Page:American Boy's Life of William McKinley.djvu/211

Rh everything is going wrong and that we are being misused. But often the failure turns our efforts in another direction, and in the end the success is far greater than it would otherwise have been. The trial, or failure, came for our own good, but we were too blind at the time to realize it.

But William McKinley had not lost faith in himself, and when his friends placed him in nomination for the governorship, he thanked them most cordially, and, as usual, promised, if elected, to do his best in the interests of all his fellow-citizens.

The contest was highly exciting. The McKinley Bill was not yet forgotten and hard times were making matters worse. It was said that Ohio would surely cast her vote for McKinley's opponent. There was a great deal of speechmaking, and McKinley himself made a stumping tour lasting from the first of August to election day, in November.

At one of the towns where he stopped there was a curious demonstration made against him which he by his quick wit turned in his own favor. The place where he was to talk was close to several