The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-10-12
Frederic Haskin'. !. Lett
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS.
4 xIx.-The McKinlsy- Bryan Race Of lsse|

4 XIX.-Ihe Mckinley.
Washington, D. C.. Oct 1i.-rhs'
hardest fought political battle OF
American history was the campaign
Of 1886 In which william Mckinley
Of Ohio< vanquished william Jen-
nings Bryan Of Nebraska. The tact
that Mckinley vas reelected with
ease In HIS second campaign against
Bryan, and that the Republican ma
|jorities of 1886 look % gre1t on
paper, has caused many mon Of
short memory to believe that Nc
Kinley won his first election with
out great difnculty.
In that year the Democratic NOM
inee. Mr.. Bryan, made the most re-
markable speaking campaign ever,
undertaken by any man. In the
same year, the Republican cam
paign manager, Mr.. Hanpa. spent
i've times AZ mach money - had
ever been spent before in a presi-
dental race. The Republican cam
paign was conducted with such
consummate skill that the name Of
Mark Hanna will live for years as
that Of the best political general
the country has produced.
The year 1896 was a year Of po-
litical revolution. Both Of the
leading parties underwent great
changes, and the number Of fnde-
pendent voter was increased q
thousand fold. Mr.. Cleveland's Sec
ond administration began with the
country on the verge of q financial
crash. The blow descended and
panic Of 1898 was ON. The money
question, which both parties had
so carefully sidestepped for many
years, was presented in such . way
that the administration could not
avoid taking a position. Mr.. Cleve-
land and his cabinet decided to
place the country squarely on the
gold standard, and to disregard the
petty sops which had been thrown
TO silver. The treasury regulations
accomplished this purpose long be-
fore the Mckinley administration
came in.
Democrats In Control
1 For the first time since the first
part Of Buchanan's administration
the government was in the control
OF the Democrats, that pArty hav-
ing the presidency and q majority
in both houses of congress. Mr.
Cleveland called congress together
and urged the repeal of the silver
purchasing clause Of the Sherman
act, which would finally "demone.
tie" silver. His party did moi
agree with him on that subject. and
it was with the greatest difficulty
that his purpose was accom-
plished.
| President Cleveland had been ar
texemplar Of civil service reform anG
was opposed to "pernicious activ.
ity" in politics, but he went to the
extreme of the use of patronage al
a club to drive the repeal bill
through congress. Even then, II
was done only by the help Of east.
efn Republican votes. 1t left his
party hopelessly divided.
If The Democratic landslide which
reelected Cleveland was the result
of popular disapproval on the Nc
lKinley tariff bill of 1890. After thu
terrific fight on the silver purchas
ing clause repeal, the Democratic
congress endeavored to enact ,
Democratic tariff bill. The part.
was already torn asunder and coult
act with no unanimity. The result
was the passage of the Wilson bill
which MIR. Cleveland permitted t
become a law without his sigma
ture.
As the people had condemned tn
Mckinley bill six months after !
was passed and before its effec
could possibly have ben felt by tn
election of the Democratic house il
|. 1880, 80 the Wilson bill. charge
with responsibility for a pani
which was on before the bill wa
written, resulted in the overwhelm
!. ing Republican congressional vic
: tory Of 1894.
! A Year of Split Parties.
All through the three years ofAth
/ Cleveland administration leadin
e | up to the campaign Of 1896 Their
I was constant strife in both parties
For a time it seemed that the Re
: publicans would declare for fire
/ silver and that the Democrats woul
: follow their president in advocac
for the gold standard. Then i
i seemed that both parties would d.
|, clare for the gold standard and th
C silver hosts would enroll under til
e banner of Populism. The Republ
It cans felt certain that they coul
: win on the prosperity issue, and b
It denouncing the Cleveland admins
e tration for its issue of $262. 000. O(
of bonds in time Of profoun
Il peace" But they didn't want
split their own forces BY takin
I sides in the money fight.
MIR. Mckinley and Speakt
Thomas B. Reed were the leadin
i candidates for the Republican non
ination for president. Mr.. McKil
ley had the good fortune to ha,
Mark Hanna for his political cal
tain. Hanna organized the stat
and took even New England avn
froc. Dead Lone h>Foro <ho couvo,