Evening star., 1897-01-20
THE OHIO VACANCY
Gov. Bushnell's Embarrassment in
Filling 1t.
THREE COURSES ARE Open TO Him
To Appoint, to Call an Extra Legis-
Iatiye Session, or Do Nothing.
WILL a PIP ONT HANNA

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
COLUMBUS Ohio, January 2e.-The with
drawal of Sherman from the Senate at this
time no doubt places Governor Bushnell
under great embarrassment. but there Is
little reason to believe that he will try to
shrk his duty in filling the vacancy. as has
been suggested. and he will appoint Mark
a. Hanna to the vacancy. This can all be
said without attempting to deny that there
are factions in the republican party in Ohio
and that Governor Busnell and Mr.. Hanna
are at the heads of opposing factions. The
Foraker and Sherman factions fight each
other very vigorously, but in the presence
of the enemy they do not forget to close
up the columns. The leaders recognize the
fact that the first thing necessary is to re-
tain the control of the state
Governor Bushnell is a candidate for cleo
ticn to a second term. He has announced
that he will ask for the nomination this
year. That Is his object. he says, rather
than the senatOrship. 1t was generally be-
Heved however, that the governor had his
eye on the seat now occupied by Senator
sherman when the regular term came
round. OF course. ii would not do to be at
once candidate for governor and senator
After having been elected governor, how
ever, he would only be in a better position
to stand for the Senate. The legislature
regular term will be elected also at the
coming state election.
But now comes a vacancy in the Senate
which must be filled by election or ap-
pcintment to a short term. 1t has been
presumed by some that Governor Bushnell
would refuse to appoint Hanna, who has
c6m 10 be regarded as the leader of the
Sherman faction In the state. for the rea-
son that ii Will give him prestige which the
governor could not hope to overcome in the
contest for the regular term. There are
excellent reasons for believing. however
that the governor will be induced by mat
ters of personal consideration to appoint
Mr.. Hanna to the vacant seat.
Three Courses Open.
Three courses lie open TO Governor Bush
nell in the premises. They are these:
l. He may appoint person to the vacan-
Cy-
>. He may call the legislature in special
session to elect a successor to Senator
Sherman.
3. He may do neither; that is he may by
inaction let the seat remain vacant until
the next legislature meets next January
WHEN it will elect senator. There is an
other course suggested. which is that he
may resign the governorship and be ap
pointed 10 the vacancy himself by Lieuten-
ant Governor Jones, who would succeed to
the gOvernorship. 1t is not believed. how
ever. that the governor is capable of this.
Governor Bushnell is anxious to be re-
elected to the office Of governor. Upon his
success in this much of his political future
depends The Sherman faction is easily
offended The members of that faction
are not given to voting the ticket regularly
no matter how the divisions of the spoils is
made. as the Foraker faction does. If he
ofends the Sherman faction. as he will do
mcst grieyously if he fails to appoint to
the vacant seat in the Senate the
whoM they want, and the man whom
President-elect Mckinley wants. he will be
sure TO ALLEVIATE from him large element
he W he 10
coming state election.
If the governor should conclude TO call
the general assembly in special session
with the intention of having that body
elect him to the vacancy. he would run a
very great risk Although the present leg
islature Is known a Foraker body-in
fact, IL is the same that elected Foraker
TO the Senate last winter-it is by TO means
certain that IT could be induced to send
Bushnell TO the Senate. With Mckinley in
the presidential chair, and hostile to Bush
neiIs candidacy for the Senate he could
use the federal patronage against him with
disastrous effect. The Foraker leaders
have mad little experience in this matter
and know what Ii means. 1t is well known.
and by none better than by the Foraker
leaders themselves. that the defeat of For
aker for the Senate five years ago was
accomplished largely by the power of the
nat'Cral admfnistra ton. and Foraker re-
members 1t with bitterness toward EXPIRES
idcnt Harrison Probably half of The mem
bers of the legislature are applicants for
office under President Mckinley. and with
such a condition, Bushnell coull not be
sure OF his ground. To attempt such a
course ard fail would be disastrous defea.
indeed. II would be difficult to see any
political future for the governor after
that
Governor Bushnell has stood firm against
strong movement for special session of
the legislature made by a number of large
interests tfat would like 10 use the body
III their Cwn behalf He has been afraid
that the legislature might do something
that would involve his administration and
make IL difficult for him to secure re-eIec-
ton Once called In special session the
legislature could take what action IL liked.
X could remain in session as long as it
chose. anG give the state what legislation
II desired The governor could not limit
Its action to the election of senator.
lf the governor fails to take the initia-
1--WE step toward the selection of sue
c'ssor 10 Sherman and for that reason
there Is a vacant seat from March 4 next
until the next general assembly meets at
the constitutional time next January the
governor will be severely censured espe-
rally II, as Is generally expected, Presi-
Gent Mckinley calls Congress in special
session Immediately after his Inaugural
ton To allow facticDal fight to cause
vacant seat in the Senate from the
Presidents own state when IL could be
hlled with a member of his own party
would cause criticism almost as severe as
that which was poured upon Conkiing and
PIatt when they fought Garfield.
His Probable Action.
While Gov. Bushnell would wisi. Il other
wise. and many OF the Foraker faction will
urge him 10 ignore Hanna II is overwhelm-
lrgly likely that he will take more con-
siderate action and give the national chair
nan of the psrty the vacant seat He will
thus obhgate the Sherman faction 10 sun
port him In his race for reelection to the
governorship this fall. After that is all
over he can come out as a candidate for
the REGULAR term in the wba nah h.,
rot much 10 lose. The fact that Murat
Halstead went from Ne y York to Cleveland
Mondsy OF this week bearing assurances
nom Gov. Bushnell TO Chairman Hanna of
the most cordial good feeling toward him
Is an Indication from another source th1t
the governor 10 thinking of the matter in
very much the same light as is sought to
De thrcwn upon II in the above which en-
bcdies the best thought of politicians here
at the capital of the state as TO the situa-
t.on.