Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1904-02-25


President Mckinley, who at that time
was a young lawyer in Canton, Ohio,
Hanna'S father was the owner of a
coal mine at Massillon, There was n
strike in the mine, contest, and a
lockout, followed by riots and the
burning of the mine works, A dozen
miners were arrested, charged with
the crime, and they were defended by
Major Mckinley at the trial.
The young major volunteered to dc,
fend the miners and without pay, be-
cause they were poor and he believed
thew innocent, He stood for prin'
ciple
Mark Hanna and several other
youug members of the mining COM
pauy were tho prosecutors, They
were the young daudies of Cleveland,
the sons Of rich fathers, and when
they went to Canton to attend the trial
they took the best rooms in the prin,
cipal hotel and had all the walters
dancing attendance for their liberal
tips, had a mortgage on the best turn
outs in the livery stable, and created
a sensation as they drove about town
and lounged about the hotels, the
hestdrosSCd men in the town.
The natty appearance OF Mr. Hanna
and his associates in the courtroom
attracted much attention, in contrast
with that of the defendants Major
Mckinley could not resist the temp
tation to use this contrast in his an.
peal to the jury, and he did II most
effectively They gave the Jury an oh.
iect lesson ON the difference between
the positions of prosecutors and de-
PENDANTS. The latter's attorney made
MIR Hanna and his friends very um.
comfortable, as he called attention to
their clothes and general air of opu-
lencc As they sat there in the court.
room the major described them to
the Jury, at the same time pointing
out their superiority over the ordinary
citizens of Canton. He gave attention
to their cravats and the diamonds
worn there. to their perfect.tltting
clothes, their patent.lcather shoes,
their silk hats, their white hands,
which showed no evidence of toll;
their good figures and rosy checks all
as evidence of the perfectly groomed
gentleman of leisure.
He also recounted their manner OF
living at the hotel, where they com.
manded the best of everything, and
still found 1t not good enough for gen
tlemen Of fastidious taste and luxur.
these details he made Mr. Hanna re,
gret that he had come into court In
such raiment
But as the major turned to the
group of defendants, with their bent
figures, followed cheeks, unearthly
pallor and rough and begrimed hands
and proceeded to picture the hardships
of poverty and poorly paid labor. he
aroused feeling akin to that of q
lynching bee in the courtroom, and
the jury promptly acquitted the men
while the spectators talked In most
uncomplimentary way about the young
men who represented the complain
ants.
That was the first meeting between
Mckinley and Hanna, and the impress
sion created by each was not pleasant
to the other Hanna thought McKin
ley a demagog and the major after
ward admitted that he had perhaps
been unjust In his plea, but he sale
/ he could not resist the temptation.
The lesson then learned by Mr.
Hanna was never forgotten Soor
after that, when he became the man
ager of the business, he entered into
negotiations with his miners, ant
they agreed upon scale Of wages
After that Mr. Hanna had no trouble
with those in his employ He hat
thousands of employees, and he no
only recognized their right TO organ
ze, but encouraged II by mnkinf
agreements with tho unions
His identity with the civic fedora
ton and his efforts to arbltrate grea
strikes grew naturally out q his lonf
friendly relations with organized
labor and his relations to great In
dustrial combinations
None Of the officials Of the various
companies with Which Senator Hanna
has been identified has ever had 81
many personal friends among the EN-
ployees as has he The reason fol-
this is not far to seek He never for
got face. nor name, nor n cireum
stance connected with the family af
fairs OF any Of them and II was moth
ing unusual for him TO greet a con
ductor on a street car as heartily AZ
he would brother senator and ask
him about the condition Of sick child
Gr how his work suited him, or If he
saw how the service could be i'm
proved He recognized to the full the
brotherhood Of a man and naturally
bis men appreciated his interest in
them and their welfare. Many Of them
have reason 10 remember his warm
heart and open hand because OF com.
forts and dellcacies sent 10 a sick wife
rr aItinp child Others aIgo have req.