Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-03-16
THE PRESIDENTS REST.

II ~ given out By Mr.. Hanna that Mr'
| McKinley's visit to the winter home OF
his right bower. at brownsville, Ga. -
for the purpose OF taking rest ana 'ec'e-
alton from the arduous duties OF the pres
| idential Office
Bosh Mr.. Hanna must either THINK
that public memory Is very short. or ne
has dropped into joking. The probability
Is that the President will lose more sleep
at brownsville than he has lost for some
time. The public have not forgotten that
az Thomasville four years ago was fixed
no the Job for making William Mckinley
President Of the United States and Alnrk
Hanna n senator. On that occasion thore
was at the brownsville retreat notable
gathering Of Republican politicians and
wire-workers. and the important question
of ways and means" was settled.
That Hanna Is determined that Mckin-
lev shall succeed himself. If possible Is
certain. And IT Is no less certain mat
"Bark!s is willin'.' II is no less certain
that Barkis Is anxious. But what OF the
WAYS and means this time? There's the
rub. That's what's the matter with Han
m. Since 1896 Hanna's ambition has
broadened. Then he aspired to be Pres
ident-maker. Now he would be an En-
peror-maker. But there are suggestions
that in proportion as his aspiration has
mounted his facilities for attaining IT
have declined. II IS pointed out that he
has not now. as he had in 1895. a robper
tariff bill, the assurance OF the passing
Of which enabled him TO tap at VIII Tor
the filling Of his campaign barrels the
money tanks Of certain interests. Again.
The last Congrcss-it matters not why
dill not take kindly TO several OF the niue
schemes Of Hanna & CO. for advancing
the cause of imperialism, and widening
the field Of the boss's operations in me
work Of enlistng potential henchmen.
with n "resounding thud." it sat upon
the Hanna shi3-subsidies bill and 1t
ruthles.ly defeated the conspiracy of The
administration ring to parcel out Tie
franchises in Cuba Either the pasaage
Of the subsidy bill or the failure to block
the franchise game would have augment
ed immensely the power Of the power
that is behind the Mckinley throne. and
rendered less formidable many obstacles
that are in the path Of imperialism.
1t is true that Hanna is said to have
goodly sum left over from the corruption
fund Of 1896. IT is also true that the army
bill gives the President an increased pa
tronage that Hanna will be able TO use
to great advantage in the direction Of
concentrating his ambition But all the
same. as we have shown, it is hardly to
be questioned that he is not as well equip
ped for the coming campaign as he was
for the campaign Of 1896. He is minus one
Of the most valuable weapons he had in
the last-named fight. and other weapons
he hoped 10 secure were put beyond his
reach by Congress. Moreover, he has to
reckon with the effect Of the treachery
OF his party and himself. as that treach-
cry IS involved in the whisting down the
wind by the Republicans Of their prom
ise to their allies Of 1896 TO give the coun-
try currency reform.
Reduced to its last analysis the situa-
ton is this: Hanna can no longer to any
great degree command the agencies that
were so useful to him in 1895 in obtaining
the particular sinews OF war essential TO
the success OF his peculiar methods. These
sinews he must have. and, considering
how the leaven Of anti-imperialism is
working among the masses. his ingather-
ing must be abundant. 1t is doodle or
defeat with him. His nest-egg is nothing
with the necessities Of the case.
Under the circumstances it will cost
vastly more 10 make an Emperor than
it cost to make President. The problem
Hanna has to wrestle with is. how can
the fat Industrial and financial COWS Of
the country be cajoled, coerced. frighten-
ed. or befoOled into giving down. freely
under the Doodle milking process? And
il is likely that the President Will spend
at brownsville many an unrestful half
hour before it is solved.