174 THE AGRARIAN CRUSADE 



President. McKinley would always swim with 

 the tide. 



In his friend's behalf Hanna carried on a shrewd 

 campaign in the newspapers, keeping the question 

 of currency in the background as far as possible, 

 playing up McKinley's sound tariff policy, and re- 

 peating often the slogan welcome after the recent 

 lean years "McKinley and the full dinner pail." 

 McKinley prudently refused to take any stand on 

 the currency question, protesting that he could not 

 anticipate the party platform and that he would be 

 bound by whatever declarations the party might 

 see fit to make. Even after the convention had 

 opened, McKinley and Hanna were reticent on the 

 silver question. Finally, fearing that some kind of 

 compromise would be made, the advocates of the 

 gold standard went to Mr. Hanna and demanded 

 that a gold plank be incorporated in the platform. 

 Hanna gracefully acceded to their demands and 

 thus put them under obligation to repay him by 

 supporting McKinley for the nomination. The 

 platform which was forthwith reported to the con- 

 vention contained the unequivocal gold plank, 

 as Hanna had long before planned. Immediately 

 thereafter a minority of thirty-four delegates, led 

 by Senator Teller of Colorado, left the convention, 



