The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-08
THE INDIANA HANNA.
The Personality of the sound-MOney
Leader Attracts Attention.

how he came to be so identified with it's
progress. Mr.. Hanna is a remarkable man
and deserves more than the passing refer
ence which, as chairman of the executive
committee OF the indianapolis monetary
commission, his name usually receives. Per-
sonally he had no more at stake in currency
reform than the ordinary business man of
Boston, Chicago or st. Paul. He has had no
personal plan or scheme that he desired to
see enacted but as thrifty and prosperous
manufacturer of stationary engines in In
dianapolis he reached the conclusion after
the presidential campaign of 1896 that the
currency question should be taken out Of
politics and that our present monetary sys-
tenn was most chaotic and unsatisfactory.
To this idea Mr. Hanna has since devoted
his entire time and a considerable part of
his personal fortune. He left his business
In the hands of trusted superintendent
whom he has made sharers with him in the
concerns prosperity, and started out like
q crusader of old to bring about currency
reform. Whatever may be the outcome of
the present agitation. no one can deny that
Mr.. HannaS accomplishments in awaken
ing public opinion have been remarkable,
and demonstrate anew what one earnest
man can do He first conceived the idea of
calling conference Of Representatives of
Western boards of trade to consider the
general subject. This he laid before the
board of governors of the Indianapolis
Board of Trade on Nov. IS, 1885, in a short
talk, in which he referred to the fact that
public sentiment had not yet crystalliZed in
favor of any specific plan of currency re-
FORM and expressed the belief that a move
ment for definite action had better originate
in the West. This purpose he has steadily
Kept In view, in order that the, project
mlght not be rendered unpopular by being
Identified with Wall street and New Eng
land. Most of the commissioners have been
CHOSEN from the South and West, and an
lndlana congressman was selected to intro
duce the monetary commission bill into the
House of Representatives 1t is a significant
fact that the West has responded far more
project than the East. Mississippi valley
Republicans realize the imminent danger of
free silver, and they know that in many in
stances they owe their election to the gold
standard Democrats, who are particularly
eager for currency reform. Eastern repre-
sentatlVes are much more apathetic. They
see that so long as the free-silver issue re-
mains In politics they will have tremen-
fo"s majorities behind them, whatever
happens, and 50 they are not, as a rule. so
alert to the needs of reform. Free silver,
moreover, looks like something very much
lA4o4 remote IMAM to the Western people.
who have had to make hand-to-hand
The keynote of Mr. Hanna's undertaking
was expressed by him to the Indianapolis
Board Of Trade in these words: mo move
ment could or should succeed that is not
based upon the broadest possible justice and
intelligence and in the entire interest of
the whole people. Such investigation should
only be trusted to those who are great
enough to rise above all party relations and
prejudices, to discard all former ideas when
confronted with better methods, and fairly
and honestly deal with the great question
for the general good and for defense against
the instability of values which has caused
such immeasurable losses to the people Of
this country within the few years just
passed. The business man is the victim of
all such agitation, and / stand in his name
to protest with all possible emphasis against
further risk by delay, lest the opportunity
Slip"
The Indianapolis Board of Trade first in
Vited a conference of representatives from
81: Louis, Cincinnati, Louisville. CLEVELAND,
Columbus, Toledo, Kansas City, Detroit,
Milwaukee, st. Paul New Orleans, Mime
This meeting was for the purpose of decid-
ing upon the basis of a larger convention,
WHICH was held Jan. II, 1897, in Tomlinson
commercial clubs and similar organizations
In all the cities Of the United States hav-
ing 5000 or more inhabitants were invited
TO take part, and about $50 delegates re-
sponded. The country is familiar with this
convention the commission which grew out
of it, and the report which they submitted
achievement was in so bringing public opin-
ion to bear that the President himself asked
Congress to authorize the appointment Of IL
currency commission. =
But Mr.. Hanna did not stop at that or
any other point in the journey, and he is
probably harder at work to-day than ever
before. Headquarters are now maintained
by the commission in Indianapolis and in
the former under the charge
of Mr.. Russell M. Seeds, a newspaper man.
who contributed letters on the progress OF
presidential Indiana the
Transcript, and the Washington office in
charge of Mr.. Jules Guthrdge. a we'll
known newspaper writer. Mr.. Hanna, be-
sides having supervision of the work of
these two bureaus, is almost constantly on
the road, going, from place to place to
awaken and quicken currency reform senti-
ment. He has been wonderfully successful
in all this work. Naturally man of a
free, open countenance, who impresses
purpose, he has everywhere
made friends for the cause he represents
Speaker Reed recently said of him: This
Mr.. Hanna is man who does not appear
to regard those who differ from him as
rogues and criminals When he began
the work there We're few people in the
country really interested in currency reform
and now a very considerable public senti-
ment has been aroused, one which at no
distant day will doubtless be effective in
legislation. Well known to be a strong Re-
Mr.. Hanna has been particularly
successful with his own party, and the Re-
publican organization of his State is to-day
adopted resolutions OF the state committee
proved. His strengthen his own community
BEEN another large fac
tor in the success of his work. The local
business men there have stood behind him,
and from the first expressed their willing
ness to render such financial assistance as
the work might require. and they have been
true to their word. Among the new men
whom he has recently enlisted on the ex-
ecutive committee are w. G. Cornwell of
New York; n. r. Fletcher, of Michigan;
John. B. Henderson, of the District of Co
umbia; Samuel Hill, of Minnesota; Charles
G. jackson, of Massachusetts; Eugene Lev
ering, of Maryland Henry c. Payne, of
Wisconsin; p, B. Stahlman, of Tennessee,
and w. r. Trigg, of Virginia. Mr.. Hanna
himself is now in Minnesota.
Mr. Hanna's home life is most charming.
Mrs. Hanna has been blind for several
years, but they have mitigated the severity
OF the misfortune in many ways. She has
learned to use the typewriter, and he takes
great delight in the letters that he daily re-
ceives from her while away from home, Ill
though frequently She accompanies him on
these trips. They have a combination lri-
cycle upon which they are Ctten seen riding
in and about Indianapolis. An only son is
now student at Harvard. Mr. Hanna is
about fifty-fiVe years old, is a descendant
Of Rev Hugh Hanna, whose statue may be
seen in Dublin. His relatio lsajp With Sen
ator Mark Hanna is very distant.
Loud Bills Defeat.
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