1897

William McKinley, after waging a “front porch” campaign, is the 25th president. The Republicans also win control of both houses of Congress. There will be unbroken Republican control of the presidency and both houses for 14 years.John Hay, one of the country’s greatest diplomats, who had been private secretary to Lincoln, secretary of the legations at Paris, Vienna, and Madrid, and Hayes’ assistant secretary of state, is McKinley’s secretary of state.

Jacob Schiff attained considerable prestige in banking circles when he provided the financial backing that enabled railroad magnate Edward H. Harriman to purchase control of the bankrupt Union Pacific Railroad.