Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-03
THE FIGHT HOT.
Confusion Apt to Reign in Ohio's
Legislative Halls.
Precautions to Preserve Order Have Peen
Taken Bushnell Accused of Sailing
Under False Colors.

Columbus, o., Jan, 2.-There are in
dications tonight here Of serious disor-
der at the state house tomorrow. Since
the caucus of last night both the Hanna
men and opposition are claiming enough
votes for the organization of the house,
and an exciting time, to say the least,
seems inevitable.
No trouble is feared in the senate
chamber as it is believed that Senator
Burke, one Of the republicans, will re-
main away, and thus permit the demo-
Gratis to elect the officers in that body
At the republican house caucus last
night, there were 10 absentees, and Box
well, the Hanna candidate. received
only 50 votes for the nomination, where
as So votes will be required tomorrow
for his election, if all are present. I'm
der the law, after 10 ballots are taken,
the candidate receiving the highest
number of votes will be declared elect
ed, even if it should then not be ma
jority over all.
Mr.. Boxwell, without giving any
names, claims to have three additional
votes necessary for election.
Secretary of State Kinney, a strong
Hanna man, will preside in the house
until that body elects a speaker. In
anticipation of his rulings, there have
been threats made during the day. Mr.
Kinney is said to have selected d
strong force of temporary sergeants-at-
arms, to be ready for any emergency.
The combination of democrats and
anti-Hanna republicans claim tonight
that they will elect Harry c. Mason of
Cleveland, an anti-Hanna republican,
as speaker, and seat him.
Disorder is feared previous to the bal
lot and possibly during the balloting and
the counting Of votes. The opposition
claim AT democratic votes in the house
solid, and nine republican votes or more
than enough to elect the Mason ticket
Three democratic members, who are
opposed to fusion, or rather to voting
for republicans for speaker and other
officers, would not enter the democratic
caucus last night until they had been
assured that they would not be pledged
TO vote for republican nominees.
The opposition to Boxwell tonight has
declared that any excess of SO votes
cast for him for speaker would be fol-
lowed by an investigation, and there
are charges and counter charges of I'M
due influence on both sides.
Judge George K. Nash, chairman Of
the republican state executive commit
tee, today sent a letter to Gov. Bush
nell resigning his position as trustee
of the Ohio asylum, at Gallipolis, for cpl
leptics, to which position Judge Nash
had been appointed by Gov Bushnell.
Judge Nash said tonight:
con Friday 1 was informed by a most
reliable gentleman that Gov Bushnell
said that the republican state executive
committee in the recent campaign, did
not do a thing to assist him as candi-
date. In justice to my scciates on
that committee, than whom more 10y
al set of men to a party ticket, and to
a great cause, was never banded to-
gether, as we'll as to myself, as the
chairman 1 could not do otherwise than
resent the insult. Again, if Gov Bush
nell really believes that [ was disloyal
to him as chairman, he must be very
uneasy as to whether 1 will properly
perform my duties as an officer, I de-
sire to relieve his mind of this | am
also disguised with the conduct Of Gov,
Bushnell before election. In public
speeches he pretended that he desired
Mr.. Hanna's return to the senate Since
that time he has consorted with the en-
ernies of the republican party to defeat
the will of the people, I look upon this
as square case of obtaining votes by
false pretences."
Judge Mash, chairman of the state
committee, is taking an active interest
In the election of Senator Hanna. and
claims that the last state convention at
Toledo named Mr. Hanna for senator,
as we'll as nominated Mr. Bushnell for
governor.
At the last state convention in Toledo
Mr. Bushnell wanted Charles L. Kurt
selected as chairman of the state exec
utiVe committee, a position which Mr.
Kurtz had held for two previous cam
paigns, in 1895, when Bushnell was first
elected governor, and in 1885, when the
presidential ticket was in the field. 1t
is claimed that the head of the state
ticket, by precedence, has always named
the state campaign chairman. In 1896,
Secretary of State Kinney headed the
state ticket and opposed Kurtz for
chairman, but Gov. Bushnell secured the
reappointment Of Kurt as chairman over
the protest of Kinney. When the last
state convention nominated Bushnell for
governor and Hanna for senator, the
latter defeated Kurtz for chairman and
secured the election of Nash for chair
man. This is the cause of the present
fight against Hanna
1t has involved all the old fights of
former years that existed between what
were called the Sherman and the Foster
factions, and later between the so-calaed
Mckinley and the Foraker factions.
Until now the lines are drawn between
what are termed the Hanna and the
Bushnell factions; but these factionalI
fights never included a combine with the
democrats until the present contest.