Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-19
TWO OHIO LEADERS
Most Prominent Opponents Of Senator
Hanna.
CAREERS OF KURTZ and MKISSON
Agreement and Resulted the Zanes-
vile Convention.
THE CLEVELAND CONTESTS
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
CLEVELAND. O., November Is, 1897.
Probably the most prominent figures in
Ohio politics today, Senator Hanna except
ed, are Charles L. Kurtz OF Columbus and
Robert Erastus McKisson, mayor of N.eve-
land. They are the leaders of the so-called
fight against the election OF Senator Han
ma. The opposition to Senator Hanna may
or may not amount to much, but these
young men will get an uncommonly large
amount of advertising, whether it is much
or little. A few words about them may be
interesting
Kurtz is much better known than Nc
Kfsson, although he has never held such
prominent office McKisson now fills
mayor Of Cleveland. Kurtz dabbled in poll
tics in southern Ohio. Athens county, the
southernmost county, where the first de-
gree ever conferred by a university in the
northwest territory was given in 1915, was
his birthplace. He attracted the attention
Of Senator Foraker, while he was governor
of Ohio. Foraker was SO much impressed
with his Sagacity a politician that he
made him his private secretary.
Only an Indian has as long memory as
kurtZ. When in 1889 Foraker was defeat
ed for a third term he satisfied himself
that Forakers undoing was the result of
such eminent Ohioans President Mckin-
ley, Secretary Sherman, Senator Hanna
and Representative Grosvenor. These four
have always been allies in the party pri-
maries and conventions. They constituted
what was first known as the Sherman, then
the Mckinley Sherman, and finally the
Hanna faction. When Kurtz came to that
conclusion his nature forbade him to forget
or to forgive.
Ever since 1889 he has been fighting to
advance the interest of Senator Foraker's
friends and political followers. He was in
the thickest part of the contest for the
senatorial election in 1892 between Secre-
tary Sherman and Senator Foraker. when
Senator Hanna was Sherman's chief lieu
tenant.
The Zal esvilIe Plan.
1t was not until 1895 that Kurtz occu-
pied anything more than a minor posi-
ton. That was the year of the GAINESVILLE
convention, when the Ohio republicans
agreed to do three things. namely, elect
Bushnell governor, send Foraker to the
Senate and put Mckinley in the White
House. kurtz was made chairman of the
executive committee which conducted the
campaign. Bushnell got plurality of 3d.
600 votes and Foraker had a majority of
50 on joint ballot in the legislature. The
next year Mckinley carried the state by
something more than 900 majority.
Kurtz believes Senator Hanna promised
that Governor Bushnell should be per-
mitted to name him for chairman this year.
Senator Hanna, however, had other
plans, and now Kurtz has other plans
about Hanna. He'll may have no fury like
a woman scorned. but there is no other
Ohioan on the republican side of the po-
litical fence to whom revenge is sweeter
than to Kurtz Until this year Kurtz's
feeling against the leaders of the Hanna
faction has been wholly on account of fam
cied injuries to Foraker. This year the
injury has been to kurtZ, and the desire
for revenge is tenfold stronger.
The former chairman is one of the quiet
unassuming sort Of men, His factional
enemies are ready to believe that Machai-
velli is the writer on political economy
he most admireS. When kurtz goes to a
state convention to manage any part of its
forces he doesn't establish himself in a
room that is all windows. II he can find
a hole in the WALL that can be reached
by first ascending to a garnet, then going
down into a cellar. then through a tunnel.
1t suits him better than anything else. The
management Of the GAINESVILLE convention
was his greatest work But no man knew
where Kurtz was doing his work. unless
Kurtz sent messenger for him, until after
the convention was called TO order. By
that time KurtZ had everything arranged
to suit himself. He did not need to MAIN
tain himself in darkness any longer.
Kurtz's Method of Working.
1t is one of the characteristics of the For
a1er faction that its leaders never go into
a convention without fully matured plans
They don't know anything about stamped
ing a convention. They set up Foraker
delegations in each county and If they lose
in the primaries, they don't, as a rule ex-
pect to be able to accomplish anything by
wild cheering" '.long continued APP
plause," and such adjuncts in the conven-
ton. Senator Hanna followed their meth
OBS in preparing for the st. Louis conven-
ton.
To Kurtz, as much as anyone else. is due
the system which is used in Ohio. He
thinks about plans. He is no speech
maker. He is not a talker. and he never
appears to be agitated or fiurried. If he
only had a round. moon-like face he could
give the smile that is called "childlike and
bland" Sharp. restless eyes and a sharp
nose however. are, in his case, indicators
of the sharp and active mind.
CIeveln nd's Young Mayor.
Robert Erastus McKisson was born and
reared on a farm fifteen miles south of
Cleveland. He is just a few days more
than "a years old, but he doesn't look a
day over q or "a. He is so young that he
can't even grow a mustache. His political
enemies tried ridicule and called him the
blue-eyed boy. They made fun of the blue
eyed boys he appointed members of his
cabinet. That was two years ago when
McKisson was elected the first time. They
said he would be the "deadest' politician
in town. yet he defeated the man who ran
against hin. for the nomination by 1900
votes. The election he won by $500 votes,
although he was opposed by dozens of Mr..
Hanna's political workers. He is the first
man to be elected mayor twice since the
city has been organized on the so-called
federal plan. Under this plan the mayor
only is elected. He appoints the heads of
departments and these directors constitute
what is commonly called his cabinet.
This matter of patronage has been the
rock upon which the political fortunes of
McKisson's predecessors have been shat
tered. In making up their cabinets they
disappointed SO many party workers that
yhara hoy rQ-Ql hav
were slaughtered by the disappointed ones.
McKisson, however, notwithstanding his
few years and looks that caused him to be
called 1.-The boy wonder" organized a ma
chine and broke the one-term record. Al
though he has not yet served half of his
second term, he is already a candidate for
third term-something which no other |
man in Cleveland has ever had. But pat
ronage with McKisson appears to be an |
element Of strength, not weakness. |
MAY s.I4ef=IIn,, ON Hanua