The San Francisco call., 1896-06-15
M'KINLEY AND HANNA.
History of Their First Meeting and
Later Erie ndship.
c. c. CARLTON.

L1iSI
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, June 14.-Commenda-
tions are heard on every side concerning
the splendid generalship of Marcus Azure
illus Hanna, Mr.. McKinleys manager.
Mr.. Hanna is fat man with a fat face
and fat paunch, and looks as innocent as
kitten sleeping before a fire.
Caesar wanted men about him that were
fat and slept well o'nights, because. al
though in a climate like that of st. Louis
they might perspire, they would never con-
spire, according to the Roman Generals
idea. Mr.. Hanna, in his 230 pounds of
own personality, has forever discredited
the judgment of Caesar, for he IS the fore
most, the smoothest, the subtlest, the
most untiriug political consplrator, per-
haps, in American history.
Yet he is not without precedent. Is not
Count Fosco. in Wiikie Collins charming
novel, "The " oman in White" fat man?
What an interesting figure Collins made
of him, chirpin sweetly and soothingly to
canary perched on his forefnger, while
at the same time he was plotting with a
secret society against the Government and
betraying the officers of that society to the
| Government. The parallel between Fosco
and Hanna, however, does not extend be-
yond portliness and intrigue, for no one
| has accused the Ohio schemer of betrayals.
| On the contrary, the political woods are
full of birds singing his praise, the sweet
est of all, even to an old politician-that
which is earned by success. No matter as
| to the methods.
The iridescent dreaminess OF political
purity which lulled Senator ingalls, to po-
| IL 0f 4Ia
! nostics, and whatever Marcus Aurelius
Hanna may have done that would not
stand pulpit test has been done well and
thoroughly and has been winner thus
far. What more do you want?
| Busi ness considerations may or may not
have entered into Mr.. Hanna's zeal and
work for his friend. Mr.. Hanna has much
business and is a man of large affairs. Be-
SIDES being interested in coal and iron he
is the principal owner in the street.
car sy stem in Cleveland, Ohio, and also of
shlpyard. That is his way of bringing
ship and car together. He is almost
townsman of Mr.. Mckinley, for he was
born So years ago in Columbiana County,
Ohio, about thirty miles from Canton,
where Governor McKinley's beautiful
home is situated.
1t is said of Mr.. Hanna that he never
accepted position as a member of local,
State or National committee. The only
public Office he ever held was a Govern
ment dictatorship of the Pacific Railroad,
TOR which post he was named by Grover
Cleveland, upon the recommendation of
Henry B. Payne, Democratic United
States Senator.
Mckinley and Hanna met for the first
time in courthouse at Massilon in the
early '70s, when twenty-three strikers from
Hanna's mines were being tried for incen-
diarism. William Mckinley was counsel
for the defense and, although he had the
poorest kind of a case. his eloquence
cleared twenty-five of the twenty three
men. Hanna was so favorably impressed
with his ability that he became his firm
friend and backed him in all his political
ventures.
Samuel M. Shortridge went to Hannibal,
Mo-, tonight to meet the California dele
CATION. They will arrive at $3.50 in the
morning. JOHN PAUL CosGBAvE.