The herald., 1898-01-06


lie. besides. invested with far-extend-
Ing interest, in no sense bounded by state
or sectional lines. It would not have
been possible however. but for the quar-
rels and intrigues and jealousies Of the
warning Republican leaders within the
commonwealth.
The party was victorious in the last
election and controls the legislature by
a good working majority. Moreover. the
state convention pronounced unequivo-
cally in favor of the return of M. A..
Hanna to the senate. Under the circum-
stances his election would seem to be a
mere matter Of form. Why such is now
improbable is due to the imbroglio re-
ferred to between the warning chieftains
of the party.
The opposition that has developed is
directly chargeable to the influence of
Senator Foraker, although that astute
marplot denies responsibility and public
ly declares his loyalty to the choice of
the state convention. But Mr.. Foraker
has before demonstrated his ability to
smile and smile and be a villain still, and
his hostility to Hanna and the influences
behind him are but poorly concealed.
His own political future is staked upon
the issue, and we are not sure that the
menace to his party's continued DONNA
ton in the state will cause him to relax
the efforts he is making by proxy to
foII 80 T.. toe
incidentally, it should be mentioned that
since 1884 Mr.. Foraker has carefully and
tenderly nursed presidential aspirations,
and it is alleged that he is, and has been,
a foe to every man who seemed to stand
in his way.
Now, Mr.. Mckinley no sooner warmed
the executive chair before he began prep
arations for the succession. Foraker in
the senate was a formidable stumbling
block. Sherman was growing old and
infirm, and was deemed no match for
the willy Foraker, who was liable to be
troublesome to the administration pro-
gram. The substitution of Hanna for
Sherman would accomplish the double
purpose of rewarding the man who had
made McKinley's triumph possible and
at the same time give him an assured
supporter in the senate, one capable of
coping with the adroit and sleepless For
alSer. Sherman readily lent himself to
the scheme, since he felt abundantly
compensated with the premiership, and
Governor Bushnell as readily exchanged
a senatorial commission for the promise
of a second term.
But much work remained to be done,
and Mr.. Hanna set about the accom-
plishment of it, with that phenomenal
energy which characterized his conduct
of the national campaign. 1t was nee
essary for him to control the forthcom-
ing convention of his party and secure
an Endorsement for reelection. How
well he succeeded in this endeavor is
now history. But his achievement was
costly, and we do not by this refer to
the vast sums of money he used in the
PEELED, whether by reason of fancied ne
cessity or to crafty personal revenge,
to antagonize the friends of Foraker in
every part of the commonwealth and to
embitter them against his candidacy.
The result is shown in the anomalous
situation that has obtained at Columbus
this week, of a Republican legislature |
organized in opposition to him and his |
ambition, and in direct contempt of the |
indicated preference of the party as eX
pressed in the last state convention. Mr.. |
Hanna carried the primaries of his par
ty, controlled the convention and elected |
the legislature. But Mr. Foralker's heel |
is upon his neck, and it is questionable |
if he will ever be allowed to rise. If |
money will ransom him he will be re-
leased. No other power can save him. |
Mr.. Foraker is likely to be avenged upon
the Sherman Mckinley faction for de-
feating him for a denomination to the
governorshp, when he deemed the in
dorsement essential to the success Of his
presidential aspirations, and, later, for
their successful combination to keep him
out of the senate in 1892.
Incidentally the cause of decency will
have an inning, for the whole country
has come to look upon Mark Hanna as
the essence of all that is vicious in Amer
lean politics. Nor is their conviction
likely to be changed by Major Dicks
charge of the campaign, for Major Dick
has already distinguished himself as
painstaking student of human nature
and a discriminative dispenser of certi-
fed checks. Interest in the negotiations
will continue unflagging to the end.
>b-
NEEDLESS sQUABBLING