The Gold Standard. Poem by Michael Walker

The Gold Standard.

Rating: 5.0


Success walked early with William McKinley in the Midwest:
a populist lawyer, a friend of labour, he defended
successfully coal miners in conflict with strikebreakers.
Later a popular Governor of Ohio, then a U.S.Congressman

Before he was elected the twenty-fifth U.S.President.
McKinley brought in the gold standard to measure
the value of the U.S. dollar: he imposed trade tariffs
to protect local industry, bringing economic prosperity.

Success walked with McKinley in the war against Spain
over Cuba, a short, decisive conflict at sea and on land
after which the U.S. annexed Puerto Rico, the Philippines
and Hawaii for good measure, ending American isolationism.

Good fortune only deserted the Republican President
when an anarchist played at the Temple of Music.

-6/7 May,2017.

Saturday, May 6, 2017
Topic(s) of this poem: success
POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
William McKinley (1843-1901. U.S President 1896-1901) . McKinley was a family man and successful lawyer in Ohio-although he had suffered from depression as a student. He had earlier served with distinction as a Brevet Major in the Civil War, for the Union Army, his men helping to win a decisive battle against Confederate Army at Cedar Creek. McKinley was elected to Congress during the Civil War, and to the Presidency of the Union in 1896. I have mentioned some of his domestic and foreign policy initiatives in the poem. An anarchist, Leon Czolgosz, shot McKinley fatally on 6 September,1901, at the Temple of Music in Buffalo, New York.
There has been much media attention and books written about Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, so I wanted to draw attention to
a lesser known President who was also assassinated. Anyone can look up details on Wikipedia the free encyclopedia, or other Google sites.
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Tom Billsborough 09 May 2017

A very interesting poem. One of my father-in-laws ancestors was a McKinley. She was more famous for lying about her age, if I recall. William McKinley was a great President and deserves to be remembered alongside those other assassinated Presidents. Perhaps William did more for his fellow men.

0 0 Reply
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Close
Error Success