Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-10-03
ALMOST LIKE
FAIRBANKS CASE
Mckinley Near CenSure for
Wine on Table.
HANNA CHECKED CHURCH STtP
Ohio Senator Sent EmiSSaTy to Meth
OdiSt Conference in 1900 and OBJ
tanned Suppression of ReVOlu-
lions Prepared byZeaIOuS
PrOhibitiOniStS.
HANNA CHECKED CHURCH STtP
Washington, D. c., Post.

ADrOpOS OIL the Q6l6dC OIL vice Pf6Sl-
dent Fairbanks for election as dele
gate to the quadrennial conference OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church al
Columbus, Ind, Friday, it is possible
for the Post OF print piece of hith-
erto unwritten history. The story is
about eight years old, but has re-
manned in the custody of few OF
the close friends of the late Presi-
dent Mckinley and Senator Hanna
Possibly Mr.. Fairbanks may be able
to derive a little consolation from the
fact that Mr.. Mckinley had occasion
to be perturbed over the liquor ques-
ton at critical period in his public
career, although this knowledge may
doubtless not furnish all the com
fort desirable in his present diem
ma.
Like most of his predecessors in Of
fee, whenever Mr.. Mckinley gave a
state dinner at the White House, he
observed the custom of serving wine
to the guests. The President him
self usually, if not invariably, alb
stained from drinking it, for the only
beverage he seems to enjoy was a
glass of beer; and this he drank but
seldom, and only after a strenuous
day, usually in a campaign 1t was
a matter of common knowledge, es-
pecially here in Washington, that the
guests at the White House diners
were not denied wine, or whatever
else they were accustomed to at sim
liar functions elsewhere. But just
prior to the Republican national con-
vetniOn in 1900 certain jealous Pro-
hibitionists in the Methodist Church
determined to use this fact to the
political embarrassment of the Presi-
dent
Suppressed Through Hanna.
The quadrennial conference of that
denomination was about to be held
in Chicago, and the individuals in
question had drafted a set of resOlu-
tions condemning the President for
permitting wine at his table in the
Executive Mansion 1t was their
purpose to introduce the resolutions
at the conference, but their plan was
abandoned, largely in consequence of
the activity of Senator Hanna, whom
the President had again selected to
manage his campaign. Information of
their object reached the Senator and
he Immediately set about to prevent
the subject from being discussed at
the Methodist convention
He sent Rev. Marion w. Hissey, of
GAINESVILLE, Ohio, to Chicago, and the
latter succeeded in persuading the au-
thor of the resolutions and his friends
to drop the matter. The question
was never brought before the con-
ference.
Mr.. Hissey was one of Senator
Hannas political lieutenants, and
did great deal of effective and quiet
WOIh Ill UlIO anu OIllGI OIdlGo' 1 AlOl
to entering the field of politics he
was a Methodist clergyman, and con-
sequently was able to discuss the
wine question in ? fraternal spirit
with the malcontents at the Method
list conclave.
1t is more than probable that had
the resolutions been offered to the
conference they would have been vo-
ted down, and it is quite certain, also
that the incident would not have pre-
vented McKinley's reelection. AT
the same time the President was not
inviting any embarrassments for his
second campaign, and was anxious
that the temperance question should
not be injected into it.
Mr.. Mckinley, by the way, was a
Methodist himself, and apparently his
critics thought it was the proper func-
ton of the church to which he be-
longed to call him to account for
serving wine to his guests.
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