The record-union., 1898-01-04
The Anti-Hanna Combine Win on
the First Test of Strength.
Organize Both the Senate and Lower House
Of the Legislature.
The Hanna Forces Still Confident
of Majority When the Joint
Ballot for Senator is Taken,
While the Opposition Are Quite
as Certain of Carrying the Day.

! COLUMBUS (O.), Jan. 3.-The Sem
atorial contest in the Ohio Legislature
| has become desperate. The combine
of ten anti-Hanna Republicans with
! the Democratic members won at the
caucus last Saturday night, and again
! to-day in organizing both branches of
| the Legislature in the interest Of the
combine" opposition to the reelection
| of Senator Marcus A. Hanna.
There are two more dates for tests
| of strength-the joint Senatorial eau
cuses next Wednesday night and the
| joint baIloting for Senator a week from
next Wednesday, January 18th. The
complications Of the legislative organ
| ization and it's patronage disposed of,
| the Hanna men tonight began a most
desperate fight for the Senatorship.
! The Hanna men deny that they will
| form a coalition with Brice for a gold
! Democrat for Senator, rather than be
beaten by a free silver Republican, or
| that they will do anything else but
fight it out, if it takes all winter. While
! they are not able to give a list long
! enough, they claim that Hanna is
stronger than Boxwell and the other
regular Republican candidates in the
| organization of the Legislature, and
| that the opposition has not enough
votes to elect a Senator. The Hanna
men concede that they have lost the
power of the organization of both
branches, can name no Chairmen, place
| no members in desirable positions on
any of the committees or dispose of any
other State patronage, but they have
carried the war into the home counties
of the "bolting' Republican members,
and expect the necessary changes be-
| fore next Wednesday night.
The developments of last Saturday
night and to-day have caused the Han
ma men to admit that they were out
done in the preliminary organization
for this contest, and that they under
estimated the opposition, and especially
/ the extent of it since the November
election. While ex-Chairnan Kurtz
was thought to have been organizing
against Senator Hanna ever since the
Republican State Convention at To-
ledo in June, yet the participation of
Governor Bushnell and others had not
| been fully anticipated.
The Democratic State headquarters
! have been kept in operation by John K.
Mclean and others ever since the No
vember election, ostensibly to prepare
| for a grand free silver carnival here
on Jackson Day, January Sth. 1t now
| transpires that the Democratic State
| headquarters were kept open to get all
! the Democratic members in line for
what took place to-day. and for the
defeat of Hanna. Meanwhile Mr.. Kurtz
was marshaling every possible Repub-
| lican in line against Hanna, and COM
municating with the Committee on Ar
| rangements for Jackson Day. When
| this fact was no longer concealed to-
night by the opposition, there were
| many Republicans openly complaining
| against Senator Hanna's managers.
! Senator Hanna did not arrive here un-
| til last Friday evening, and was in
| WASHINGTON until the holiday recess.
| He heard complaints about his own alb
sence and about Understanding the
organization of the opposition in a very
good -natured manner, and insisted that
| he would yet win out.
The superior organization of the op-
| position was shown in the combine Sc
curing to-day nearly all Of the doubt
| full votes The opposition has had an
army of workers here for a week, with
detachments kept close to each one of
the doubtful Republicans. The oppo-
sition marched to the Statehouse in line
| like troops, and worked for weeks like
soldiers under orders. They had been
doing picket duty, skirmishing and
walking guard lines, and they had their
| triumphal march in the more than
unusual manner, because of the conf
dence in their organization. The wives
and daughters of the managers of the
combine secured choice seats in ad-
vance in the legislative halls, await
| ing the arrival of the anti Hanna hosts,
| and the most elaborate floral designs
were on hand for the occasion.
The feeling of the Republican mem
bers who voted for their caucus NOM
| inees is openely expressed against Gov
ernor Bushnell more than against
Kurtz and other Republicans who COM
bined with the Democrats.
The state Journal" the Republican
organ of Central Ohio, prints a large
picture of the Governor with heavy
black borders. Some Republican clubs
have cancelled their engagement of
| quarters here for the Inauguration ex-
tests are being received at the State
| house. Colonel IT. w. Moore of Mari
eta, an appointee of Governor Bush
nell. to-day resigned as Trustee of the
State Insane Asylum at Athens.
The feeling of revenge was shown
even in the routing of legislative pro-
| oeedings. Representative Bramley OF
| Cleveland introduced bill to repeal the
hfty-year franchise law for stree. rail-
ways. in which Senator Hanna is large
ly interested. Bramley is a contractor,
who had large contracts under the
municipal administration of Mayor Nc
Kisson. and other members from Cleve-
land who are supporting Hanna are
| said TO have measures ready for
| charges and Investigations at Cleve-
| land that would affect Bramley.
Representative Jones of Stark Coun-
tx. a. Republican who is opposing Han
ma. has been frequently reminded that
the county convention that nominated
him adopted a strong resolution in
structing him to support Hanna. Mr..
Jones was Chairman of the Committee
| on Resolutions in that county conven-
ton. and declared himself for Hanna
l To-day MIR. Jones offered very strong