Born: 1843, Niles, OH
Died: 1901
William McKinley was a peace-loving man, whose very docility placed America in the hands of jingoists and big-business interests. A major in the Civil War, McKinley became a lawyer and was elected to Congress at 34. He served 14 years, sponsoring the protectionist McKinley Tariff Act of 1890. Supported by wealthy businessmen, he was twice elected Governor of Ohio and then chosen as the 1896 Republican Presidential candidate.
From his "front porch" in Ohio, McKinley spoke of "a full dinner pail." He supported a high tariff and the gold standard. His opponent, fiery Nebraska populist Williams Jennings Bryan, appealed to farmers and the less fortunate, advocating "free silver" to increase the money supply. Aided by an economic upturn, McKinley won. Congress increased the tariff in 1897 and adopted the gold standard in 1900. The Spanish-American War, ignited by the sinking of the U.S.S. Maine in Havana Harbor, ended in swift victory for America with territorial gains in Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. McKinley paved the way for an "open door" trade policy with China, and sponsored annexation of the Hawaiian Territory in 1898. Easily re-elected in 1900, he was shot by an anarchist the following year and died eight days later.
Twenty-Fifth President
Republican
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