The evening times., 1897-12-27
KURTz PUZZLES HANNA.
Leads the Opposition and /. Mak,n

l-caOS TIE SIn1OSitlOu anu 10 Nhanuss
the Fight In Secret.
Columbus, Ohio, Dec. 81 There WAS
calm In the Senatorial situation here Ia
night like thar which iprecedes q storm.
AROUND the hotel Iobbies che advance guard
OF the Hanna aud the anti H anna forcesa'e
beginning to arrive, but this is Ill. They
are dropping in s:ngiy and quietly, itafng
out the line OF action for the coming week.
Senator Hanna is to arrive next Sunday
evening, and with him will come a del.gi-
ton OF 200 business men from Clev,ianl.
This contingent is to demand the Senator's
reelection, and, IL possible, to carry the
contest for him by force OF numbers. With
the Senator Will be a coterie Of his trusted
lieutenants.
Mr.. Hanna Will have headquarters at
the Neil House, but his workers will re
stationed at all the principal hotels here.
The contest upon the part of the Hanna
men Is to be Of the most aggressive cl ar
acter The Senator Will direct it from his
central headquarters In person.
The opposition to Mr.. Hanna is more
formidable than is generally known. 1t
is movement, which, during the past five
Of six weeks, has been promoted with The
greatest possible secrecy, and SO success
fully In this respect as largely to avoid
any accurate estimate OF its proportions.
1t is intended by the anti-Hanna men,
who are under the leadership OF fOriner
State Chairman Kurtz, to spiing coup
upon the Senator when there is no time 3"
counteract oil, defeat 1t.
The KUrtz followers say that tie Sena-
tor is beaten by a. safe majority. Tms
statement is made with full knowledge
OF the in mense pressure which Mr.. Hanna
will bring to bear uponEway ering leSisl1-
tors. II is a question WI ether or net ire
Republican legislators in sympathy with
the Kurt: moN ement San Withstand this
pressure for 1t will lave bchindit the full
weight Of the rational Administration.
Hanna men contend that there is but one
outcome TO the cOritest-the Senator's re-
election. But. asa matter OF fact, they
are show ing more concern over the itua-
ton than they are willing to admit.
One OF tire foremost leaders Of the anti
Hanna forces said last night: I'VE have Mr.
Hanna beaten, and there is no way in
which he can now be elected"
But will the Republicans whom you
have inti oduced in the movement be able
to Withstand the pressure Mr.. Hanna Will
bring to .ear upon them?" was asked.
Yes, they WILL" was the reply We
have counted that in our estimate OF the
situation, and can say with truth that we
can prov ide for it four times over
There is much speculation as to WHO, in
the event OF the Senator's defeat, would
De- Ill .e
spoken of generally in this connection. and
so is Mr.. Kurtz. There is some talk of
other candidates, but the prospect seems
to have resol, ed itself to the governor
and Mr. Kurtz. with chances decidedly in
favor of the latter.
The Hanna men have circulated Il story
here that in return for his election as
Senator Gov. Bushnell has agreed to accept
the Bryan idea of finance. This staten, ut
was given circulation with the view Of
weakening tie anti Hanna forces, but 1t
seems to have been generally construed
as an evidence of weak ening upon the part
or the Senator's forces. Gov. Bushnell says
the statement is simply absurd. On the
Senatorial situation in general he pre-
serves discreet, IL somewhat signif ant,
silence.
II seems probable that the an:tH Iuna
Republicans will take no part in the joint
Senatorial caucus to be held next " ednes-
day evening. This will be in line with
what has been understood to be their plan
since the contest began. II they refuse to
attend. IL VIII ne On the ground that they
cannot then be boand by any action which
the cauo US may take.
1t may be that separate caucus will be
held and the policy to be followed decided
upon at that time, but this does not seem
To have been definitely determined.
Probably the decision not 10 attend has
been stimulated by the announceme that
the caucus is To be an open one. Had 1t
been held behind closed doors, as is TN.
general rule. the anti Hanna men might
have entere,, it with the understanding that
they were not friendly TO the Senator IS
candidacy and would not be bound by the
caucus de cision.