The herald., 1898-01-13
THURSDAY, JANUARY 13. 1898
THE OHIO BOSS

Hanna has proved his right to be
called the Ohio boss. He has been re-
elected senator from the state of Ohio.
This result has been prophesied for the
last several days, especially by those
who are acquainted with the mex
haustible resources, both of men and
methods. which are at his command.
Backed by the federal brigade of the
state of Ohio and of the United States,
assisted by men who see in this boss
a useful and subservient tool to burden
this country with a gold standard for
the benefit of the capitalists, to continue
a protective tariff for the profit of the
mill owners, to destroy labor organiza-
tions in the interest of mine owners
and to repeal the civil service law for
the advantage of pie-hunters, it is not
to be wondered at that eight stalwart
anti-Hanna Republicans should have
been routed.
But ofttimes there is defeat in victory.
The man who carried the state of Ohio
is elected senator by the votes of men
who hate him, but who, in fear
of him, were forced to sacrifice or
sell their honor and their man
hood in his behalf and for his un-
deserving honor. The boasted leader of
the national Republican party, can
didate for senatorial honors in his ma
tive Republican state of Ohio, after a
vigorous and heated campaign, which
resulted in a Republican Legislature,
secures his election against the wishes
of majoriay of it's members by just one
vote, when he should have had eighteen.
What will this victory profit him? He
has advertised his shallowness as a
statesman, though he has earned repu-
tation as a wire-puller He will accept
this office which few Republicans will
admit he deserves or is competent to fill,
and which no one believes was secured
by fair means. He will go from the
state of Ohio branded with the crime
of having disrupted his own party to
gain his selfish and ambitious ends and
as the first Republican politician of
Ohio who was or is so mean as not to
deserve or to receive his party vote.
In the senate of the United States he
will be cipher as the representative of
the people. He could not be otherwise.
His education, his associations, his in
terests are not and never have been
stands today, as he has always stood,
the champion of all that is dangerous
to republican institutions, and repre-
sents all that foments social unrest and
discord. He will be what he always has
been, a lobbyist and representative of
that class which secures and thrives by
special legislation, a defender of trusts
and the retained attorney for corpora
tions.
The Republican party is responsible
for Hanna and Hannaism. This party
has suffered the Ohio boss and his
methods to become a part of it's creed,
but the silence or Indifference of party
leaders in the Ohio contest is significant.
The rank and file have patiently waited
for the result, but applauded not. They
wear disappointed looks; they conceal
their chagrin and embarrassment. Why
this sudden change from hero worship
to apostasy? What has transpired since
November that the election Of this pres
ident maker is not received with Joyous
huzzas?
No political party can long survive
under the leadership of a man like
Mark Hanna. The state of Ohio. the
stronghold of Republicanism. has dem
onstrated this fact. The rank and file
of any party will not follow a leader in
whom they have no confidence: who
represents interests antagonistic to
theirs who is not in touch with the peo-
pie or with their needs and who acts
upon the principle of ruling or ruinine
his party.
The independent Republicans of the
Ohio legislature, as well as the con-
servative and sensible Democratic mem.
bers, acting upon the broad principle
of the best interests of the state of Ohio
and of the nation, combined their forces
and made a noble fight to defeat this
dangerous man. They have been de-
feated. The Ohio boss has secured ar
undeserved honor, but one which viii
afford him an opportunity to add to his