the highest office in the Republic. He was the chairman of the convention. When Ohio was reached on the first ballot for President the leader of the delegation announced its full vote for William McKinley. This was the signal for an outburst of applause from floor and gallery, as spontaneous as it was vociferous. Hurried consultations were held by many State delegations, and amid the cheers and applause which still continued one leader after another arose to the change of his State to McKinley. The Major, evidently decply affected by the demonstration, but firm and composed, rose in his place and said :— "I challenge the vote of Ohio."

DETERMINED TO VOTE FOR HIM.

"The gentleman is not a member of the delegation at present," said Governor Foraker, who was chairman of the Ohio representatives.

"I am a delegate from that State," cried McKinley, in tones that could be heard above the confusion and uproar, "and I demand that my vote be counted."

"Your alternate voted for you," Governor Foraker per

sisted.

The vote of the delegation was polled nevertheless, and the solitary vote which was cast for Harrison, was Major McKinley's. Harrison was nominated, and Chairman McKinley, calling Colonel Elliott F. Shepard to the chair, moved to make the nomination unanimous.

"Your turn will come in '96," shouted one of the 182 delegates, who, despite his protest, voted for him in that convention. This prophecy was fulfilled.

Two things commended Mr. McKinley mightly to the average man-he could fight and he loved his wife. While these at first thought seem to be virtues common enough, yet he who has them has not far to go to make him a man complete. He also ioved children with the pathetic love of the man whose name will live only in history, for the two children of his early married life died, and his wife was a confirmed invalid.

It was early in his struggles with the law in Canton that William McKinley met Ida Saxton, a beauty, the daughter of the richest banker in the town, and a girl after his own heart. He has never got over the surprise and joy which filled his soul, when, having made up his mind to put his future happiness to touch, he asked Ida Saxton to be his wife and she said yes. It is said that her father confirmed this when along with his parental blessing he said: "You are the only man of all that have sought her that I would have given her to."

It was in 1871, after he had won his first success at the bar and had been successful as Prosecuting Attorney. They went to housekeeping in the same house to which he returned after his long service in Congress and his two terms as Governor. In that pleasant little villa his two children were born. One lived to be nearly four years old, while the other died in early infancy.

LARGE HEART AND WARM NATURE.

It was soon after the birth of the second daughter that the fact became apparent that Mrs. McKinley would be a lifelong invalid. Much could be written of the tenderness of the strong and virile man to his invalid wife, but the idle gossip which has already been written upon that subject has hurt where it was thought to comfort. Newspapers have thoughtlessly dwelt upon this affliction, singing praises of his constancy and devotion when even kind words carried with them a penetrating sting.

It is enough to say that this husband and wife have never been parted except during exigent work in campaigning. During his service as Congressman in Washington she was always with him, embroidering the slippers which constituted her principal employment in his absence until the number which solaced the sufferers in hospitals is said to amount to nearly four thousand. From Congressional duty to his wife and back to duty was the round of his Washington life.

While Governor of Ohio four rooms in the Chittenden House in Columbus were their home. An early breakfast and he was off to his executive duties. It was remarked that he always left

his hotel by a side entrance, and when well across the street he turned and lifted his hat, while a handkerchief fluttered for an instant from the window of his home. Then the Governor, with a pleased smile, walked jauntily off toward the State House. This was repeated every evening, showing that loving watch was kept at that window. Occasionally, weather and health permitting, Mrs. McKinley indulged in a carriage ride, her husband always accompanying her. Always on Sunday the Governor took an early train for Canton, and going to his mother's house, accompanied her to the First M. E. Church of which he was a member. He was superintendent of its Sunday-school until public duty took him to Washington.

HIS PERSONAL APPEARANCE.

Major McKinley was five feet seven inches in height and as straight as Michael Angelo's statue of David. He undoubtedly looked like the great Napoleon, although he said more than once that he did not like to be reminded of the resemblance. He had the same grave, dignified mouth, the same high, broad and full forehead and the same heavy lower jaw. He was a better looking man than was Napoleon, and his bright, dark eyes shone out under brows which were less heavy than those of Bonaparte, and his frown was by no means so terrible as that of the Little Corporal. He appreciated, however, the value of dignity, always dressed in a double-breasted frock coat and crowned his classic head with a tall silk hat.

Personally, Major McKinley was a charming man to meet. His presence was prepossessing, though in conversation he rarely developed brilliancy or ready wit. Dignity and repose, rather than force and action, appeared as his strong characteristics to the man who met him casually. Yet his campaigns showed that when time for action came he could go through labor that wears out a corps of experienced reporters, and come out of the immense strain of six weeks' constant canvass with little loss of flesh and comparatively few signs of fatigue. The Gubernational charpaign of 1893 was notable in this respect.

With the chances favoring him and business depression prevailing, many a man would have trusted something to luck and worked less persistently and energetically than under other circumstances. But that was not McKinley's way. He realized that his boom for the Presidency depended very largely upon the size of his majority, and worked like a Trojan. Those who followed him in the famous Congressional campaign of 1890 against John G. Warwick, and again in 1891, when he canvassed the State against Campbell with such signal success, and were a third time with him in 1893 say that he worked as never before.

In the speeches he made one notable characteristic was always prominent. He did not make enemies. No one ever heard McKinley abuse a political opponent from the stump. Few men have ever heard him speak with disrespect or malignity of one in private life. Only among his close confidants, and they were carefully chosen and not numerous, did he allow himself to speak his mind fully.

ELECTED AND INAUGURATED.

After a very exciting campaign in 1896, Mr. McKinley was elected President, and was inaugurated with most imposing ceremonies in March, 1897. His administration was characterized by wise and successful statesmanship, and as the period for a new election drew near it became evident that he would be again the unanimous choice of his party to be their standard-bearer in the campaign of 1900.

An extraordinary session of Congress was called by President McKinley two days after he took the oath of office on the steps of the Capitol. It met in pursuance to his proclamation at noon on March 15. The special message transmitted by him to both Houses on the opening day was brief. It explained the deficiencies in the revenues, reviewed the bond issues of the last administration, and urged Congress promptly to correct the then existing condition by passing a tariff bill that would supply ample revenues for the support of the Government and the liquidation of the public debt.