The Irish standard., 1898-01-15
MARK HANNA'S ELECTION.

MARK HANNA'S ELECTION.
After campaign of excitement char
acterized by disgraceful scenes Mark
Hanna. the corruptionist, was elected
by the legislature of Ohio to succeed
himself in the United States senate.
With all the bulldozing and terrorism
of his henchmen to keep the. Republic
cans in line. he did not have a single
vote to spare. The methods employed
by Hanna and his followers in the con-
test are reprehensible in the extreme
and reflect everlasting discredit on The
state of Ohio. Brides were offered to
members of the legislature to vote for
the president-maker, and one Of them
openly made the charge and demanded
an investigation to enable him to fur
nish positive proof, but Hannas sup
porters absolutely refused to entertain
any question of that kind. 1t is net de-
MED that five men voted for Hanna who
had declared against him and had at one
time been vcciferously opposed to Ills
reelection. Why they changed toward
the close of the contest is not compli-
mentary to them, no matter what ex-
plantations they may Offer Their in
tegrity is not above suspicion, to say
the least of 1t, and many believe that
the champion of plutocracy fixed them"
The incorruptible Republicans who de-
ftantly met Mark Hanna and voted
against him are entitled to the gratitude
of the people. They patriotically placed
country above party and bravely fought
to GUST corruptionist from the legisla-
tive halls at Washington.
The st. Paul Pioneer Press. an organ
of the plutccracy, berates the honorable
men who maintained their dignity and
independence under '.terrible tempta-
tion," and calls them traitors to their
party. 1t says of Hanna: ut is a mag
niflcent personal victory for Mr.. Hanna
himself, and he deserves great credit
for the generalship and tact which en-
abled him to snatch that victory from
the jaws of what at one time seemed
inevitable defeat"
The Minneapolis Tribune, a dyed-in-
the-wool Republican paper, frankly ad-
mits that the election of Hanna was n
scandalous proceeding from beginning to
end, and says: THE Tribune has no
hesitancy in pronouncing the scenes OF
late enacting in Ohio as disgrace TO
the state and the nation. 1t is unneces-
sary to attempt to fix the culpability
upon individuals. The blame lies with
the system of electing United States
senator's"
Not only did Hanna and his agents
bring every pressure to bear upon the
politicians Of Ohio, but they also brought
the women into the contest to help him
in the fight The persecution of Mrs.
Phillips by the wives of the Hannaites
has gone on the wings of the press. The
politicians invaded her home and pro-
vented her from conversing with her
husband who was detained a prisoner
in his own house to keep him from
"fopping." He finally pledged himself
to vote for Hanna, FIRST, last, and all
the time" and did so under the coercive
lash of that gentleman's unscrupulous
henchmen. Hanna's victory under such
circumstances is worse than a defeat,
He has no occasion to feel proud of his
achievement. Were he man of fine
sensibility he would not have taken the
office Of United States senator in that
way on a silver salver. His election in
Ohio gains an unenviable notoriety for
that state. In future presidential cleo
lions Ohio will be given the cold
shoulder by the honest Republicans Of
the country. The election of Hanna
is a stigma upon the escutchecn of The
Buckeye state, and all the water in it's
magnificent river cannot wash away the
stain.