, Ohio, January % 1913.
neighborhood until 1861, when the out
break of the civil war infiamnd his ami
bitiOn and aroused his patriotism &c SUCH
a degree that, although only II years old
he enlisted private soldier. His first
service was in the Twenty-third Ohio
volunteer infantry, with which he served
until the close of the war, being mustered
out as captain and brevet major at the
age of q.
He then studied law ana was admitted
to the bar, became successful and popU-
lar lawyer, and from 1869 to 1871 was pros
About this time he began t. turn his at
tention seriously to politics I'D was eject
ed on the republican ticket to the Forty
fifth, Forty-sixth, Forty-Seventh, Forty
eighth, Forty-ninth and Fiftieth con
crosses. In the house of representa- rives
he made himself more popular as COM
mittee worker than as debater on the
floor. He made few speeches, but from
the beginning he showed much interest in
resentative being the presentation of pc
tition from Ohio manufacturers, asking
tariff revision until a thorough ipvestiea-
ton of the needs of American industries
had been made. He actively supported
the civil service reform Dill ana MI IDOL
mans resolution declaring the unearned
land grants to the subsidy railroads for
felt to the government. Gradually he
licans in the house as a power in the par
ty, and at the republican national con
toned as a possible candidate Tor the
presidency; but in this convention Nc
kinley led the Ohio delegation, which had
been instructed to vote for Senator John
1t is an interesting fact in American
political history that there was point i'll
the deliberations of the convention when
Maj Mckinley could possibly have had
the nomination had he been willing to
state to his own interest, but ne abso-
llltely refused to let his name be used.
1,< Il Inv oil ION
of the republican convention of Ohio,
passed without one dissenting voice, COM
Sherman and use every worthy endeavor
for his nomination. l accepted the trust
because my heart and Judgment were i'll
accord with the letter and spirit and pur-
pose of that resolution. 1t has pleased
certain delegates to cast their votes for
me. l can not, with honorable fidelity to
John Sherman, who has trusted me in his
cause and with his confidence; can not
consistently with my own views of per-
sent, to permit my name to be used as a
candidate before this convention. 1 do re-
quest, 1 demand, that no delegate who
would not cast reflection on me shall cast
d ballot for me-
Mai. Mckinley went out of that conven-
ton one of the most popular men in the
republican party, and as his views on
protection were the most pronounced of
all the protectionist leaders. it naturally
ton placed the tariff question in his
hands. The result of this action was the
drafting of a bill known as the ''McKin-
ley bilI' which afterward became a law
Without attempting to analyze this bill
il is sufficient to say that it placed a
tariff for protection only on the highest
ground taken since the time when Henry
Clay first laid a protection proposition be-
fore the country. Maj. Mckinley rteired
from congress March 4, 1891, leaving his
ability as legislator and tariff maker to
be judged by his works, with an estab-
lished party popularity and reputation. In
1891 he was, nominated by the republicans
for governor of Ohio, and was elected
over Gov. Jarnss z. Campbell the demo-
cratic candidate, after most exciting
campaign.
Many will recall the great republican
convention of 1885, when William McKin-