The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-04-23
MARK HANNA's sELF-CONCEIT.

Mark Hanna, McKinley's political
manager in the present struggle for the
presidential nomination, recently made
a break that is apt to cost Mckinley the
nomination, and himself his reputation
as a director Of important political
movements.
The other day, while in conversation
with correspondent for the New York
journal, Mr.. Hanna made use of this
expression: "Platt and Quay are politi-
cal babies. Mere children in politics.
Their methods show it. l had been led
to believe both Platt and Quay astute,
far-sighted politicians. They are moth
ing of the sort. They have so far con-
Quoted their end of this like l0-year-old
children"
Mark Hanna is just like many other
men suddenly boosted to leadership
too much inflated with his own sef.con-
ceit. By reason of his large purse, he
was chosen to manage McKinley's cam
paign. Until this year he was unheard
of as national figure in politics, and he
is yet in his swaddlIng clothes as ma
tional leader.
But no sooner was he placed in charge
of McKinley's canvass than the magic
began to work. He holds high head ,as-
sumes an authoritative dictatorial man.
ner, interviews himself freely and fire.
quently, says what he will do, and what
he wants done, and he imagines that
Quay and Platt are the merest pigmies
to be swept away by a single breath. At
first he amused some people and was APP
plauded; later he annoyed great many
but was still endured; but now he dis
gusts everybody, and he is sure to be
sent headlong into oblivion. Quay and
Platt are apt to teach him a lesson at st.
Louis that he will not soon forget.
Senator Quay has no equal in the
world as a shrewd politician and an as
tute political manager. He has the
ability of Tilden, the diplomacy of
Whitney, the daring of Hill, and the
sagacity of German. He cannot electrify
the country with polished rhetoric as
Blaine, Cleveland or Mckinley, but he is
God-made commander of men. He,
and he alone, saved the Republican
party in the national battle of 1888. 1t
was his genius, his desperation, that res
cued Harrison from the very jaws of de-
feat. He knew that Harrison was beaten;
that only by Dudley's open purchase of
his "blocks of five" in Indiana could
that state be saved; and only by the
most reckless and perfdous barter with
perfdy that made the head of the state
ticket fall "outside the breastworks"
could New York be saved. Whatha to
be done, Quay did without any hypo.
critical pretense whatever.
Last summer he fought the most bril-
liant political battle of modern times.
Deserted by hosts of ingrates, many of
whom owed their present position and
power entirely to him, aggressively and
vindictiyely opposed by all the power,
patronage and promises of the city and
state administrations, cut of from the
ordinary channels from which campaign
funds can be gathered, to cope with the
combined powers of lobbyists who had
immense means to expend in defense of
their disreputable authority, he had to
rely solely upon the honest yeomanry
of the rural districts of the State. 1t was
one man against multiplied power, with
odds seemingly insuperable, and Quay
manfully fought and calamity won the
victory.
While Platt has not achieved as many