The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1897-02-11
What's the Matter With HANNAH

| montnS, snOulu suddenly ma himself
powerless in matter that most deeply
! concerns himself.
He has been managing the affairs OF
the republican party imperially. He has
waved his royal hand, as it were and
the political face of the nation has
changed. He has spoken the magic
word, and in Ohio, Illinois and Michi-
gan thousands of ripe and lusty voters
appeared at the polls who had never
voted before He issued his royal man
date, and, lol in twinkling, several
states received additions of millions to
their population.
Mr.. Hanna was all-powerful. The
nod of his hand, the lifting of his eye
brows changed the fate of the most
prominent public men. He was king,
dictator, president, of the republican
party, and boss doctor in general. He
mentioned casually to John Sherman
that he wanted a seat in the senate, and
that the man who would make vacancy
for him could be secretary of state. Mr..
Sherman made haste to say that he
was at Mr.. Hanna's service. That be-
ing settled, it was supposed that every
thing was settled. The skids on which
the imperial Hanna was to be slid into
the senate were all creased for the
event, and the great man himself was
astride of them.
He waved his hand maiestically, and
smiled at the JOY he would have in the
slide, But suddenly look of terror
overspread his mobile face. He discov-
cred that the roof of his tuscaloosa
pants had caught ON the head of nail.
No great damage had been done, but
the royal slide had been interrupted.
He dismoanted from the slippery
skids, wiped the perspiration from his
marble brow, and proceeded to examine
the "snag." It was such a small affair
that the great man smiled in disdain
but he grew thoughtful when he saw
that the painted obstruction was marked
compliments of J. B. Foraker" Mr.,
Hanna tried to put it out, but ii
wouldn't break-trie to drive it in, but
| If wouldn't he driven
Then a bright idea struck him, fo1
Mr.. Hanna is as full of bright ideas as
lightning bug is of phosphorescence,
He would ignore the Foraker snag. He,
therefore, got astraddle of the senate
rial skids at point below the dread
snag, He waved his hand and was of
once more, his jocund countenancei illu.
mined by the happy anticipation of vic.
tory. But, slippery as the skids were,
he made small progress, for, just as he
was beginning to slide satisfactorily, al
expression of pain seized him by the
countenance and wrenched it.
Again the roof of his Tuscaloosa
trousers were caught on a snag. Once
more Mr.. Hanna dismounted and ex
amined the obstruction. 1t was labeled
"King regards of Asa Bushnell, gov
ernor, etcettery." The Bushnell snae
was in such position that Mr.. Hanna
could not mount the skids below it, ant
so he sat him down upon the unthaweC
ground, and wondered where all hi
greatness had gone.
And it is q matter well worth look
ing into if only for the sake Of ferret
ing out the moral. Here is a man whC
can make presidents and cabinets, whC
can manipulate great states, and whC
can arrange the machinery to mak'
senators elsewhere; but in his own state
among his own people he is powerless
Having made vacancy for himself, h,
is unable to control the men who max,
senators in his own state. What com
mentary on political power
With the republican party in hi
pocket and the whole vast influence O
public patronage behind him, he is com
PEELED to bow to the inevitable in tn,
shape of Foraker and Bushnell. 1
may be that Mr.. Foraker will finally b
induced to take his hand off the Obi
machine for a mcment, and that Gov
ernor Bushnell will appoint Mr.. Han
ma to the coveted position. But whel
the event occurs the public will knov
that the redonbtable Mr.. Hanna ha
paid very heavy political price fo
his senatorial Office.
Meanwhile, he is by no means sur
= that he can prevail on the Ohio leader
to open the doors of the senate to him
s and he is consoling himself and hi
8 friends with the thought that he ca
q have a snug place IN the cabinet, tn
, place that has been made famous b
the giant bargain counter intellect {
y John Wannamakcr.
Now. the people are interested j
4 these Vaccinations and intrigues an
: state trickeries to this extent: If
will restore prosperity for Mr.. Ham
3 to get the roof of his trousers snagge
y on the senatorial skids in Ohio, let IL
snagging go on. If it will restol
e prosperity for Hanna to go in the ser
4 ate, let the Foraker Bushnell snags /
nth d,.., r,,, NJ Al, oil ,,nnnnnnrr