The Savannah morning news., 1904-08-21

this year. Yet the two most noteworthy
campaign speaking records were made
by William Mckinley and William
Jennings Bryan.
Bryans was made in 1896 on his own
behalf as presidential candidate, and
exceeded McKinleys in number of
speeches and miles travelled. McKin-
ley's was made two years earlier, in
1894 when he was Governor of Ohio,
on behalf of the Republican congress
sional candidates. Down to that time
it was the most sustained effort of the
sort ever made; he visited practically
every congressional district in the
country in which he could presumably
be of value, and largely because of his
speeches, as everybody agreed, the
country that year returned an unpre-
cedented Republican majority to the
lower house.
McGinIey's Strenuous Campaign.
The strain of that trip was terrific,
but Mckinley bore it admirably. A
newspaper man who covered the entire
trip with the campaigner declared the
other day that he never once became
fretful and rarely seemed tired,no mat
ter how long the day. how many
speeches he had to make, or how rough
the railroads over which he had to
travel. Some of these were pretty
bad, especially in the West and in the
small portion of the South which he
visited.
His care for the comfort of the news
paper CORES ondents who accompanied
him was remarkab BILE, and sometimes
even embarrassi to them. This was
especially the case in a certain West
ern city. There the local committee
got up an elaborate but exclusive
luncheon for him. The elect in local
Republican circles were invited, to-
gether with two or three of the tour
ing statesmen who were with Mckinley
on the train. No publicity was desired,
and so no invitations were sent to re-
porters; for the same reason, the cor
respondents on the campaigner's train
was left out.
This didn't bother them a bit; in
fact being pretty we'll tired out and
having had a surfeit of local luncheons
at divers places, they were highly de-
lighted at the opportunity of loafing
by themselves in the car for an hour
or two; and they promptly put them
SNANCC III a SldlE VI llGSllSG6 30 that
the relaXa ton they desired might be
complete.
Looked After the Reporters.
Mckinley noted the absence of the
correspondents just before the lunch
con party was ready to sit down at
the table, and suggested that the re-
past be delayed till they should ar
rive. His hosts demurred, saying the
correspondents would probably be there
soon, but didn't tell Mckinley they
hadn't been invited. He persisted,
however and the attempted snub to
the gentlemen of the press" finally
came out.
He said there should be no luncheon
without them, and was so insistent
that carriage was sent for them. The
driver bore a formal invitation from
the committee and also a note, writ
ten by Mckinley himself, asking them
TO overlook the oversight and come to
the luncheon as soon as possible. Both
would have declined peremptorily but
Tor McKinley's note, but they had re-
celVed too many courtesies at his
hands not to go. AS they had to dress
up, the luncheon was delayed in all
about an hour, greatly to the commit
tees chagrin. After that, Mckinley
saw to it that when local committees
extended hospitalities to him the cor
respondents were properly included in
the invitations to the doings, though
they often begged off.
How He Dealt With His Audiences.
Mckinley had to deal with very few
oDstreperous auditors. Somehow the
mans evident sincerity and personal
dignity seemed to disarm all those
VINO went to his meetings prepared
10 make annoying Interruptions. About
the worst receptions he encountered
anywhere We're merely cold and ST.
rent The audiences didn't always
applaud. but they rarely showed open
disrescect
He exhibited the greatest displeas-
ure in all that trip, perhaps, at a GER
tain Eastern city. There, while he
was addressing an open-air meeting
or thousands some members of the
state Committee, who remained with
the car, sent for champagne and pro-
ceeded to enjoy it and play friendly
game of poker in the car. 1t stood on
a siding near the city's main street.
AS they sat by the window their game
passed by.
They intended to finish their game
ana their fizz-water before Mckinley
should return, but they didn't. They
We're Just opening a fresh bottle when
ne entered the car, and one of them,
~ voice that might he heard two
docks away was gaily caroling a
verse that would never be applauded
Tor its good taste.
The Governors face was a study,
out he paused to give the card play
erS chance for explanation. Their
Contusion was complete and their at
,,rTHpts at explanation were pitiful.
me most they could say was that
sney hadn't expected him so soon.
.Nchnley said little, merely asking
tlhem whether they thought 1t would
heip the congressional fight that fall
~ the papers told the truth and said
me men on McKinley's car were in
tne habit of playing poker and drink
ing champagne in public. His words
We're temperate. but they made the
blenders against good taste vince like
whipped school boys
S"Ned Himself From OVERRIDING.
Mcl[inley's methods OF avoiding I'M
que fatigue were interesting. Between
s,auons and speeches II was his prac-
.,le TO reduce his personal effort TO
'He lowest possible point. often he
would lie back In his chair and close
ms eyes. Occa sionally he would lose
''nsciousness IN an instant almost and
-l''p soundly TIL the next station was
reached.
let q sometimes happened that adj
NITers and local political leaders
would board the train az one station
20 ride 70 the next with the avowed
aesire ~ making his acquaintance and
having a fFl0ud1w chat with him In