The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-08-26
The Life of Mckinley.

William Mckinley was named after his
father. The elder William Mckinley was
born in 1907. He was pioneer In the iron
Industry in the West. He married Nancy
Allison. who. like himself. was of New
England Puritanical stock, and together
they were a rema rkable couple. Mr.. Nc
Kinley. Sr., lived TO be Is years OF age.
His wife, who bore him nine children.
nearly 50 years OF age when she died.
eight years ago. She had lived To see
her third son In the White House. but
fortunately the grim reaper gathered her
In his harvest before he met his IN
timely end. This son, the seventh child.
was born ut Niles, in Trumbul county.
o., In frame house which is still stand
ing. He attended the public schools In
the city of his birth. and later was grad
uated from the Poland Seminary. AS q
boy he was much like other boys. active.
full of life, fond OF hunting. fishing and
horses. but withal sober aud Industrious.
He was not possessed of a rema rkable
sense of humor and could not always see
a joke. When 10 years of age he Joined
the Methodist Church, and attended IL
as communicate until the day that he
died in Buffalo. still strong In the belief
of his boyhood aud still passionately
fond of his ehurch's great song. LEAD.
Kindly Light
Just after Joining the church he entered
Allegany College, at Meadville. Pa. but
broke down, and after somewhat regain
ing his health taught a district school
near Poland. o., until the Civil War
broke out. He enlisted and for IA months
marched in the ranks of the Twenty
third Ohio as private In Company h.
In April, 1862. he was made commissary
nd NJ Anti 1nnA fGa{
engagement OF the war-he distinguished
himself by coming on the firing line. after
the men had fought oil day, and serving
the boys with hot coffee and rolls, N
they stood rapidly firing their muskeu
In the thick OF battle For this deed OF
bravery he was commissioned q second
lieutenant. In all he was In more than
80 battles and skirmishes. and came out
OF the war a captain. Before being mus
tered out Of service he was advanced QUE
more peg by brevet, and to the end o.
his days his old friends knew him by that
welI-earned title-MaJor Mckinley.
After the war young McKinley-he wni
then but 22-took up the study OF Law
In The office of Charles Il. Glidden. OF
Poland--a Judge of ability and learning
He graduated from the Law School al
Albany N Y. in 1867. was admitted &c
the bar and opened an office at Canton.
o., then f1ourishing town Of some 5.CO
Inhabitants. He made considerable
success at The practice OF law. but his
growing prominence In the political arena
soon oyershadowed his legal successes.
His first political distinction came with
the nomination for the office OF prose'
cutting attorney OF Stark county. u,
reputed stronghold OF the opposition. he
won Two years later, or In 1871, he was
renominated and WAS beaten by 10 votes In
a county that usually beat the candidates
of his party by several hundred. In tie
same year he married Miss Ida Saxton.
woman who was destined to have
wonderful influence upon his subsequent
career Two children were born to The
pair and both died and the mother never
recovered from the blow. She has been
an invalid for nearly 30 years now, ana
The touching devotion and tenderness
shown to her by the assassinated presi-
dent were among the most beautiful
things of his career.
In 1877 Major Mckinley took his seat
In the congressional halls OF the nation
as representative OF his old ONO as
trict During his service ia the House be
won great popularity in Washington, and
was frequently urged TO become d candi-
date against Speaker Reed for the posi-
ton of presiding officer, which the latter
filled with such brilliant force At the
Republican convention in 1884 Mckinley.
In a short, sharp, strong speech. rallied
the Blaine forces and won the nomination
for the brilliant Maine statesman, who
was defeated -Four years later, after he
structed for Sherman, certain delegates
logan voting for him and he only pre-
vented the convention from stampedfng
for him In what was, perhaps, the most
speech of bis career. II do
not request-I demand" he closed, that
40 delegate who would not cast reelection
on me shall cast u ballot for me-" Nc
Kinley voted for Sherman to the end,
though the Republican nomination went
20 Harrison that year.
Mckinley, during Harrison'e admins
ration, as chairman of the Ways and
Means Committee of the House. fathered
he famous Mckinley Tariff Bill, and. In
1891, after he had been defeated By
district the year before,
vas elected governor Of Ohio with q pIu
-ality of 10000. In 1898 be. having Ia
he meantime, again declined the presi-
lentiaI candidate. led his party to victory.
plurality Of more than $4,000. In 1895
md again in 1900 Mckinley, as the presi-
ientiai candidate. led his party to victory
Then, one year later, came the tragic end
n Buffalo. His great speech at the Pan
American-his last, IL proyed-deiiyered
VIC days before his assassination. Is rec
.gnized as masterpiece of American
bought:
THE period Of exclusiveness Is past"
e said THE expansion Of our trade and
ounerce is the passing problem Com
uerciaI wars are Improbable. policy
I good will and friendly trade relations
viiI prevent reprisals- Reciprocity trea-
les are IN harmony with the spirit Of the
lines; measures Of retaliation are not.
.et Us ever remember that our interest
) In concord, and not conflict, and that
Ut real eEninence rests n the victories Of
eace and not those OF war. We hope
hat all who are represented here may b
loved to higher and nobler efforts for
heir own and the worlds good, and
hat out Of this city may come not only
reater commerce and trade for US all.
ut more essential than these, relations
mutual respect, confidence and friend
hip which viii deepen and endure. Our
arrest prayer to Goo Is that God will
raciously vouchsafe prosperity, happiness
nd peace to all our neighbors and like
lesgings to all peoples and powers OF the
arth-''
md these words were destined Ia be 0