Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 34, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 October 1901 — A M’KINLEY CHRONOLOGY. [ARTICLE]

A M’KINLEY CHRONOLOGY.

Important Events in tin Lifi of the Late President in the Order of Their Date. -

1834. Jan. 29. William McKinley, son of William and Nancy (Allison) McKinley, is born at Niles, Trumbull County, Ohio, being the seventh son of a family of nine children. 1852. The McKinley family removes to Poland, Mahoning County, Ohio, where William studies at Union Seminary until he is 17. 1859. .Becomes a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Poland. 1800. Enters the junior class in Allegheny College, Meadville, Pa., but poor health prevents the completion of the course. Subsequently teaches in a public school near Poland and later becomes a clerk in the Poland postofflce. 1861. June 11. Enlists as a private in Company E of the Twenty-third Ohio volunteer infantry, 1862. April 15. Promoted to commissary sergeant while in the winter’s camp at Fayetteville, W. Va. 1862. September 24. Promoted to second lieutenant, in recognition of services at the battle of Antietam. Wins the highest esteem of the colonel of the regiment, Itutherford B. Hayrti, and becSf&es a member of his staff. 1863. Feb. 7. Promoted to first lieutenant. 1864. July 25. Promoted to captain for gallantry at the battle of Kernstown, near Winchester, Va. 1864. Oct. 11. First vote for President cast, while on a march, for Abraham Lincoln. 1864. Shortly after the battle of CediA Creek (Oct. 19) Capt. McKinley serves on the staffs of Gen. George Crook and Gen. Winfield S. Hancock. 1865. Assigned as acting assistant adjutant general on the staff of Gen. Samuel S. Carroll, commanding the veteran reserve corps at Washington. 18d$>. March 13.' Commissioned by President Lincoln as major by brevet in the volunteer United States army, “for gallant and meritoi’ious services at the battles of Opequan, Cedar Creek and Fisher’s Hill.” 1865. July 26. Mustered out of the army with his regiment, having never been absent from his command on sick leave during more than four years’ service. 1865. Returns to Poland, and at once begins the study of law. 1866. Enters the Albany (N. Y.) law school. 1867. Admitted to the bar at Warren, Ohio, in Msr. b Accepting the advice M tH‘ ,f ter teach * D K in Canton, 'Ohio, he be*iu* v of law in Canton, and makes tharpA® o *?. .!)is home. 1869. /Elected prosecuting attorney of Stark County on the Republican ticket, although the county had usually been Democratic. 1871. Jan. 25. Marries Miss Ida Saxton of Canton. (Two daughters born to Mr. and Mrs. McKinley—Katie in 1871 and Ida in 1873—are both lost in early childhood.) 1871. Fails of re-election as prosecuting attorney by forty-five votes, nnd for the next five years devotes himself successfully to the practice of law, and becomes a leading member of the bar of Stark County. 1872. Though not a candidate, very active as a campaign speaker in the Grant-Greeley presidential campaign. 1875. Especially active and conspicuous as a campaigner in the closely contested Btate election in which Rutherford B. Hayes is elected Governor. 1876. Elected member of the House of Representatives by 3,300 majority, his friend Hayes being elected to the presidency. 1878. Re-elected to Congress by 1,234 majority, his district in Ohio having been gerrymandered to his disadvantage by a Democratic Legislature. 1880. Re-elected to Congress by 3,571 majority. Appointed a member of the ways and means committee, to succeed President-elect Garfield. 1882. The Republicans suffer reverses throughout the country in the congressional elections, and McKinley is reelected by a majority of only eight. 1884. Prominent in opposition to the proposed “Morrison tariff” in Congress. 1884. As delegate at large to the-Re-publican national convention in Chicago, actively supports James G. Blaine for the presidential nomination. 1884. Re-elected to Congress by a majority of 2,000, although hia district had

again been gerrymandered against him. 1886. Re-elected to Congress by a majority of 2,550. i 1888. Leads the minority opposition in Congress against the “Mills tariff bill.” 1888. Delegate at large to tjje national convention in Chicago that nominates Benjamin Harrison, and serves as chairman of the committee on resolutions. Many delegates wish McKinley to become the nominee, but he stands firm in his support of John Sherman. 1888. Elected to Congress for the seventh successive time, receiving a majority of 4,100 votes. 1889. At the organization of the Fiftyfirst Congress is a candidate for Speaker of the House, but is defeated on the third ballot jn the Republican caucus by Thomas B. Reed. 1890. Upon the death of William D. Kelley, in January, McKinley becomes chairman of the ways and means committee and leader of his party In the House. He introduces a bill “to simplify the laws in relation to the collection of the revenues,” known as the “customs administration bill.” He also introduces a general tariff bill. The bill becomes a law Oct. G. 1890. As a result of a gerrymandered congressional district, and the reaction against the Republican party throughout the country caused by the protracted struggle over the tariff bill, McKinley is defeated in the election for Congress by 300 votes in counties that had previously gone Democratic by 3,000. 1891. Nov. 3. Elected Governor of Ohio by a plurality of 21,511, polling the largest vote that had ever been cast for Governor in Ohio. His opponent is the Democratic Governor, James E. Campbell. 1892. As delegate at large to the national convention at Minneapolis, and chairman of the convention, McKinley refuses to permit the consideration of his name, and supports the renomination of President Harrison. The roll-call results as follows: Harrison, 535; Blaine, 182; McKinley, 182; Reed, 4; Lincoln, 1. k 1892. Death of William McKinley, Sr., in November. 1893. Unanimously renominated for Governor of Ohio, and re-elected by a plurality of 80,995, this majority being the greatest ever recorded, with a single exception during the Civil War, for any candidate in the history of the State. 1896. June 18. At the Republican na--convention in St. Louis, McKin- ' ley is noms»f£i*° r President on the first ballot,\he result tfjjjenoting being as follows: McKinley, t>K 84M>; Quay, 00%; Mortoq, 58; Allison, 35Cameron, 1. 189 G. Nov. 3. Receives a popular vote in the presidential election of 7,104,779, a plurality of 601,854 over his Democratic opponent, William J. Bryan. In the electoral college, later, McKinley received 271 votes, against 17G for Bryan. 1897. March 4. Inaugurated President of the United States for the twentyeighth quadrennial term. 1897. March 6. Issues proclamation for an extra session of Congress to assemble March 15. The President’s message dwells solely upon the need of a revision of the existing tariff law. 1897. May 17. In response to an appeal from the President Congress appropriates $50,000 for the relief of destitution in Cuba. 1897. July 24. The “Dinghy tariff bill’’ receives the President’s approval. 1897. Dec. 12. Death of President McKinley’s mother at Canton, Ohio. 1898. Both branches of Congress vote unanimously (the House on March 8 by a vote of 313 to 0, and the Senate by a vote of 70 to 0 on the following day) to place $50,000,000 at the disposal of the President, to be psed at his discretion “for the national defense.” 1898. March 23. The President sends to the Spanish government, through Minister W’oodford, at Madrid, an ultimatum regarding the intolerable condition x of affairs in Cuba. 1898. March 28. The report of tha court of Inquiry on the destruction of the Maine at Havana on Feb. 15 is transmitted by the President to Congress. 1898. April 1L The President sends ft

message to Congress outlining the sft* nation, declaring that intervention i* necessary, and advising against th 4 recognition of the Caban government. 1898. April 21. The Spanish government sends Minister Woodford his passports, thus beginning the war. 1898. April 23. The President lssnes a call for 125,000 volunteers. 1898. April 24. Spain formally declares that war exists with the United States. 1898. April 25. In a message to Congress the President recommends the passage of s joint resolution declaring that war exists with Spain. On the same day both branches of Congress pass such a declaration. 1898. May 25. The President Issues a call for 75,000 additional volunteers. 1898. June 29. Yale university confers upon President McKinley the degree of LL. D. 1898. July 7. Joint resolution of Congress providing for the annexation of Hawaii receives the approval of the President. 1898. Aug. 9. Spain formally accepts the President's terms of peace. 1808. 'Aug. 12. The peace protocol is signed. An armistice is proclaimed, and the Cuban blockade raised. 1898. Oct. 17. The President receives the degree of LL. D. from the University of Chicago. 1898. Dec. 10. The treaty of peace between Spain and the United States is signed at Paris. 1900. March 14. The President signs the “gold standard act.” 1900. June 21. The Republican national convention at Philadelphia unanimously renominates William McKinley for the presidency. 1900. June 21. The President’s amnesty proclamation to the Filipinos is published in Manila. 1900. July 10. The United States government makes public a statement of its policy as to affairs in China. 1900. Sept. 10. Letter accepting the presidential nomination and discussing the issues of the campaign is given to the public. 1900. Nov. G. In the presidential election, William McKinley carries twentyeight States, which have an aggregate of 292 votes in the electoral college, his Democratc opponent, William J. Bryan, carrying seventeen States, having 155 electoral votes. His popular plurality is also larger than in the election of 1898. 1901. March 4. William McKinley inaugurated President of the United States for his second term. 1901. July 4. Civil government estlblished in the Philippines. 1901. Aug. 20. President Issues Louisiana Purchase Exposition proclamation. 1901. Sept. G. President McKinley shot by Leon Czolgosz at the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, N. Y* 1901. Sept. 14. President- McKinley died of wounds inflicted by Czolgosz. **Tlie Major.” To Mrs. McKinley the dead Chief Magistrate of the nation, whom all the world honors and mourns, Is still “the Major”—not the Congressman, not the Governor, not even the President (most simple but most potential of titles)—but only the Major. “I want to see the Major,” is constant plaintive and most pathetic cry. It was Major McKinley, the young hero of the war, returning home with the modest commission bestowed upon him by President Lincoln “for gallantry In battle,” who won her admiration, affection and love. It was Major MeKinley with whom she began the married life destined to be in turn so happy, so sorrowful, so pitiful, and so tragical in its termination. It was “the Major” who made the most devoted and tender and chlvalric of husbands—watching and guarding aud sustaining her “for better, for worse, in sickness and In health,” under trials that the world knows not of, with unfailing oonstaney and unreckonlng self-sacrifice. And now “the Major” is gone, and there is no one left—neither parent nor child, brother nor sister. The President Is dead—long live the President! But “the Major” is dead, and his f ,yldow sits forever desolate and alone, with Grief as her abiding guest and Memory and Hope her only comforters. “Oh, the pity of it!”—New York World.

A Difficult Part. Although as the new executive of the nation President Roosevelt haa been compelled to take a conspicuous part in the obsequies of his lamented predecessor, he has managed by consummate tact to withdraw as much as possible from public notice. He has made ev-t eryone feel that at the bier of bis predecessor he was merely an ordinary ..mourner, and not the principal figure, lie h“ : r!si?i? -evecyjMjiig. possible that could be becomingly and properly to concentrate men’s minds upon the lamented dead, and not upon the new occupant of the Presidential chair. President Roosevelt has borne himself throughout the trying period which lias elapsed since he so unexpectedly became President in a most admirable manner. His grief at the death of President McKinley has been most sincere. nnd all his acts have evidenced a desire to be considered as little as possible while the nation was preoccupied in paying the last sad tribute of respect to his Immediate predecessor.— New Orleans Picayune. Monnaicnt to HU Memory. The universal manifestations of sorrow over the death of President McKinley and of respect for his memory show the deep regard in which his character was held by all classes of the people. It Is eminently right that this feeling should find expression in a permanent memorial that shall both perpetuate the memory of a great American and testify the popular recognition of his high qualities.—Philadelphia Times. PraUe Him Judgment If President Roosevelt conducts himself as well during the next three years as he has done for the last fortnight; Democrats and Republicans will continue to praise his good Judgment.—St. Louis Republic.