Few men in public life have been more loved by the American people than McKinley, and few have had more devoted friends. It was not because of his deeds as president or even because of this tragic death by an assissin but simply because he was one of the most gentle, kindly, and considerate of men.

He was naturally sociable and jovial, but because of his wife's ill health they led a very quiet life. During the years in the White House, enteraining was limited to state functions. He usually spent his evenings at home, reading poetry aloud while his wife crocheted. He had no hobbies and never, even as a child, engaged in sports, yet he was a delightful companion, full of fun and high spirits.

McKinley was a short, stocky man. He carried himself stiffly erect, in an unconscious effort to increase his height. Some of the cartoonists of the day thought he resembled the French emperor Napoleon. He dressed with great care. A red carnation in the buttonhole of his coat and a spotless white linen vest were fresh every day.

Early Years

McKinley was born in Niles, Ohio, on January 29, 1843, the seventh child of William and Nancy Allison McKinley. His father and mother were both of Scottish ancestry. The first McKinley in America, known as David the Weaaver, settled in York County, PA, in 1743. Williams' father and grandfather were "Founders," or managers, of blast furnaces for smelting iron, win what is now Lisbon, OH. In 1829 his father, also named William, married Nancy Allison. They moved the following year to Niles, OH.

His mother was a strong, energetic woman, a leader in the frontier village and active in the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1852, when William was nine, the family moved to Poland, OH, to enter the children in a better school.

Young Will showed a gift for oratory at an early age. He always enjoyed "speaking pieces."

When he was 17, Will entered Allegheny College at Meadville, PA. He remained only a few months, returning home because of ill health. Then feeling that he could not afford to continue in college, he taught in a county school near Poland at a salary of $25. a month. He lived at home and walked the two and a half miles to the school. After school hours he worked as a clerk in the Poland post office.

Civil War Record

In the spring of April 1861, the Civil War broke out. With the calm deliveration that characterized every important decision of his life, he enlisted in June in the 23rd Ohio Volumteers. At the battle of Antietam, September 1862, the 19-year-old boy was in charge of the food supplies of his brigade. The battle had started at daybreak. As the morning wore on, the lad loaded a wagon with hot coffee and other rations and drove two mile to the front. His commanding office, Rutherford B. Hayes, later to become president of the United States, wrote of the incident, :From his hands every man in the regiment was served with hot coffee and warm meats, a thing that had never occurred under similar circumstances in any other army in the world. He passed under fire and delivered, with his own hands, these things, so essential for the men for whom he was laboring." The governor of Ohio promoted him to the rank of second lieutenant. His courage and good judgment were displayed on many other occasions, and when the war ended he had the rank of major.

Young Lawyer

After the war McKinley studied law for two years. He began a practice in Canton, Ohio, whre his eldest sister, Anna, was a well-known teacher with many influential friends. His rise in politics was rapid. In 1969 the young Republican was elected prosecuting attorney in a Democratic county. McKinley was known for his honesty and for his champonship of unpopular causes. For example, the state consitution gave the vote to white men only. McKinley believed that this was unjust, and he often spoke on the subject, facing unfriendly audiences without fear.

At one time miners engaged in a strike were arrested and charged with burning property. No other lawyer would defend them. McKinley acted as their lawyer and proved that most of them were innocent. Knowing they were penniless as a result of the long strike, he refused to accept payment for his services.

In 1871 McKinley maried Ida Saxton, the daughter of a Canton banker. She had recently returned from a seven months' tour of Europe with her sister and was working as a cashier in her father's bank. They had a fashionable wedding in the First Presbyterian Church and went to New York City on their honeymoon. Her father presented the young couple with a fine large house. The future for the brilliant young lawyer and his beautiful bride seemed bright.

On Christmas Day 1871 their daughter Katie was born, and on April 1, 1873, another daughter, Ida. Then a succession of misfortunes plagued the family. During the same month in which Ida was born, Mrs McKinley lost her mother. The baby Ida died at almost five months of age in August, and in June 1876 little Katie died. Shattered by grief, Mrs. McKinley became an invalid who suffered for the rest of her life from a nervous illness.

Early Political Career

In 1876, at the age of 33, McKinley was elected to the United States House of Representatives. He remained there for 14 years, except for one interval after the election of 1881. He rose steadily in the organization of the Republican part. Many of the people he represented in Ohio were manufacturers. McKinley believed that a high tariff would build up American industry and bring prosperity to people of all classes. As chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means he was the author of the tariff law of 1890 known as the McKinley Act. It was the first time the tariff was systematically revised to protect all American manufacturers. The bill was very unpopular with the people, however. In the 1890 election the Republicans suffered nationwide defeat, and McKinley failed to be reelected.

Governor of Ohio

From 1892-1896 McKinley was governor of Ohio. One of his most important acts during his tenure in the governor's office was to establish a state board of arbitration to settle labor disputes.

It was at this time that McKinley's friends expressed their devotion to his in a remarkable way. He had signed notes for a friend who was in financial difficulties. When the man failed, McKinley discovered that he was in debt for nearly $130,000. much more money than he possessed.

He wished to resign from politics and return to his legal practice in order to pay the debt. His friends persuaded him to remain in office and turn over all his assets to a group of trustees. They raised the money among wealthy admirers, then continued to manage his finances so skillfully that at his death he had a substantial fortune.

While he was govenor, McKinley continued to take an active part in national party affairs. The panic of 1893 struck the nation while the Democrats were changing the tariff policy. This gave the Republican leaders an opportunity to blame the Democrats for causing the panic. In the Congressional campaign of 1894, McKinley made hundreds of speeches throughout the country in behalf of the party's candidates. He came to be known as "the advance agent of prosperity." He was, in fact, aiming at the Republican nomination for the presidency in 1896.

He was supported in this ambition by Marcus A. Hanna, an Ohio manufacturer and political leader. It was Hanna who had raised most of the money to pay McKinley's debts. He managed the presidential campaign, and was chiefly responsible for McKinley's election. Garret A. Hobart of New Jersey was the nominee for the vice-presidency. William Jennings Bryan was the Democratic nominee.

Free Silver the Campaign Issue

The election campaign was fought on an issue other than the tariff. The Republicans believed in a money system based on the single gold standard. The Democrats believed in Bimetallism: that is, a money system based on both silver and gold and unlimited coinage of silver.

Bryan, the great orator for free silver, had the support of people in sections that were poor because of the panic or depressed because of debt. Farmers and Western mining interests were behind him. Behind McKinley were the bankers and manufacturers. The Republicans said that the Democrats and the Populist party, which had hoined forces with the Democrats, wanted to repudiate their debts. The Democrats answered that the Republicans bad become a party of wealth and privileges for speical interest.

The campaign was unusual. While Bryan toured the country delivering his famous "cross of gold" speech, McKinley waged a "front porch" campaign from his home in Canton.

McKinley won the election by an electoral college vote of 271 to Bryan's 176 votes. The popular vote for McKinley was more than 7 million out of about 14 million votes cast.

The Republicans won control of both houses of Congress. Thus during the next four years McKinley ws able to fulfill party pledges as to both sound money and the protective tariff. More than this, the party that elected McKinley was strengthened by victory, and the party of Bryan was weakened by defeat and internal quarrels. For 14 years after 1897 there was unbroken Republican control of the presidency, Senate, and House of Representatives.

First Acts as President

Immediately after his inauguration McKinley called a special meeting of Congress to consider tariff revision. His Act of 1890 had been revised by the Democrats. Within three days a bill known as the Dingley tariff Act once more raised the tariff rates on many imported articles. It remained on the statute books without rivision for 12 years.

Prosperity had begun to reappear even before election day, and the demand for free silver largely disappeared. Farmers, when they had money, did not want it to be cheap. The low prices of the panic years had begun to rise. Even the gold dollar was declining because of the flood of new gold from the Alaska and Klondike mines. These discoveries, caused a rush in the gold fields and produced bullion enough to lower the value of gold throughout the world.

War and Imperialism

In January 1898 the United States BatleshipMaine esploded in the harbor of havana, Cuba, with a loss of 260 lives. This was a climax to years of trouble between Cuba and her despotic ruler, Spain. The Maine had been sent to Havana to protect Americans in case war should break out between Cuba and Spain. McKinley made every effort to avoid war, but popular opinion was inflamed by the "yellow" (sensational) newspapers. Even his own assistant secretary of the navy, Theodore Roosevelt, strongly urged war, McKinley was forced to recommend to Congresws that the United States free Cuba by force, and war was declared on April 25.

The Paris Peace Treaty of Dec 10, 1898, gave Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States and liberated Cuba. The new reposnibilities brought this country into closer contact with the great powers of Europe and Asia.

John Hay Secretary of State

McKinley was fortunate in having as his secretary of state John Hay, one of America's greatest diplomats. He had been private secretary to President Lincoln and secretary of the legations at Paris, Vienna, and Madrid. Under President Hayes he was assistant secretary of state for two years.

As soon as the transfer of the Philippines was ratified by the Senate, Secretary hay took up the problem of European domination in the Far East. Russia, France, Germany, and Great Britian were scrambling to seize territory from China, weakened by a disastrous was with Japan. John Hay, in 1899, persuaded the European powers to keep China open to the trade of all nations. The "open-door policy" thus agreed upon was honored until China was closed to the outside wourld after World War II.

in 1900 a revolution, known as the Boxer Rebellion, broke out in China. Foreigners were besieged in the foreign quarter of Peiping. McKinley sent United States troops to their relief. Hay, meanwhile, persuaded the other powers not to use the revolution as an excuse for further dimemberment of China.

Insurrection in the Philippines was another problem. The American army was atatcked by Emilo Aguinaldo, who proclaimed his country's independence. He was captured in 1901. On July 1, 1901, a government was established with William Howard Taft as the first governor general.

Meanwhile, the United States carried out its pledge to free Cuba. General Leonard Wood was appointed military governor of the island. In 1900 he summoned the people to a constitutional convention to erect a republic. Cuba was to direct its own affairs, subject only to the Platt Amendment. This was a declaration adopted by Congress in Marcy 1901. It provided that the United States might establish naval bases in Cuba and might intervene to maintain order; that Cuba would not cerate debts it could not pay out of ordinary revenues; and that it would not surrender its independence to any power. The Platt Amendment remained in effect until 1934.

Hawaii was annexed by a joint resolution of Congress July 8, 1898. The Samoan Islands were divided with Germany in 1899. In the same year the United States took possession of Wake Island, in the Pacific.

The Hay-Pauncefote Treaty

The war with Spain revealed how useful a canal across the Isthmus of panama would be to the United States, both for reasons of commerce and to maintain a two-ocean navy. Under the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty (1850) Great Britain had equal rights with the United States over any interoceanic canal across Central America. After lengthy negotiations, Secretary Hay and Lord pauncefote, British ambassador to the United States, produced the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty. It was ratified by the Senate in December 1901.

It specifically set aside the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty. It gave the United States the right to exclusive ownership; permitted fortification of the canal and its approaches; and omitted the former requirement that the canal should be kept open to all nations in time of war as in peace. The treaty also provided that no change in the sovereignty of the territory crossed by the canal should alter the principle of neutrality and of equal rights to enjoy the benefits of the canal.

Second Administration, 1901

Through his first four years, President McKinley continued to grow in popularity. The prosperity of the nation Weakened any opposition to his administration. One of the best Republican slogans was "Four years more of the full dinner-pail." There was no doubt of McKinley's renomination in 1900. Vice-President Hobart had died in office. Theodore Roosevelt, then governor of New York, was nominated vice-president. The democrats renominated Bryan, but the money issue that had made Bryan strong in 1896 was weak in 1900. McKinley won 292 electoral votes, and Bryan 155.

The second term opened smoothly upon a prosperous country. In September 1901, at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, N.Y., he spoke of the possibility of lowering tariffs by reciporcal treaties. The "period of exclusiveness" in trade relations was past, he declared. He also urged early building of the Panama Canal.

Assassination

On September 6, the day following his address, he held a public reception in the Temple of Music of the exposition. Hundreds of people were in line to shake his hand. An anarchist, Leon Czolgosz, approached among the guests, his right hand concealed in a bandage. It held a revolver. As he reached the president two shots rang out, striking McKinley at point-blank range. While being carried to an ambulance, he pleaded with police not to beat the assassin. It was a senseless act and had no specific connection with McKinley's policies. McKinley was taken to the home of John Milburn, president of the exposition, whre he died eight days later, on September 14. His last words were "Good-bye--Good-bye, all. It is God's way. His will, not ours be done" The assassin, Leon F. Czolgosz, was an anarchist--one who rebels against governmental authority. he was speedily brought to trial and sentenced to death on September 26. Czolgosz was executed in the prision at Auburn, New York, on October 29.

Amid great mourning, McKinley was buried in Canton, Ohio. Ida McKinley died in 1907 and was buried beside her husband in a great memorial tomb.