William McKinley (1843-1901)/biography

William McKinley, (, –, ) was the twenty-fifth , and the last veteran of the  to be elected. By the 1880s, this Ohio native was a nationally known leader; his signature issue was high tariffs on imports as a formula for prosperity, as typified by his  of 1890. As the Republican candidate in the, he upheld the gold standard, and promoted pluralism among ethnic groups. His campaign, designed by, introduced new advertising-style campaign techniques that revolutionized campaign practices and beat back the crusading of his arch-rival,. The is often considered a  that marked the beginning of the. McKinley presided over a return to prosperity after the and was reelected in  after another intense campaign against Bryan, this one focused on foreign policy. As president, he fought the. McKinley for months resisted the public demand for war, which was based on news of Spanish atrocities in, but was unable to get to agree to implement reforms immediately. Later he annexed the, , and , as well as , and set up a protectorate over Cuba. He was assassinated by, an , and succeeded by.

Early life
Born in, , on , , William McKinley was the seventh of nine children. In 1869, he made his permanent residence and remained there until he died. Most of his siblings lived within. His parents, William and Nancy (Allison) McKinley, were of ancestry. He graduated from Poland Academy and attended for one term in 1860, where he was a member of the  fraternity. In June 1861, at the start of the, he enlisted in the , as a private in the Twenty-third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry.The regiment was sent to western where it spent a year fighting small  units. His superior officer, another future U.S. President,, promoted McKinley to commissary sergeant for his bravery in battle. For driving a mule team delivering rations under enemy fire at, Hayes promoted him to Second Lieutenant. This pattern repeated several times during the war, and McKinley eventually mustered out as Captain and Major of the same regiment in September 1865. In 1869, the year he entered politics, McKinley met and began courting his future wife,, marrying her two years later when she was 23 and he was 27.

Legal and early political career
Following the war, McKinley attended in  and was admitted to the  in 1867. He practiced law in Canton, and served as prosecuting attorney of Stark County from 1869 to 1871.

United States House of Representatives
With the help of, McKinley was elected as a to the  and first served from 1877 to 1882, and second from 1885 to 1891. He was chairman of the from 1881 to 1883. He presented his credentials as a member-elect to the Forty-eighth Congress and served from, , until , , when he was succeeded by , who successfully contested his election. McKinley was again elected to the House of Representatives and served from, to ,. He was chairman of the from 1889 to 1891. In 1890, he authored the, which raised rates to the highest in history, devastating his party in the off-year. He lost his seat by the narrow margin of 300 votes, partly due to the unpopular tariff bill and partly due to a.

Governor of Ohio
After leaving Congress, McKinley won the in 1891, defeating Democrat James E. Campbell; he was reelected in 1893 over Lawrence T. Neal. He was an unsuccessful presidential hopeful in 1892 but campaigned for the reelection of President. As governor, he imposed an on, secured safety legislation for transportation workers and restricted anti-union practices of employers.

The 1896 election
Governor McKinley left office in early 1896 and, at the instigation of his friend began actively campaigning for the Republican party's presidential nomination. After winning the nomination, he went home and conducted his famous "." Hanna, a wealthy industrialist, headed the McKinley campaign. His opponent was, who ran on a single issue of "." McKinley was against silver because it was a debased currency and overseas markets used gold, so it would harm foreign trade. McKinley promised that he would promote industry and banking and guarantee prosperity for every group in a pluralistic nation. A Democratic cartoon ridiculed the promise, saying it would rock the boat. McKinley replied that the protective tariff would bring prosperity to all groups, city and country alike, while Bryan's free silver would create inflation but no new jobs, would bankrupt railroads, and would permanently damage the economy. Even though Republicans were known to be anti-immigration and intolerant of many ethnic groups, McKinley was able to succeed in getting votes from the urban areas and ethnic labor groups. Campaign manager Hanna raised $3.5 million from big business, and adopted newly invented advertising techniques to spread McKinley's message. Although Bryan had been ahead in August, McKinley's counter-crusade put him on the defensive and gigantic parades for McKinley in every major city a few days before the election undercut Bryan's allegations that workers were coerced to vote for McKinley. He defeated Bryan by a large margin. His appeal to all classes marked a realignment of American politics. His success in industrial cities gave the Republican party a grip on the north comparable to that of the Democrats in the south.

Domestic policies
McKinley validated his claim as the "advance agent of prosperity" when the year 1897 brought a revival of business, agriculture and general prosperity. This was due in part to the end, at least for the time, of political suspense and agitation, in part to the confidence which capitalists felt in the new Administration.

On, , a treaty was signed annexing the to the United States. The Government of Hawaii speedily ratified this, but it lacked the necessary 2/3 vote in the U.S. Senate. The solution was to annex Hawaii by joint resolution, which required only a simple majority of both houses of Congress. The resolution provided for the assumption by the United States of the Hawaiian debt up to $4,000,000. The was extended to the islands, and  immigration from Hawaii to the mainland was prohibited. The joint resolution passed on, , a majority of the Democrats and several Republicans, among these , opposing. Shelby M. Cullom, John T. Morgan, Robert R. Hitt,, and Walter F. Frear, made commissioners by its authority, drafted a form of government, which became law ,.

In administration, McKinley took one long and unfortunate step backward. The Republican platform, adopted after President Cleveland's extension of the merit system, emphatically endorsed this, as did McKinley himself. Against extreme pressure, particularly in the, the President resisted until ,. His order of that date withdrew from the classified service 4,000 or more positions, removed 3,500 from the class theretofore filled through competitive examination or an orderly practice of promotion, and placed 6,416 more under a system drafted by the Secretary of War. The order declared regular a large number of temporary appointments made without examination, besides rendering eligible, as emergency appointees, without examination, thousands who had served during the Spanish War.

Republicans pointed to the deficit under the Wilson Law with much the same concern manifested by President Cleveland in 1888 over the surplus. A new tariff law must be passed, and, if possible, before a new Congressional election. An extra session of Congress was therefore summoned for,. The, which had been at work for three months, forthwith reported through Chairman the bill which bore his name. With equal promptness the brought in a rule, at once adopted by the House, whereby the new bill, in spite of Democratic pleas for time to examine, discuss, and propose amendments, reached the Senate the last day of March. More deliberation marked procedure in the Senate. This body passed the bill after toning up its schedules with some 870 amendments, most of which pleased the and became law. The act was signed by the President,. The Dingley Act was estimated by its author to advance the average rate from the 40 percent of the Wilson Bill to approximately 50 percent, or a shade higher than the McKinley rate. As proportioned to consumption the tax imposed by it was probably heavier than that under either of its predecessors.

, a feature of the McKinley Tariff Act, was suspended by the Wilson Act. The Republican platform of 1896 declared protection and reciprocity twin measures of Republican policy. Clauses graced the Dingley Act allowing reciprocity treaties to be made, "duly ratified" by the Senate and "approved" by Congress; yet, of the twins, protection proved stout and lusty, while the weaker sister languished. Under the third section of the Act some concessions were given and received, but the treaties negotiated under the fourth section, which involved lowering of strictly protective duties, met summary defeat when submitted to the Senate.

Foreign policies
McKinley hoped to make American producers supreme in world markets, and so his administration had a push for those foreign markets, which included the annexation of Hawaii and interests in. While serving as a Congressman, McKinley had been an advocate for the annexation of Hawaii because he wanted to it and establish a naval base, but he was unable to get the two-thirds vote. One notable observer of the time,, declared that the nation at this time was ruled by "Mckinleyism," a "system of combinations, consolidations, and trusts realized at home and abroad." This reflects the policies President McKinley pursued.

During this time there were some overseas conflicts, mainly with Spain. The U.S. had interests in Cuba, the Philippines, Hawaii and China. McKinley did not want to fully annex Cuba, just control it. In the Philippines, he wanted a base there to deal with China that would give the U.S. a voice in Asian affairs. Stories began to emerge of horrible atrocities committed in Cuba and of Spain's use of and brutal military force to quash the Cubans' rebellion. Spain began to show it was no longer in control as rebellions within the rebellion broke out. The Spanish repeatedly promised new reforms, then repeatedly postponed them. American public opinion against Spain became heated, and created a demand for war coming mostly from Democrats and the sensationalist of 's newspapers. McKinley and the business community opposed the growing public demand for war, aided by House Speaker Reed.

As a matter of protection for U.S. interests around Havana, a new warship, the, was dispatched to Havana harbor. On, , it mysteriously exploded and sank, causing the deaths of 274 men. Public opinion heated up and a greater demand for war ensued. McKinley turned the matter over to Congress, which voted for war, and gave Spain an ultimatum for an armistice and a permanent peace. Although the Army was poorly prepared, militia and national guard units rushed to the colors, most notably and his "." The naval war in Cuba and the Philippines was a success, the easiest and most profitable war in U.S. history, and after 113 days, Spain agreed to peace terms at the in July. Secretary of state called it a "splendid little war." The United States gained ownership of, the Philippines, and Puerto Rico, and temporary control over Cuba. McKinley had said, "we need Hawaii just as much as we did California," and Hawaii was annexed (see above). McKinley had begun by wanting only a naval base in the Philippines at Manila; in the end, he decided to take all of the Philippines.

Throughout these ordeals, McKinley controlled American policy and news with an "iron hand." McKinley was the first president to have the use of telephones and telegraphs giving him access to battlefield commanders and reporters in mere minutes, and he used this to his full advantage. He censored the news at home about the war abroad. These ordeals also gave life to an movement at home.

Election of 1900
For his reelection, McKinley again ran against William Jennings Bryan. McKinley was, this time with foreign policy paramount. Bryan had demanded war with Spain (and volunteered as a soldier), but strongly opposed annexation of the Philippines. He was also running on the same issue of free silver as he did before, but since the silver debate was ended with the passage of the Gold Standard Act of 1900, McKinley easily won reelection.

Significant events during presidency

 * (1897)
 * Maximum Freight Case (1897)
 * (1898)
 * (1898)
 * (1899-1913)
 * (1900)
 * (1900)

Supreme Court appointment
McKinley appointed the following Justice to the :


 * – 1898

Assassination


President and Mrs. McKinley attended the in. He delivered a speech about his positions on tariffs and foreign trade on,. On the second day, McKinley was at the Temple of Music, greeting the public. waited in line with a pistol in his right hand concealed by a handkerchief. At 4:07 P.M. Czolgosz fired twice at the president. The first bullet grazed the president's shoulder. The second, however, went through McKinley's, , and , and finally lodged in the muscles of his back.

One bullet was easily found and extracted, but doctors were unable to locate the second bullet. It was feared that the search for the bullet, using 19th century techniques, might cause more harm than good. In addition, McKinley appeared to be recovering, so doctors decided to leave the bullet where it was.

The newly-developed was displayed at the fair, but doctors were reluctant to use it on McKinley to search for the bullet because they did not know what side effects it may have had on him. The operating room at the exposition's emergency hospital did not have any, even though the exteriors of many of the buildings at the extravagant exposition were covered with thousands of light bulbs. The surgeons were unable to operate by candlelight because of the ether used to keep the president unconscious. So the doctors were forced to use pans instead to reflect sunlight onto the operating table while they treated McKinley's wounds.

McKinley's doctors believed he would recover, and the President convalesced for more than a week in Buffalo at the home of the exposition's director. On the morning of, he felt strong enough to receive his first food orally since the shooting — toast and a small cup of coffee. However, by afternoon he began to experience discomfort and his condition rapidly worsened. McKinley began to go into. At 2:15 a.m. on, , eight days after he was shot, he died from surrounding his wounds. His last words were "It is God's way; His will be done, not ours." and he was buried in Canton, Ohio.

Czolgosz was later found guilty of murder, and was executed by at  on,.

Monuments and memorials
A funeral was held at the Milburn mansion in Buffalo, after which the body was removed to Buffalo City Hall where it lay in state for a public viewing. It was taken later to the and finally to the late president's home in Canton for a memorial. Memorials for the president were held in, at  and.


 * The statue of McKinley in, is believed to be the first raised in his honor in the country, put in place on , .  It was sculpted by.
 * McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, Canton, Ohio
 * ,, his final resting place
 * McKinley Memorial, Niles, Ohio, commemorates McKinley's birthplace
 * McKinley Classical Junior Academy, middle school in
 * , Buffalo, New York
 * McKinley Monument, Springfield, Massachusetts
 * McKinley Monument, Scranton, Pennsylvania
 * McKinley Statue,
 * is named in his honor.
 * , Alaska is named after him.
 * McKinley Statue,
 * McKinley Statue, Montgomery County Public Library
 * McKinley Statue,
 * McKinley Monument, ,
 * McKinley Statue, Lucas County Courthouse
 * McKinley Elementary,
 * McKinley Monument, Columbus, Ohio on the grounds of the Statehouse McKinley worked in as Ohio's Governor.
 * McKinley Statue, outside.
 * Calle McKinley (McKinley Street),.
 * McKinley Vocational High School, Buffalo, New York
 * McKinley Parkway, part of the Park System of
 * , (Southtown of )
 * McKinley Elementary
 * William McKinley Junior High School,,.
 * McKinley Elementary School,, , , , , , Arlington, VA
 * McKinley High School on T Street in (Beside Hyde Leadership Public Charter School)
 * McKinley High School in Honolulu, Hawaii
 * McKinley High School in
 * McKinley High School in Niles, Ohio
 * McKinley High School in Sebring, Ohio
 * McKinley High School in Saint Louis, Missouri (now McKinley Middle Claasical Leadership Academy)
 * McKinley's, a cafeteria in the Campus Center building at in, where President McKinley briefly attended as an undergraduate student.
 * The $500 bill featured a portrait of William McKinley
 * McKinley Elementary School in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan
 * McKinley Park in - a state park and campground named in his honor
 * Obelisk that was created to honor a visit from McKinley in
 * Obelisk that was created to honor a visit from McKinley in

Disputed quotation
In 1903, an elderly supporter named James F. Rusling recalled that in 1899, McKinley had said to a religious delegation: "The truth is I didn't want the Philippines, and when they came to us as a gift from the gods, I did not know what to do with them.... I sought counsel from all sides - Democrats as well as Republicans - but got little help. I thought first we would take only Manila; then Luzon; then other islands, perhaps, also. I walked the floor of the White House night after night until midnight; and I am not ashamed to tell you, gentlemen, that I went down on my knees and prayed Almighty God for light and guidance more than one night." "And one night late it came to me this way - I don't know how it was, but it came: (1) That we could not give them back to Spain - that would be cowardly and dishonorable; (2) that we could not turn them over to France or Germany - our commercial rivals in the Orient - that would be bad business and discreditable; (3) that we could not leave them to themselves - they were unfit for self-government - and they would soon have anarchy and misrule over there worse than Spain's was; and (4) that there was nothing left for us to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianize them, and by God's grace do the very best we could by them, as our fellow men for whom Christ also died. And then I went to bed and went to sleep and slept soundly." The question is whether McKinley said any such thing as is italicized in point #4, especially regarding "Christianize" the natives, or whether Rusling added it. McKinley was a religious person but never said God told him to do anything. McKinley never used the term Christianize (and indeed it was rare in 1898). McKinley operated a highly effective publicity bureau in the White House and he gave hundreds of interviews to reporters, and hundreds of public speeches to promote his Philippines policy. Yet no authentic speech or newspaper report contains anything like the purported words or sentiment. The man who remembered it&mdash;a Civil War veteran&mdash;had written a book on the war that was full of exaggeration. The supposed highly specific quote from memory years after the event is unlikely enough&mdash;especially when the quote uses words like "Christianize" that were never used by McKinley. The conclusion of historians such as Lewis Gould is that, although it is possible this quote is legitimate (certainly McKinley expressed most of these sentiments generally), it is unlikely that he spoke these specific words, or that he said the last part at all.