he beat Governor Campbell by a majority of 21,000 votes.

During his first term of office he proved himself essentially a business governor, giving much attention to the financial condition of the State. He was as he had ever been, the friend of the toiler, and made recommendations for protection to steam and electric railroad employees. So well did he hold himself in his high office that when the time for again electing a Governor for Ohio came round he was re-nominated by the Republicans by acclamation. This was in a time of panic; the second Cleveland administration had just begun, and the business depression throughout the country greatly helped him to defeat his Democrat opponent, Hon. L. T. Teal.

In his second campaign for Governor he took his stand against free trade and free silver. The contest was not along State lines, but along National lines, and the whole country watched with the greatest interest the campaign in Ohio. By it the nation was able to form a good judgment as to how the country would swing at the next general election. The successful election of McKinley was the pulse beat that told the state of the body politic. He was even more successful than in his first campaign for Governor, winning with a majority of 80,955

votes.

During his second term he continued to work on behalf of the labouring classes. He was influential in having a State Board of Arbitration established in Ohio and in having important legislation brought forward "for the better protection of life and limb in industrial pursuits." While he was Governor there was great distress among the miners of Hock

ing Valley. He at once hastened to the relief of the starving families, and within twenty-four hours after he heard of the distress had a car-load of provisions on the way to the afflicted district. He was governor at a very critical time. Commercial depression caused numerous strikes, and as a result he was forced to have the troops called out no fewer than fifteen times. On several occasions efforts were made to lynch individuals but Governor McKinley by force prevented the mad mobs from doing their will. He had declared that "lynchings must not be tolerated in Ohio" and he firmly saw that such things did not occur.

During the year 1894, he began, throughout the United States, against the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Law, a series of addresses which attracted a great deal of attention. He spoke daily for several months, and is said to have addressed in all fully two million people.

At the

At this time he met with a misfortune. beginning of his political career he had been helped by a banker, Robert L. Walker of Youngstown, Ohio. He had paid back all his loans and besides had accumulated a snug little fortune of about $20,000. This, with his wife's fortune inherited from her father of $75,000, placed him in a position to devote most of his time to his country's welfare. In 1893 Mr. Walker found himself in somewhat straitened circumstances, and desired the Governor to endorse his notes. One thing William McKinley had perhaps beyond all others-gratitude. He remembered the favours done him in his early manhood, and promptly endorsed some $15,000 worth of paper. He had perfect trust in Mr. Walker, who was President of the National Bank, a savings bank, a stamp

ing mill company, and a stove and range company, and had besides an interest in several coal mines in Ohio and Pennsylvania, and when Mr. Walker came to him again requesting him to endorse a number of notes for the purpose of taking up the notes which he had first endorsed he did so without hesitation. The collapse came; Walker was unable to meet his obligation and the Governor found himself liable for nearly $100,000.

He faced the situation with his usual bravery. He and his wife at once made an assignment of their property to be used for the benefit of Walker's creditors. The character of Governor McKinley was so well known that the sterling honesty and the integrity of the man appealed to all hearts in his hour of misfortune. A fund was started, but his sense of pride kept him from at first accepting the money that was sent him. A number of personal friends now decided that he must be saved from the drudgery of endeavouring to once more build up a fortune. He was too useful a man to his party to be allowed to retire to private life and the world of commerce. He refused this offer, too. However, his friends had been wily; the subscriptions were for the most part anonymous, and he did not know to whom to return the money. It is said that until the time of his death with four or five exceptions he never knew who contributed to this fund. As a result of this generosity all Walker's notes were met, Mrs. McKinley's fortune was left intact, and the Governor had his fortune of $20,000 with interest added, returned to him.

There is something noteworthy in this. It is rare, indeed, in public life that a man is so generously treated. For the most part when a man meets with

a great business reverse the world at large is ready to find fault with him for his misfortune. His lack of business capacity is held up against him, and if he be a politician his misfortune is too often used to do him an injury before the country. Why trust a man with the affairs of a nation who had proved so unwise in his own affairs? The helping hand given to Governor McKinley in his hour of distress is the best possible evidence of the noble character of the man, and the faith that the people of his own State had in him. Such a man despite his business failure was not unworthy of the high office of President.

CHAPTER XXVII.

PRESIDENT WILLIAM MCKINLEY (Continued).

WHEN the election campaign of 1894 opened Governor McKinley was much in evidence as a campaign orator. He traveled through the States of Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan. Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. He covered in all some sixteen thousand miles. He was everywhere welcome and addressed great crowds at railroad stations, in public halls, and in the open air. At Chicago he spoke to over 9,000 people, at St. Louis to 7,000; in Kansas 40,000 assembled, in Topeka 24,000, at Omaha, Neb. 12,000, in St. Paul, Minneapolis, 10,000, in Duluth, 15,000, and in Springfield, Illinois, 20,000. His tour through the South was in some ways the most significant part of his great journey. He was received with enthusiasm by the Southerners, and it seemed that at length a Republican capable of healing the wound still left open by the great war had arisen.

When the time came round for nominating candidates for President, William McKinley received the nomination of Ohio at the State Convention held at Zanesville, May 29, 1895. It was not until 1896,