The American-Spanish war; . conjecture whatwould have been the young aides fate, if the order had been amistake. The admirable equipoise of Mr. McKinleys character, andhis readiness to meet emergencies whenever they occurred,and however unexpectedly they confronted him, have beenmanifested on many occasions since the termination of thisgreat epoch in American history. Three years before he wascalled to enter upon the duties of Chief Executive of the Na-tion, when he was filling a similar but less exalted position,that of Chief Executive of the great State of Ohio, disturb-ances of a most threa
The American-Spanish war; . conjecture whatwould have been the young aides fate, if the order had been amistake. The admirable equipoise of Mr. McKinleys character, andhis readiness to meet emergencies whenever they occurred,and however unexpectedly they confronted him, have beenmanifested on many occasions since the termination of thisgreat epoch in American history. Three years before he wascalled to enter upon the duties of Chief Executive of the Na-tion, when he was filling a similar but less exalted position,that of Chief Executive of the great State of Ohio, disturb-ances of a most threatening character broke out among thecoal miners. Governor McKinley assumed personal directionof the State troops sent to suppress rioting, and by his firm-ness and moderation averted what threatened to be a san-guinary and widespread disturbance. His twelve years service in Congress, his experience inother walks of life, in all of which he acquitted himself in themost trying circumstances with credit and distinction, marked. THE WORK OF THE PRESIDENT. 289 him as the man destined for the hour when the storm of for-eign war broke over the United States. On the day after the news of the destruction of the battle-ship Maine, the President was visited b)^ nearly every memberof Congress, urginsf immediate warlike action. He counselledprudence and delay; he asked them all to suspend judgmentbefore determining the responsibility for the tragic point of fact, he sustained the wise cable message sent byCaptain Sigsbee of the Mai)ie in announcing the disaster. President McKinley knew—none better—tliat the countrywas not prepared for war. We had an army of but 27,500men, while Spain had sent 135,000 troops to Cuba alone. TheSpanish Navy, on paper at least, was equal, if not superior, tothat of the United States. Very little had been done sincethe war of 1861-5 in the way of fortifying our sea coast orproviding siege guns or fixed ammunition. It is related thatat this junc
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