181. William McKinley. William McKinley was born in Ohio in 1843. As a boy his chief delight was to roam the fields and woods surrounding Niles, his home town, or to fish in the fine streams near by. When he was about nine years old his parents moved to Poland, Ohio, where there were good schools for children. McKinley studied hard, and at seventeen years of age entered Allegheny College at Meadville, Pennsylvania. But his health had never been very good and he fell ill from hard study. He returned to Poland, and there a little later he taught school.

In 1861 Lincoln's call for troops to save the Union fired the whole North with patriotism. McKinley, though then only eighteen years of age, enlisted at once. Under fire at Antietam and in later battles of the war, he won praise and promotion for his heroic deeds. The active army life was good for him, and when the war was over he was a strong and healthy man. He enlisted as a private and came out as a major. All his promotions were for merit and bravery.

He returned to Poland and took up the study of the law. But his means were small and he had a hard struggle. In 1867 McKinley was admitted to the bar and opened an office in Canton, Ohio.

Like many another young lawyer he had numerous difficulties and disappointments, but he worked hard and in time became a successful lawyer. He was a good speaker and soon was much in demand in political campaigns.

The people admired him. They felt that he could be trusted. They sent him, for seven terms, to represent them in Congress at Washington, and twice they made him governor of Ohio. In 1896 he was elected president of the United States.

182. Spanish Persecution in Cuba. Since the earliest days of Spanish rule, Cuba had been discontented and had engaged in frequent wars with Spain because of heavy taxation and bad government. Again and again the Cubans revolted, but they were not strong enough to succeed and Spanish oppression continued. In 1895 the people rose in a last desperate effort to free themselves. To crush them Spain sent a large army under a cruel general. Large numbers of unarmed Cubans—men, women, and children—were gathered into camps guarded by Spanish soldiers and cut off from food and other supplies. Thousands died of starvation and disease.

These and other harsh things done in an attempt to break the spirit of the Cubans filled the American people with bitter indignation. On the recommendation of President McKinley, Congress voted fifty thousand dollars for relief work. Money, by private contribution, also flowed in from all parts of the country. The Red Cross Society, led by Clara Barton, hastened to the island to relieve the awful conditions of hunger and disease.

The American people were aroused. They demanded that the United States interfere in behalf of the suffering Cubans, who were fighting to be free. They were eager to take up arms for freedom and humanity.

Indignation was brought to its highest pitch when, on February 15, 1898, the United States battleship Maine was sunk in Havana Harbor, two hundred sixty of the crew perishing. What was the cause of the explosion has never been found out, but Americans then believed it to be the work of the Spaniards.

In April the United States demanded that the Spanish troops be taken from Cuba and the Cubans be given their independence. Spain was given three days in which to reply. She immediately declared war against the United States.

183. A War for the Sake of Humanity. The war had hardly begun before Admiral George Dewey destroyed the Spanish fleet and pounded to pieces the shore batteries in Manila Bay, Philippine Islands. Dewey, with his fleet, sailed under orders from Hong-kong, China, entered the bay, and did his work without the loss of a man. This deed made him the naval hero of the war.

Thousands of men, North and South, rallied to the call of President McKinley. The states of the far West responded with noble enthusiasm. California, largest in population and wealth, led in the number of its volunteers.

The land forces in Cuba were under the command of General Shafter. They stormed El Caney and San Juan and marched on Santiago. But the "Rough Riders," a regiment raised from the mountains and plains, attracted the most attention. Colonel Leonard Wood had command of them, aided by Theodore Roosevelt. When Wood was made a general, Roosevelt became their colonel, and fought through the war with them.

A large fleet sent from Spain under Admiral Cervera had kept out of the way of the American fleet under Rear-Admiral Sampson and Commodore Schley and was now hidden in Santiago Harbor. When the Americans captured El Caney and San Juan, the Spanish admiral decided that Santiago would soon be in American hands. To escape being taken prisoner he made a bold dash from the harbor.

The American naval forces were on the watch, and soon the entire Spanish fleet was destroyed or captured—July 3, 1898.

The occupation by the Americans of the city of Manila, in the Philippines, in August (1898), brought peace proposals from Spain. These were accepted, the treaty being signed on the tenth of December.

This war was fought for the sake of humanity and freedom and not for gain or glory. The United States had taken the side of an oppressed people struggling for independence but she did not claim these countries as the spoils of war. She paid Spain twenty million dollars in gold for the Philippines, and at once set to work to establish schools, build good roads, help the farmers, and improve living conditions by making the government more stable and humane.

It had long been felt, especially by the people of the Pacific States, that for both commercial and military reasons the Hawaiian Islands should belong to us. These islands—eight in all—were annexed in 1898.

Steps were taken at once to give the people of Cuba a government of their own. The island was made a republic. The constitution, drawn up somewhat like our own, was adopted by the people of Cuba, February 21, 1902. The United States did much to help the people before it withdrew from the island in 1902 and left the Cubans to rule themselves. Conditions have rapidly improved. In 1894, under Spanish rule, there were only about 900 public schools, and, even including the 700 private schools, only about 60,000 pupils were on the rolls. Six years later, under American rule, there were 3,550 public schools, with 172,000 pupils enrolled. By the conduct of their government the Cubans are justifying the confidence the American people had in them.

As a result of the war Guam and Porto Rico also became American possessions. This was the beginning of American territorial expansion. The United States took its place among the great world powers, and has since played an important part in the affairs of nations.

184. McKinley Assassinated. President McKinley did not live to see the results of self-government in Cuba. Shortly after his election to a second term as president, he was shot by an anarchist, while the guest of the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo in September, 1901. After a week of patient suffering, watched with painful anxiety by the people, William McKinley, our third martyr president, passed away.

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