The San Francisco call., 1898-01-01
Goes Quietly to Columbus to Personally Direct
 His Campaign.
State En1ployes of Ohio Are, ot Course, Among the Bush
 nell Workers.
LEGISLATORS LINING UP.
And Now It Remains to Be Seen if the Republican Pledges Will Be
 Carried Out.
Special Dispatch to The Call.


 COLUMBUS, Dec. 31-Nearly all of the members elect of the Legislature have arrived in this city tonight, and the senatorial skirmish is at it's height. Not since the senatorial election of six years ago, when the Sherman -Foraker contest was on, have there been so many politicians in the city at one time. Many have come merely out of curiosity, but large number are here to take active part in the contest be- tween the Hanna and anti-Hanna Re publicans. To the Republicans at large the situation is ineXplicable. The anti Hanna Republicans actually in evidence are so few in number that the uninitiated can scarcely comprehend why there should be such a struggle Charles s. Kurtz, who is the leader of the opposition to Senator Hanna, to-day assumed personal charge of the anti-Hanna headquarters at the Great Southern Hotel, and a small army of workers, mostly appointees of Gov ernor Bushnell in the States depart ments and the State institutions, be- sieged the rooms. The activity at the Hanna headquarters at the three lead- ing hotels was even more formidable.
 The developments of the day were decidedly favorable to MT. Hanna, on the surface at least. The arrival of MT. Hanna on the scene during the af- ternoon seemed to turn the tide slight ly in his favor His arrival was a sur prise to those not in touch with the managers of MT. Hannas interests, as he was not expected, according to pre- vious announcements, until Sunday. This change of programme was con- Strued by some to indicate that MT. Hanna's managers considered the situ- ation desperate. but there was nothing co indicate that this surnise was well founded. On the contrary, Major Dick and his coworkers at the Hanna head quarters were in the most cheerful spirits and took a more hopeful view of the situation than yesterday.
 There was some rejoicing over the public declarations of Representatives Redkey of Highland County and Smith of Delaware County that they would vote for MT. Hanna. Both of these Representative had been claim ed by the opposition. MT. Redkey comes from a county where it was expected the majority of his party would indorse his stand against MT. Ednnd, II IIldlHldluGQ. IltpIeSSHldIlNG Smith had a war of words with Mir. Kurtz as a result of his desertion from . the anti-Hanna ranks. Representa- tiVes Mason and Brambley of Cuyahoga now stand practically alone in their open opposition to Mir. Hanna, al- though they do not represent the strength of the anti-Hanna Republi- cans. The others have, up to this time, kept closely under cover. RepreSen- tative Mason is the avowed candidate of MT. Kurtz for Speaker in opposi- tion to NJ. BoXwell.
 Senator Jones of Youngstown arrived this evening. He was reported to have said that MT. Hanna would be defeat ed. In an interview he said: T am here to do my sworn duty under the constitution I shall preside at the or ganization of the Senate, and think there will be no trouble. As to the Senatorial contest, 1 know nothing about it, neither do l propose to take a hand in the matter. It is my place and duty to be strictly neutral, and that is the position I will occupy. hope everything will come out satis- factory to the Republican party. What more can I say?"
 Hanna badges were conspicuous about the hotel Hobbies tonight. They bore a picture of Mir. Hanna and the words, For Senator, the party s choice" The Senator was besieged by callers ali the evening, but accorded a correspondent an interview. In re- sponse to an inquiry as to what he thought of the situation he said:
 "The contest between the Republi- can and Democratic parties was set tied by the people at the polls last November. The verdict was in favor of the Republican party and its plat form. Since then I have not said any thing or given any good reason why the verdict should be changed
 "The Toledo convention recommended the whole State ticket and indorsed the administration of President Mckinley and Governor Bushnell. The platform was adopted by the State convention by unanimous vote. It contained an in- dorsement of my candidacy for the United States Senate, and so far as the party could do in the State conven- tion it was committed to my election to the high office to which I aspire That combined action was part of the platform of the party, and therefore Republicans all over the State think the fruits of the victory obtained by the success of the Republican party al the polls means nothing less than that the will of the voters, as expressed last November, shall be carried out by theii representatives in the General Assem- bly, I know of no reason why there should be any change in the pro- gramme adopted at Toledo, and having faith in the loyalty and patriotism oi the Republicans of Ohio I have no req son to doubt the fulfillment of the pledges made to the people,
 What do you think of the action oi Mir. Kurtz?"
 ''I do not see any occasion why ] should indulge in personalities. con- slider that my own personality in this contest is insignificant as compared to the importance of this issue, as affect ing the future welfare of the Republi- can party. I will merely state that l am confident that the attempt to de- feat the will of the party will not be successful"