Editing Mark Hanna (section)

=== Preparing for a run ===
[[File:McKinley 1892 card.jpg|thumb|upright|Although McKinley did not run in 1892, the [[James Buchanan Duke|Duke Tobacco Company]] considered him a presidential possibility that year and issued a card for him.|alt=A cigarette card bearing a colour image of a politician, denoted to be "William McKinley Jr of Ohio". The grey-haired man's head points to the left with a neutral expression.]]

As early as 1892, McKinley and Hanna began to prepare for the 1896 campaign.  Charles Dick recalled being asked to take the Republican state chairmanship:

{{blockquote|
I went first to see Governor McKinley.  He urged me to accept and asked me to see Mr. Hanna, which I did the next day.  The reasons both urged were that the campaigns from 1892 down to 1896 must be conducted with a view to bringing about McKinley's nomination in 1896.  McKinley spoke of it and so did Mr. Hanna.{{sfn|Horner|pp=96–97, 132–133}}
}}

President Harrison had proven unpopular even in his own party, and with the start of 1892, McKinley was talked about as a potential candidate.{{sfn|Morgan|p=125}}  At the [[1892 Republican National Convention]] in Minneapolis, McKinley's [[keynote address]] sparked wild applause from a convention-friendly to him.  This popularity did not translate into delegate votes; Harrison's supporters were in control of the convention throughout. Hanna, a delegate from Ohio, promoted McKinley to delegates. McKinley, never a declared candidate, finished third, a fraction of a vote behind Blaine, who had declared himself not to be a candidate.  Despite Harrison's success, McKinley was carried from the convention hall to his hotel by supporters after he adjourned the convention.  According to Morgan, many delegates "saw in [McKinley] their nominee for 1896".{{sfn|Morgan|pp=126–127}}{{sfn|Horner|pp=95–96}}

Harrison and his adherents were unimpressed by McKinley's conduct, recalling that he had cut off talk of a candidacy in 1888, but had not done so in 1892.{{sfn|Morgan|p=128}} Nevertheless, Hanna wrote in a letter that "I do not consider that Governor McKinley was placed in any false position by what was done ... Governor McKinley's position today as a result of all that transpired at Minneapolis is in the best possible shape for his future.  His bearing and conduct and personal magnetism won the hearts and respect of everybody."{{sfn|Morgan|p=128}}  McKinley campaigned loyally for President Harrison, who was defeated by former president Cleveland in the November election, and according to the governor's secretary, Charles Bawsel, "[McKinley] is bound to be the nominee for the presidency, and the very fact of the defeat this year will elect him the next time."{{sfn|Morgan|p=129}}

Among those who suffered reverses in the financial [[Panic of 1893]] was a McKinley friend in [[Youngstown, Ohio|Youngstown]].  McKinley, out of gratitude for loans in his younger days, had guaranteed the friend's business notes, without ever grasping the full amount of the obligations he was taking on.  He was called upon to pay over $100,000 and proposed to resign as governor and earn the money as an attorney.{{sfn|Morgan|pp=129–134}}  Hanna was absent from the state when the crisis broke, causing the governor to say "I wish Mark was here."{{sfn|Stern|p=11}}  McKinley's wealthy supporters, including Hanna once he learned of the situation, undertook to buy up or pay the notes.{{sfn|Morgan|pp=129–134}}  McKinley was reluctant to take gifts, and eventually agreed to accept money only from those who expected nothing by lending the money but repayment.{{sfn|Williams|p=51}}  Even though both McKinley and [[Ida Saxton McKinley|his wife Ida]] insisted on putting their property in the hands of the supporters, who served as trustees, Hanna and his associates fundraised with such success from business owners and the general public that all McKinley property was returned intact, and when President McKinley died in 1901, no claims were made against his estate.  A request by McKinley for the names of the subscribers so he might repay them was refused by the trustees.  The episode made McKinley more popular with the public, as many Americans had suffered in the hard times and sympathized with the Ohio governor.{{sfn|Morgan|pp=129–134}}

McKinley was easily re-elected as governor in 1893.  Despite the poor economic times in Ohio, he remained popular and spoke across much of the nation for Republican candidates.  He followed the usual Ohio custom and stepped down at the end of two two-year terms, returning home to Canton in January 1896 to municipal celebrations.  The Canton [[The Repository|''Repository'']] stated, "It is just plain Mr. McKinley of Canton now, but wait a little while."{{sfn|Morgan|pp=135–139}}  To devote full-time to McKinley's presidential campaign, Hanna in 1895 turned over management of his companies to his brother Leonard.{{sfn|Croly|pp=173–174}} Mark Hanna was certain, as he stated as McKinley's campaign began, that  "nothing short of a miracle or death will prevent his being the nominee of the party in '96".{{sfn|Williams|p=55}}