The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-21


state convention thus far chosen are
friendly to the national administration.
But it is not revenge alone which
prompts the national adn1nlStra ton
forces to thus enter the arena of Ohio
politics and wage war against their en-
emies There are greater and far more
potent reasons for their action, and one
does not have to search far to find
them. President Mckinley knows that
the defeat of Senator Hanna for re-
election to the United States Sena te
would deal a vital blow to the admins
tratiOn. Mr.. Hanna is regarded as the
mouthpiece Of the president in the SEN
ate His long time and intimate friend
ship for Mckinley, together with his la
bOrs last year to elect him, have c0u-
pied the names of Mckinley and Hanna
together in the public mind, and the
latter's defeat could not otherwise be re
garded than as Reputation of the
new administration. Further, should a
Democrat succeed Mr.. Hanna, Senator
Foraker would be elevated to a place of
Importance in Ohio affairs which could
lily be brooked by the president. AS
the sole Republican senator from Ohio,
patronage would be given him and his
friends which might otherwise go to the
friends of the administration, and four
years from now Major Mckinley might
find his enemies so sOlidly entrenched
that he could with difficulty obtain the
Endorsement OF his native state for
second term. He, therefore, fears For
aker and is afraid to have the direction
of the affairs of the party in the state
IN MS nanQS. Hence II IS InaI the guns
of the national Republican organization
are trained on the Buckeye state and
Major c. W. F. Dick, secretary of the
national Republican committee, is in
Ohio with orders to secure control of
the party machinery. He has been here
for month, and, according to the best
information Obtainable, he has been
successful in so manipulating county
conventions that not only are the new
county committees friendly to the ad-
ministra ton, but the delegations to the
state convention are of a similar COM
plexiOn.
The state convention viii be called to
order at 4 o'clock Tuesday afternoon,
but the interesting event of the whole
convention will take place before that
hour, for at 2:3O o'clock the various
delegations will meet to choose their
representatives on the state committee.
II the claims of the Hanna men are
true, majority of the twenty-one new !
committeeman Will be administration |
men. The convention will then be
held, harmony will prevail, Bushnell |
will be renOminated for governor and |
Hanna will be indorsed for the United |
States senate. Then these two gentle |
men viii come together to discuss cam |
paign plans. Governor Bushnell will |
seek to name the chairman of the ex-
ecutive committee, according to Gus |
tom, but to this Mr.. Hanna viii /
interpose an objection, and will claim |
that prerOgative for himself. Bush |
nell will name Kurtz. Hanna Will |
state committee will be called on to de
eide and Hanna's man will be elected.
The conquest will be complete.
1t cannot positively be stated that
Major Dick will be the chairman of |
the executive committee. 1t can, how
ever, be positively stated that Mr.. |
Hanna told the major before the latter
left Washington that if he wanted the |
craftsmanship he could have it. But
Major Dick declined on the ground that
he had won all the glory the office held.
However, he said if Mr.. Hanna and the
president desired him to step into the
saddle he would do the beheStS of his
chiefs.
The matter was left that way and
while it is not unlikely that Major Dick
will be named, there are several urgent
reasons why he should not be. First, |
because he is persona non grata to the
Foraker people, on account Of his close
alliance with the administration, and,
second, because his duties as secretary
Of the national committee already de-
nand his entire attention.
A third reason, and really the most
mpOrtant, why Major Dick should not
accept the craftsmanship, is that Sena-
tor Hanna will need him to assist in
The legislative campaign. The Hanna |
people regard Governor Bushnell as a.
weak candidate. They fear he will
not be elected, and they are therefore |
1esirOus of so separating the state and
legislative campaign that BushnelPs
1efeat will not entail the defeat of the
Republican candidates for the legisla-
-ure. A further reason for thus separ-
ating the campaign is fear of du-
Dlicity on the part of the F'OrakeriteS.
Foraker is a bold operator in politics.
His aggressiveness has made the Ohio
campaign noted. No position has
been too high for him to aspire to, nor
any stake too small for him to play for, |
f, by winning, his own position would
De fortified even to small degree. 1t
S still fresh in the minds of the peO-
Die of Ohio how Foraker aspired to sue
iced Sherman six years ago, and how
5tealthily he planned his campaign. 1t
was only yesterday that a gentleman,
who refused to be quoted because he
stands high in the Hanna councils, and
he Hanna people do not openly abuse
Foraker, related a tale, charging that
Foraker sought to be reelected to the
chair for a third term by
making deals to throw county elections
% the Democrats in return for sup
port.
Major c. w F. Dick was one of the
men whom Foraker sought to throw
Town. That was before Major Dick
got into national prominence. He was
lot a public character then. Neither
vas he a major. He was simply plain
Mr.. Dick, and he wanted to be re
elected auditor of Summit county The
t'Oraker people tried to sacrifice him
~ Offering to back his Democratic op-
0onent in return for support to the
lead of the ticket. Major Dick was
= ctA1AGu u the 0auSeI5 ana ne scored his
1rst victory against the Foraker fac
ion at that time. Since then Major
Dick has entered the larger field of
politics, but he has never forgotten
hat episode. Every act of the Fora
Ier leaders is regarded in the light of
hat experience, and now that Major
Dick is second in control of the ma
ional organization of the party it is
L labor of love with him to make the
light he is now waging.
The Hanna people fear a similar trick
nay be resOrted to this year in regard
o the legislature, because Foraker has
very reason to desire a Democratic
colleague. They intend, therefore. to
prepare for war and not only secure
control of the state Organiza ton and
nus be in close touch with Bushnell.
mt n Conduct a Sar,a "a 70 -. /