The Detroit times., 1912-02-17
TAFT'S NEW CAMPAIGN
MANAGER is MASTER
WITH THE GLAD HAND
Hon. Billy McKinley's Philan-
Made Hirr Popu=-
lar In Home District
HAS YER l. MILLIONS
He Is Protege Of Uncle Joe"
Cannon and Is Frozen Solid
To Standpatism
HAS SEW ERAL MILLIONS

uRBANA, H., Feb. 1.-THE people
OF the combined towns of Urbana ana
Champaign, from which halls Con.
sressman William b. Mckinley. Pres.
ident Tafts new campaign managers
worship at his shrine and his party
followers know no other god. IL Is
NO who endows churches, libraries
and other public institutions and gives
ilberally to every local enterprise.
\ recent $4,000 TO the University
cf illinois Y. NJ. G. "A. fund has
strengthened him politically botn N
univ ersity and religious circles. He
IS several times a millionaire and,
perhaps, can AFFORD the donation
policy.
The new Taft manager is billy"
Mckinley to nearly everybody in the
district and when he boards one NJ
The cars on his own elecS<c lines it's
Hello, Billie or Hello. Charlie. >
and the glad hand 10 motorman and
conductor. He knows them all This
I'oicy is not SO costly as the other.
Congressman McKinleys rise in ma
tional politics has been meteoric.
Every body in his home town recalls
he painful occasion OF his nomina-
lion TO congress in 1904. Up TO that
time he had never made a speech
had never appeared much in public at
ALL and when called before the vast
audience. his terror was pitiable, IL
was a bad case OF stage fright, pure
and simple. He had his speech all
written out, but was unable 10 read
IL so that those four rows back could
bear. II was not until Mckinley re-
turned from his trip TO the Philip
Lines with the Taft party that his
constituents learned he could speak
in public.
There are some interesting facts
about McKinley's political life which
The people in his home towns don't
hear much about because the news
paper boys here don't like to offend
Billy" Here they are:
fIc managed the last congressional
campaign in which the Democrats
overwhelmed the Republicans and
Niped out the Republican control OF
the house OF representatives.
He is a protege of Uncle joe Can
non. who is affiliated with Mckinley
IN the traction and other speculative
business
lie managed the anti-Taft campaign
four years ago, which was waged by
the so-called allies" Fairbanks, Can
non. Knox and Foraker, In their ef-
tort 10 secure southern delegates and
10 prevent the nomination of Taft. Ii
is interesting TO speculate If McKin-
ley opposed Taft four years ago when
the latter was supposed 20 be pro
gressiye, why he is for him now.
Mckinley was given important~com
mittce appointments by Speaker Can
non Oh account of the latters friend
ship, being named chairman OF the
committee on coinage, weights and
measures, and a member of the bank
ing and several other financial COM
mittees.
lie has voted always on the reac-
tionary side OF every legislative
proposition.
He is best known as the giver OF ex-
ensive junkets to congressman and
members of the press. IL was he who
took a party of 80 or more to view
tho site of the jamestown exposition
and later chartered steamship and
private cars and took Speaker Can
ron and group of his friends for
tour in the West Indies
lie is typical of money hacked
Standpatism.
Mckinley was born in Petersburg.
ILL.,, Sept. 1856. He was educated at
the University of Illinois and after
leaving college was clerk in various
drug stores in Champaign and Spring
field. In 1875 he was installed as clerk
IN the mortgage and banking bust
ness of his uncle, and three years
.ator was made a partner.
In 1855, Mckinley built water
works and electric light systems in
Champaign and Urbana, and in 1890.
constructed the Champaign e. Urbana
Street Railway Co. Between that
lmc and 1900 he built electric roads
in Defiance. o., Bay City. Mich, and
Joliet. LaSalle, Galesburg, Quincy,
Danvllle and Decatur, Ill.
During the past IL years he has &C
uuired the BLOOMINGTON and Peoria
.street railway systems and has built
more than 1900 miles OF interurban
roads in Illinois and Indiana.