Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. IV.djvu/72

48 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS tieth anniversary of the birth of Judge Thurman, at Columbus, in November, 1890, Mr. Cleveland spoke upon "American citizenship," and "made cheapness the theme of his discourse, counting it one of the highest aspirations of American life." Ma jor McKinley, replying to this address at the Lin coln banquet in Toledo February 12, 1891, to the contrary held that such a boon as "cheap coats" meant inevitably "cheap men." At Niles, on August 22, he opened the Ohio campaign. In this speech, as in every other of the 134 made by him in that wonderful canvass, he de clared his unalterable opposition both to free trade and free silver. The campaign was earnest and spirited ; both he and his opponent, Gov. Campbell, made a thorough canvass, and met once in joint de bate at Ada, Hardin county, in September. Mc Kinley won a decisive victory, polling the largest vote so far cast for governor in the history of Ohio. Campbell had been elected in 1889 by 11,000 plu rality in a vote of 775,000; McKinley now de feated him by 21,500 in a total of 795,000. His inaugural address, January 11, 1892, was devoted exclusively to state topics, except in its reference to congressional redistricting, in which he advised that "partisanship should be avoided." Soon after his inauguration as governor the presidential campaign began, and when importuned by friends to allow the use of his name as a candi-