The age-herald., 1898-01-07
THE OPPOSITION
 ON THE DEFENSIVE It Holds the Fort While Hanna Storms the BreastworkS. SETTLED DOWN TO A SIEGE Captains Hurtz and Bushnell Feel Vel Fortified and Are Confident. AHss WELL ORGANIZED AND DRILLED Have Executed All Man0euvres Decided On In the Council of War. FEW DIsSENsIONs IN THE RANKS Are Not Exactly Decided as to Whom They Desire For rCommander-in-Chief,B But
 Are Unanimous in Their
 Hatred to Mark Hanna.
Have Executed All Manoeuvres Decided
 On In the Council of War.
FEW D1ssENsIoNs IN THE RANKS

mates tonight place the legislative vote at 75 to 70 against Senator Hanna. The work CTS of the senator claim n votes and assur- ances of the necessary two additional votes and possibly four more.
 The opposition insists that Hanna will never have 70 votes on joint ballot and that they have gained two votes since the leg islature adjourned over till Monday Be- fore the chairman and preferred places and other patronage are disposed Of the opposition say that Hannas vote will be reduced below 70, which is at least three short of enough to elect.
 The opposition to Hanna consists of 65 democratic members and ten republican members.
 The contest has settled down to siege in which the opposition holds the fort, and the Hanna men are charging on the breast works. With the organization of the leg islature, the state administration and other ramparts, the opposition feels fortified. It is conceded that the opposition is well or ganized and drilled and also desperate in this fight. Ever since Kurtz was retired as state chairman by Hanna at tho state convention in Toledo last June, efforts have been made to retire Hanna, and there 
 Executed All Plans.
 So far the opposition to Hanna is not only holding its men well in line, but it has ex- ecuted all the plans provided for previous to the caucus on last Saturday night The opposition managers say they are having no trouble to hold their men out against Hanna, but admit their trouble in finding any candidate for whom all the "bolting'' republicans and the democratic members will vote. The "bolting'' republicans are unanimous in declaring they cannot vote for any democrat under the circumstances for senator Enough democratic members to give the managers trouble and anxiety say they do not want to vote for repub- lican for senator.
 The solictude of "the combine" on this issue Is shown in the following editorial leader in this evenings issue of the demo- cratic press, the organ of the combined op- position to Senator Hanna:
 ''The democratic members of the legisla- ture now have 1t in their power to defeat M. A. Hanna for the senate, and the blame for failure to do 1t will rest with them. They can make no satisfactory explana tion if they fail. Stupidity in such emergency as the present is as intolerable as guilt.
 No Other Meaning.
 ''Every republican vote against Boxwell for speaker was cast to show unfaltering opposition to Hanna and has no other meaning whatever If so, the overthrow of Hanna can be accomplished by the same union of Bryan democrats and Foraker re- publicans that defeated Boxwell and elect ed Mason speaker. How can this be brought about? Of course, Hanna cannot be elected so long as every democrat and Foraker re- publican is in his seat and refuses to vote for him. But if any of them remain away when the vote is being taken he may be elected Cor so declared) by less than ma jority of the assembly. To guard against this chance let every democratic member be present when the ballots for senator are taken. This will not only defeat Han- mas election, but it will insure the election of another. A failure of the democrats and Foraker republicans to agree is exactly the opportunity Hanna seeks.
 ''Let no democratic member of the legis- lature suppose a time will ever arise during the session when democratic candidate for the senate can be elected. No Foraker republican can be induced to- read himself out of his party and thereby justify the
  now being made by the Hanna faction.
 Let No Democrat Hesitate.
 But as these Foraker republicans stand ready now to unite with the Bryan demo- crats to agree upon republican other than Mark Hanna, let no democratic member hesitate Let the fusion be as complete be- tween all who oppose Hanna as it was in opposition to Boxwell, so that Hanna enn be defeated and some opponent elected on the very first ballot This is the onls sure method to out-general Hanna.
 "It is not only idle, but it is folly to talk about electing a democratic senator, or casting complimentary votes for popular democrats. No man worthy to be senator in the democratic party in Ohio desires in this crisis to receive complimentary vote from any democratic member of the leg islature.
 ''On the contrary, any man in the dem- ocratic party who permits a complimentary