Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-29

pSdi ih6 VII lIe fortunes OF lHul 'luud1 Vail
d1dates. The Ohio republicans exercise
great freedom in choosing their delegates.
Some are selected through the agency of
legal12ed primaries conducted In accord
ance with the election laws, some by mass
conventions and some are designated by
the county central committees or similar
bodies without regard to popular selection
Most localities can show precedent in favor
of whatever plan they follow. Whenever an
ugly factional split develops there is an
opening for contesting delegations and
that is what has happened this year Some
counties will have three sets of delegates
seeking admission as the representatives of
as many factions.
This is the condition in Cleveland. Sena-
tor Hanna's delegation knocks, respectful
iy, at the door as the representative of the
solid, reputable republicans of Cuyahoga
county who stand for all that is sub
stant1al in the party and who were named
by representative mass convention from
which no reputable republican was ex-
cluded, though the doorkeeper may have
been little particular regarding whom
they let in. Former Mayor McKisson's
delegation doesn't propose to knock at all.
Its purpose is to walk right in by virtue Of
legaiized republican primaries held under
the auspices Of his followers, though the
vote cast was small one. and Mckisson
republicans were the only ones who recos-
nized the primaries by participating in
them. Two months ago when Mckisson
was beaten for mayor by a combination of
democrats, municipal reformers and Hanna
republicans the end of his influence was
predicted The prediction went wrong,
though without patronage or power he
manages to keep together a strong faction.
Third Delegation.
There is also what is known as the Hol-
comb delegation, which is commonly called
one of the sorrows of Mark. Holcomb is
the chairman of what was known as the
Hanna committee of fifteen This was the
offset to the McKisson committee of fifteen
when the republican factions refused to
coaiesce in the . campaign management.
Mckisson con trfved that his committee
melted away in the county convention fol-
lowing his primaries. The Hanna commit
tee was to merge Its existence into the
mass convention, but Chairman Holcomb
and some of his associates would not con-
sent to he merged. by virtue of their au-
thority,' which had heretofore been recog-
nized by the Hanna followers they named
delegates to the state convention, and de-
clared that further proceedings in Cuya-
hoga county were irregular and of no party
force. That Is enc of the emharrassments
which has come to Senator Hanna from
too much trustfuneSs, causing his friends
to depore the ingratitude of human nature
and his enemies to laugh at the sorrows
Of Mark. These delegates named by the
one-time Hanna committee Of fifteen are
for Daugherty for governor.
The uncertainty of controlling the con-
vention lies in the difficulty of establishing
uniform standard of admission. Mass
conventions may be all right in Cleveland,
for instance but they will not do a all in
Cincinnati unless the antagonsm of Geo.
B. Cox, the boss there, is to be incurred.
Cox named his elghty-six delegates after
the manner of the Hocomb committee in
Cleveland, and any leader who undertakes
to encourage the opponents Of Cox must
reckon with him both in the convention and
afterward He controls several of the dele
a hpr Too field
of his own territory. He is keeping free of
premature combinations and alliances in
order to make his influence count. The
suspicion is that he is considering the adj
vantages and the disadvantages of an alli-
ance with Senator Hanna. Notwithstand-
ing former antagcnisms, he and the SEN
ator have occasionally found common
ground in their mutual interests.
There are other shadows than these fac
ttonal struggles for power. The other day
at Alliance | heard two of the local leaders
discussing the ANTITRUST plank which
should go into the platform. Both agreed
that it must be something more than words
A Canton republican of prominence whis-
pered to me: We've got to do something
about the trusts. If Monnett had been a
big man instead of Il weak one there
wouldn't be any sauabb.e over the COVER
norship today. He could have demanded it
on his own platform and nobody would
have dared to stand in his way
Monnett's Lost Opportunity.
Attorney General Monnetts attacks on
the trusts and his charges of attemptoS
bribery by the Standard Oil Company are
stale matters now. While nobody has gone
as far as the Canton republican, l have
heard other republicans say that Monnett
would be a strong factor If he were a
stronger man. But the trust issue is not
one of individual strength or weakness In
the little manufacturing city of Akron
where every industry is humming and
where everybody is employed at good
wages, a train companion told me the po-
ntical trouble was not the factional row.
That was always with them in so: e form
or another. We're likely to lose votes
of the trusts The, democrats prejudice
them against us, and You can't meet preju-
dice by argument You've got to do some
thing to remove II" -
Here in Cleveland a federal off1c. holder
a supporter of Nash for governor. was dis
cussing the prospects without showing tenn
per or denouncing Daugherty. After de-
claring his personal preference he remark
ed that the factional Sroubles might be set
tied. Then he suddenly broke into temper
"D-n those Internal trusts he blurted
out. IF it wasn't for them we could get
through the campaign without much poll
tics and be in good shape for next year"
Between the uncertainty of what TO do
with the trusts and the cross purposes of
the ambitious fractional leaders I should
not say that the republican party in Ohio
is in state of perfect health. 1t may be
that when the convention is once organized
and the preliminary struggles for control
Of the party machinery are determined it
will act with wisdom.
Ohio conventions after fierce factional
contests have sometimes acted that way
One means would be to nominate a very
strong man for governor whose leadership
would be acceptable to the party, regard
less of his affiliations with either Hanna's
friends Hannas foes. The current of
opinion is that neither Daugherty nor Nash
can be nominated. This feeling is reflected
in the number Of compromise and reserve
candidates who are making their appear
ance. The misfortune is that they are all
little fellows, with only negative Qualities
to recommend them, while the emergency
calls for big fellow with positive quail
ties. 1 haven't heard any one mentioned
the demand. Perhaps he will be heard of
al Columbus. The convention does not be-
gin its two days session until June l, and
there is time for thought.