Evening star., 1899-04-01
Senator Hanna is One of the Busi-
est Men in Town.
1E Is NOT 50 VERY MEFHODICAL
But He Manages to Get Through
Big Days Work.
FOND OF EN- ING
Written for The Evening Star.

written for The Evening Star.
The most overworked piece of mechanism
in all Washington is Senator Hanna's door
bell Scarcely a day passes that it Is not
set ringing at least $50 times, and often
and again, between breakfast and bed
time, it announces the arrival of the 20Oth
caller. No man in Washington, except the
President, receives as many callers.
Senator Hanna's abiding place in Wash
ington is the Arlington Hotel, and his rooms
are on the ground floor of annex which
was once private house A colored man
in the livery of the hotel is appointed to
guard the street door, and of the tenscore
callers whose cards he receives every day
not more than fifty or seventy five succeed
in obtaining an audience. Many call, but
few are chosen. To give heed to the
speech Of even fifty persons in one day,
however, is no small thing. Only man
trained as Senator Hanna has been from
boyhood in business methods and endowed
with remarkable executive ability could
accomplish 1t.
Senator Hanna is a business man, first,
last and always. He is polite in business,
business-like in politics. He eXacts busi-
ness methods from all with whom he comes
in contact With none of his callers does he
waste either time or words. Nothing pleases
him more than a direct, concise and to-
the-point statement of a case, but his off,
cial political face is the face of sphinx.
Not a line nor a muscle of 1t ever betrays
what he is thinking, nor an expression ever
tells whether he is pleased or d1Spieased-
He is an unerring judge of men, and when
he thinks a man worthy of confidence he
is unreservedly communicative. but with his
average caller he is as unrespons1ve as a
craven image.
His Busy Day.
Although he accomplishes a great deal
in a day, Senator Hanna is not methodi-
cal man. He has no fixed plan of daily life.
He is not an early riser. He breakfasts at
9. and breakfast is to him the chief meal of
the day. for he says that he does not feel
that the day is properly begun unless he
has breakfasted well. His morning meal is
a hearty one and soft-boiled eggs are an
invariable item on his bill of fare. He has
always been blessed with fair appetite,
and although by no means an epicure' ne Is
fond of good living. He likes sWeets- Cor
fee he drinks sparingly, and in regard 10
alcoholic LIQUORS he is exceedingly abstem-
ous He is very fond of good cigar, but
smokes only moderately.
Immediately after breakfast he returns
to his reception room, and callers are ad-
mitted Some of them are the character
istic Office seekers of the capital. Some OF
them come to him on matters connected
with the national republican committee, OF
which he has been chairman since 1896.
Some of them call because they fancy that
to have the ear of the Ohio senator is to
nave the ear OF llG man III Cle w ulle
House, long stones throw across the
park. Some of them have business with
him which concerns some one of the almost
inrumerable commercial enterprises, ship
building, lake carrying, banking, railroad
ing. mining and what not in which he is
interested, and some of them come to him
for reasons which few who know Mr..
Hanna only as skillful and determined
politician ever guess. His friends say that
he Is one of the most open-handed and
charitable of men, and that he never turns
a deaf ear to any honest story Of suffering.
He has been an active member of a num-
Der of charitable organizations, and his pri-
vate charities are carried on without re-
gard to society or creed
At II 80 he drives to the Capitol. He en-
joys thoroughly the part of the day he
spends there. He never makes speeches.
Almost the only public address of his on
record is the one he made in Chicago, dur
ing the last presidential campaign. 1t was
brief, forceful and unadorned. Senator
Hanna's work in the Senate is done in the
committee rooms, and not on the floor of
the Senate chamber: He makes other men
do his talking for him. He prefers to be
the power behind the throne. In compari-
son with Senate orators, Senator Hanna is
as the engineer, deep In the bowels of
man-of-war, to the gold-laced captain on
the bridge He does not seek for applause,
and he cares not a rap for criticism. He
knows exactly what he wants, and as he
never changes his mind. never loses his
nerve and never gives up he always gains
his point in the end.
Fond of the Opera.
He reaches home after his day in the
Senate only in time to dine. After dinner
he has usually some social engagement. for
he is undisguisedly fond of society. He is
fond of the theater. and enjoys the lighter
operas In Cleveland he is owner of the
opera house. which Is a pet hobby Of his.
He gives 1t great deal OF attention, and all
it's bookings are subject to his approval
When he is in Cleveland, he never fails to
appear at the theater, with Mrs. Hanna
every Monday evening.
For books he has no great liking In the
days when he was not quite so busy he
used to read great many light novels for
relaxation. Now, he finds time for nothing
but the newspapers, of which he reads
great many, and few of the magazines
He is extremely fond of whist, and plays
exceedingly well. For horses he does not
care at all. He takes no interest in out
door sports. He does not fish nor hunt nor
play golf, but does like yachting. Travel is
a rest and recreation to him, and the trip
he made last year to the Yellowstone de-
lighted him so much that he proposes to re-
peat it as soon as he can spare the time.
HIS One Hobby.
Mrs. Hanna says that he has but one
hobby, and that Is the entertaining Of his
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