Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-12
UANNA,S FEAST,


At the luncheon given Mr. Hanna on
Tuesday, Mr. Isaac NJ. Seligman pre-
sided, and many other Of the richest and
most distinguished men of New York
were present. Mr.. Hanna was. Of course.
the toast Of the occasion, and in the
course of the speech he made he
said that after the convention at Chi
cago. he told Major Mckinley that, in
his opinion, Mr.. Bryan was the hardest
possible man to beat. but Mckinley said:
"That may all be true, but my faith is
in the loyalty and intelligence Of the
American people"
Whether Mckinley winked the other eye
while he was thus speaking to Hanna,
Hanna does not say. Mr.. Hanna, how
ever proceeding with his speech, de-
clared that "Mr Bryan's canvass was
wonderful one. but, as one Of our spell
binders. a moulder. named Rankin. said:
Mark Hanna has one hand on the Al
mighty, and another on Mckinley, and
YOU cannot beat the combination
OF course. the country recognizes Mr..
Hanna as a very eminent statesman, but
it strikes us that he is much wanting i'm
reverence for holy things. The Rankin
story is sacrilegious. The idea Of Hanna.
who was engaged in a campaign where a
large part of his duty was to buy men
and votes. leaning upon the Almighty is
revolving TO every religious man. The
figure of speech puts Mckinley and the
Almighty upon the same plane. and
makes Hanna equally familiar with both.
If was bad enough for Rankin to in
dulge I'm such figure of speech-it was a
horrible example of bad taste for Hanna
10 repeat the story. and this too, before
n company of refined gentlemen. There
should have been no mention OF the name
Of the Almighty in this connection. 1t
may be true enough that Hanna has his
hand upon Mckinley; it is suspected that
he has. and that he viii keep IL there un-
til Mckinley has signed new tariff bill
as he is bound to do in Justice to the
men who raised his campaign fund, but
the suggestion that Hanna is in touch
with the Almighty is shocking.
Another remark that Mr.. Hanna made
at the New York lunch was this;
Il have a soft feeling in my heart for
the sound-moncy Democrats, for although
they wavered for a long time, the word
was finally passed along the line 10 vote
for Mckinley. and they did II. j am 60
ing TO SOY that the Republicans will fight
this battle out on the lines Of honest
money. and the solution of il must be
left 10 the honesty and intelligence of the
people"
We hope that this paragraph Of Mr..
Hanna's will not escape the observation
Of the Richmond Times. Notice. that we
have here an official statement from him
that word was passed along the line" for
The "sound-money Democrats" Ito vote
for Mckinley, and they did IT," Now,
with what grace can the "sound-money
Democrats" claim TO be the seed corn OF
Democracy after having yielded to Hanna
in the manner stated? These gentlemen
went before the world crying aloud: 1--WE
cannot vote for Bryan; he is a Populist.
I'VE cannot vote for Mckinley; he is a
Republican. We must have real Demo
cratic ticket. Wen support Palmer"
After this profession Of faith; after claim
ing 10 be much better Democrats IMAM
the Bryanites. we find Hanna praising
Them for voting for Mckinley and Ho-
barti Is II doubted that Hanna speaks
,he TRUTH We think not. The Richmond
Times seems 70 have kept track Of his
soings during the late campaign, and has
sulogized him highly. Possibly the Times
knew when 1.-THE word was passed along
the line"
All these statements and remarks we
might have foregone. but for the public
ly-proclaimed purpose OF the business
men composing the 'Sound-Money
League" Of Richmond TO keep the fight
up continuously. And we must say that
Il f. also due to the truth of history that
Hanna's confession as to "the word
being passed along the line" should go
upon record here in Virginia.