THE WAR.

Manawatu Herald, 10 May 1898, Page 2

THE WAR.

President McKinley.

AMERICA AND SPAIN.

William McKinley, the man who to-day holds the high andt responsible position of Pres^' dent of the United States of America is a man of strong force of character. He was born of Scotch "parents at Niles, Ohio, February 26th, 1844, and educated at the Poland Academy, Ohio. When the Civil War broke out in '6i he entered as a private in the . Union army, and rose to the , rank of major. He then en-^, tered tbe legal profession, and was admitted to the bar in 1868, practising at Canton, Ohio. Entering the House of Representatives in 1877, he soon made his mark as a zealous and able Protectionist, and ultimately became chairman of the Ways and Means Committee which passed the tariff measure known as the McKinley Act offe 1890. In November of tha(^ year he was defeated in theY Congress election, but in 1893 be was elected Governor of Ohio by a tremendous majority. From that date onwards he was regarded as a possible candidate for the Presidency, and his chances grew more and more favourable till ne was nominated in 1896. The circumstances of the contest made him practically the champion

of a sound currency, his opponent, Mr Bryan, standing on a silyer and Populist platform. Consequently many Democrats voted for Mr McKinley, and at the election in November he was returned by a very large majority. His term of office commenced in March, 1897. -