The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-05

Show Their Hand.
| Columbus, Ohio, January 1.-The politi-
cal future of Senator Hanna is certainly
tonight in a closely poised balance.
While there are now reported to be only
nine dissenters among the so Republican
in the House, yet the really doubtful
list is limited to two or three. Some
Of the dissenting Republicans are not
likely ever to be reconciled to Hanna.
They have burned their bridges behind
them and openly admit it.
Representatives Griffith of Union,
and.ssJoyce of Guernsey who voted with
the 60 combine" on the organization of
the House, stated today that they would
vote for Hanna.
This gives Hanna 81 in the House and
II in the Senate, total of H. or two
short of the necessary majority. Droste
Of Hamilton, who voted for Boxwell for
vote for Gerard, silver Republican for
senator, SO that the net gain for Hanna
todays.over the vote on the organization
in only 1. The Hanna men say they ex-
pect to get the votes of Scott of Fulton
and Sultan of Carroll, who are instructed
for Hanna and voted with the combine
on the organization On the other hand,
the combination managers say that Scott
and sultan will remain with them to q
finish and that they expect to set Snider
of Greene and Redkay of Highland, who
voted for Boxwell for speaker. The
doubtful members are being offered their
choice Of chairmanships and given op-
portunity to mako all other selections
they want. The power of the organiza-
tion of the House is certainly being used
to the greatest possible advantage and
| its intiuenoe is not to be underestimated
in connection with the support of the
state administration. While Mr.. Kurtz
and his assistants will make no state
ments, yet they are holding back the ap-
pointments on the committees and other
patronage in anticipation of gaining
several votes on the senatorial ballot.
| In holding it's men in line the "com-
blne" is having trouble with some of the
65 Democratic members. 1t is believed
that Mayor McKisson will give way to
Kurtz for the short term for senator
while Gov. Bushnell has all along been
regarded as the candidate for the long
tenn. Representatives Wiley of Wayne,
Powell of Morrow, Niles of Lucas and
other radical free silver Democrats, are
not satisfied with kurtz and Bushnell,
and if they are to vote for Republicans
| they want them with pronounced silver
records, like that of Gerard and others
that are named. Some of the Democratic
mem bers insist that the breach is so wide
and SO deep now between the sRepubli-
cans that John r. Mclean or some 9TH
er free silver Democrat can be elected
over Hanna.
| hQ tx-H Hbo
| licans that they would have no joint SEN
atorial caucus tomorrow night or at any
time previous to the balloting for sena-
tor, will compel all to continue in this
guerilla warfare for another week, but
with the result depending on the action
of two or three doubtful members neith-
er side could show its hand without ex-
posing the recruits or the desert to a
| terrific fire for at least week. Ae o.
| The Senate and the House will ballot
separately next Tuesday for senator. The
Senate will stand 10 to II against Hanna
by Senator Burke voting with the Dem
ocrats. The House on Monday stood So
to So. Il is now 55 to 81 against Hanna.
| This will settle the contest If the COM
bine'' in both can concentrate on any
| candidate against Hanna and when the
two houses met on the following day,
Wednesday, January 10, to canvass in
joint assembly the vote of the previous
|
there would be nothing to except to
announce the total result OF "A to II
against Hanna. But if Hanna has not
majority q week hence i6 is doubtful
whether any opponents will have it and
the general prediction is for 8 doad look.
| "The ombine" tonight is charging
| that Hanna is in such desperate straits is
| TO be forced "to swap horses" while cross
ing the stream, owing to Republicans de-
Gliding to hold no caucus.
| The plank in the Republican state
| platform at Toledo last June is being
freely cited. 1t is as follows:
1.-The thanks of the people of this state
are due to Senators Foraker and Hanna
for their splendid efforts during the pres
ent session of Congress, and we congratu-
| late the people of the state and nation
and his eminent and proven fitness for.
| the position, we, endorse the candidacy
of Marcus A. Hanna for U. S. senator to
succeed himself and pledge the support of
| the party in the next general assem- bly,
to his election to both the sh ort and the
| long terms.
Columbus, Ohio, January 4.-Prior to
the assembling of the legislature today,
there were conferences on both sides in
the senatorial contest. The Hanna men
claimed to have secured pledges from Re-
presentatives Griffith of Union and Joyce
of Carroll, who voted for Masonsyesterday
for speaker, but with these doubtful
accessions they were still short two votes
of enough to elect.
While Hanna's friends are working
here, the Republican county committees,
clubs and other organizations at the
homes of the doubtful Republican men,
bersl have ~ been enlisted, and many dele
cations of visiting statesmen are arriving,
one of the first being from the home of
Gov. Bushnell of Springfield.
The combined opposition to Senator
Hanna IL still uncertain as to oandi-
date. :
Some Democrats object to Gov. Bush
nell or Mayor McKisson or Mr.. Krutz
or any other Republican that has yet
been suggested. While the opposltion
has informally announced several names
for Senator, there has been no fixed act
ion on that selection.
| ha Ia ct Hanna