The National tribune., 1904-09-29
PRESIDENT M'KIHLEY.

PRESIDENT M'KIELEY.
have known President Mckinley for 90
years, and intimately since 1892. In that
year the Mckinley Tariff Bill, which
brought Mckinley such great prominence
in this Nation and the world, became =
law. At that time l was in Europe on
business, and had travelled through Sweden,
Norway, Germany and France, and the
protests against the bill in all those coun-
tries was something beyond the conception
Of any of our people; in fact, they were
SO bitter against America and Americans
that they were hardly treated with COM
mon decency. Knowing the feeling in those
countries, even before the bill had an op-
portunity to be tested, also the fact that
most of the Americans residing in Europe
expressed the same feeling in relation to
il, wrote to Representative Mckinley,
stating the facts as l found them there.
l wrote him two or three letters, and in
the last one expressed to him the opin-
ion that, notwithstanding the bitter feel
ing existing against the law and himself,
l believed in the near future both it and
unpopular. Upon receipt of my letters
Mckinley wrote me, stating that he was
very much interested in them, and asking
me, if ] remained abroad, to continue them,
and when / returned he would be pleased
to see me and talk with me about them.
1t was year after my return before I saw
him, and the sentiment in this country had
already begun to change. When he met
me his first words were in relation to the
prophecy in my letters.
M'KINLEY's TACT.
In the Fall of 1894 the Society of the
Army OF the Tennessee held its Reunion
at Council Bluffs, on the Missouri River.
At that time Mckinley was making a
crnn r. rr,;t oso1 in 81
through Nebraska and the Western coun-
try. He came to the Bluffs just as our
Reunion had closed. He had intended to
reach there to take part in the Reunion.
He insisted that we should join him on his
way East, and my car was attached to -his
train. Several of the distinguished veter-
ans of that old army were with me, also
the sons OF our two great commanders,
Grant and Sherman. As We travelled past
at every siding and station great crowds
collected TO hear Mckinley. He would go
to the end of the car and make his acknowl-
edgments, and state that he had with him
a portion Of the Society of the Army of
the Tennessee, also the sons Of the two
great Generals Of the war, Grant and Sher-
man, and that he knew they preferred to
hear them rather than himself, and then
he would introduce them to the crowd, and
they, of course, were received with great
enthusiasm, and each in his own way made
short speeches of acknowledgment, and ac-
quilted themselves very creditably. often
receiving the commendation of Mckinley.
This showed McKinley's tact in utilizing
these two young men, and bringing them
to the trent in place Of himself. With
him on this trip was his devoted wife, and
no one could see the tender attentions that
he paid her without realizing that the great
love this Nation had for him on account
of the tender relation that existed between
them was fully deserved.
At the beginning of the Spanish War /
was called to Washington, and, with some
other veterans of the civil war, listened to
the discussions upon the different problems
and schemes that were presented for the
conducting of that war. There were pre-
sented to the President many different prob
lens and plans and service-chimerical
schemes, but We soon discovered that dis
cussions were proper ones, and he took the
course which indicated that he was COM
petent to handle the situation. He con-
Regular Army, ready for any emergency,
while the volunteer force was being or
agnized and concentrated in camps, which
some thought could be put in the field in
80 days, but which the old army officers
and officers of the Regular Army knew
would require at least six months to pre-
pare properly for efficiency in a campai ign.
Later during the war it became my duty
to see and read all the records of the
Spanisl War, every letter, every order and
every telegram, and was most favorably
impressed with the excellent judgment and
tact and the prompt decision of our Presi-
dent. Even in cases of emergency, where
he had to act upon the moment aCithout
consuiates, his decisions We're prompt and
definite, and | know Of no single case in
which they were not right. He impressed
us all with the fact that he was not only a
great statesman, but great soldier. The
wonderful handling by the administration
Of Cuba, the Philippines and China has
builded reputation for this country and a
monument to it's craftsmanship, its gem
eralship and its fighting qualities that no
one now even attempts to pull down, and
one that, no matter how severely it may
world.
MY LAST MEETING
with President Mckinley was in April
Maj j.-Gen. John A. Logan. He was then
preparing for his proposed trip to Cali
fornia, and | suggested to him that it was
pretty long and tendiOus trip, and asked
him if he was making it for pleasure or as
duty. His answer to me was that he was
looking forward to it with great deal Of
pleasure; but he said you know, Gen
eral, necessarily will be under good deal
of strain, for will have to speak at every
point we stop, and l have to be careful and
study and consider what say" He also
said that he desired to see the Pacific Coast
country, as it was developing SO fast, and
there were so many questions arising, and
such demands from the people there for
legislation, that he would like to see per-
sonally what they needed, so he could act
upon questions understandingly. On the
day Of the unyailing of the statue, in rid
ing up from the White House with him in
the procession, his four years of adminis-
tration came up, and In discussing 1t he
said 70 me: The greatest benefit Of my
Administration to our country. and the
greatest pleasure TO me 10 that the two
sections OF our country have come to-