Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-11-25
LaFo11ete o., Reed,
Hanna and Mckin1e

noon. We drove about town ana ~
ed his mother. beautiful old lady. ss
had luncheon ut his house. We
cussed at length the appointment
Payne and Hoard to the cabinet. u s
planned to him what forces Payne
resented in Wisconsin, and Indeed Il
had already known Payns's work. 4
q lobbyist In Washington in c0nd I.
tion especially with beef trust matt
and I knew he abominAted that
Of thing. But he told me that he
lieved no other man had ever beef F,es
strongly endorsed by prominent
fiuential politicians in every part d st4 4.
country as was Payne for that
pointment. When It was nearly
for me to 90. Mckinley said:
Bob, may not be able to apY
Hoard, but ! will say to you
Henry. Payne shall not be q mel
of my cabinet"
When saw mckinley 1t the v n
House in the following winter. heP'
me how the effort to secure PA
appointment had eliminated. He
that Hanna had come to him tu1f
said: you may wipe out every
/
ask no further favors Of you, if
only put Henry Payne in the cab3
McKinley's answer was: NAL
would do anything in the world I
for you. but can not put q md
my cabinet who II known - Iet4
list"
And he kept his word.
Mckinley did not fully appr@ -iaet
-, NSn
public life. He was a leader In the old
business school of politics which re.
garded material prosperity 40 the chiei
end Of all government. But he was
consistently honest man turnout. II
illustrates:
1t was during his administration thai
extensive frauds were discovered In the
postoffice department and IN the do
partment Of posts Of Cuba. Senator
Bristow. Of Kansas, was then the
fourth assistant postmaster general HI
is a born investigator. able. original
fearless. Mckinley. when he realised
the gravity of the frauds, sent. FOL
Bristow and told him he had selected
him to go to Cuba and make thor
ough investigation and clean out any
corruption that might be found there
Il am willing to go. Mr.. President
said Bristow, "but before going I want
to call your attention to the fact that
every appointee in Cuba who has been
accused of wrong doing has been sent
there upon the recommendation OF
members Of congress. senators, or men
influential in the republican party
When 1t becomes necessary for me to
arrest or remove from Office any OF
these men, they will at once complain
to their friends in the states and you
will be bombarded with complaints o.
to. my conduct. All I ask. -. that ,you
withhold Judgment until you hear my
side OF the case"
Mckinley said: "Mr. Bristow. I UNI
derstand Just how difficult Q task
have assigned to you. But 90 ahead
do what is right, be cautious. but Arm
and shield no man who has been guilty
of wrong doing. AS to the complaints
leave them to me; I will take care Ut
Them"
Bristow did go ahead and ran his
game to cover, and when Hanna and
other senator's and congressman pro.
tested he told them that the Cuban
postal. service was infested with q
gang Of thieves and that he was simp7
ly doing his duty and proposed to keen
it up. Then they went to the White
House and Mckinley told them that
Bristow was acting on his orders. He
stood unwaveringly by Bristow against
the persistent Importantly Of many OF
his most intimate political advisers.
never felt that Mckinley had faiT
chance. His first term was broken into
by the Spanish war. His second was
cut off at the very beginning by assas-
sination. He had no opportunity to
develop his carefully wrought out
plans for large trade extension. He
was q rarely tactful manager OF men.
Back OF his courteous and affable man
ner was frmness that never yielded
conviction, and while scarcely seeminl
to force issues he usually achieved ext
actly what he sought.