Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-18
All the Signs at Philadelphia Point
to Roosevelt.
BUT BE DOES NOT WANT TIE JOB
Bliss, DoI|iver, Long and Woodruff
All Have Booms.
SENATOR HANNA'S CHOICE
Special From n star Correspondent.

l
but Roosevelt Is talked about this morning.
| Platt says Roosevelt will bs nominated with
Mckinley. Woodruff says the same thing.
| So do Quay and all his lieutenants. Bliss
comedies it and 1t is authortatively stated
| from the Hanna. headquarters that the ad-
| ministration leaders will make no resist
| ance Among the delegates and the leaders
great and small every one says IT is settled.
| The badges sold on the street are all Nc
| kinley and Roosevelt badges.
| Everything else has been called in.
Roosevelt is still bucking against being
| named, but they appear to have him roped
! and his struggles are becoming manifestly
| weaker.
| Early in the morning effort was made
| to stem the Roosevelt tide by booming It
| up for DolEver but 1t was impossible to
get the crowd to talk OF any one but tho
| New York governor. The only doubt ad-
mitted by any one was whether he could be
| forced to accept, and the old politicians
dismissed this doubt with the dogrnatic
| declaration that he could not help himself;
| that the only choice he had was between
| the vice presidential nomination and i'm
| mediate retirement from politics.
| About IL o'clock it was reported that
| Roosevelt had given out positive an
nouncement that he would never. never ac-
cept the nomination. In response TO an i'll
quiry made directly OF him at q later hour
| the governor said that he would have moth
| ing whatever to say until after O'Clock.
| 1t was authoritatively denied on his behalf
| that he had come to any decision. Shortly
| before IL O'Clock conference WAS held in
| the governors rooms between himself, Mr..
Hanna, Mr.. Dick, Mr. Lodge. M Payne OF
| Wisconsin and Mr.. Manley OF Maine.
| Roosevelt's Headquarters Besieged.
The governors headquarters Were be-
sieged by delegates and newspaper corre-
l u, hn OBJ "
during the morning Nj. Roosevelt said that
| he would have nothing to say until later
1 in the afternoon.
| Conferences of all interests were in prog
| ress during last night and this morning.
| Platt and Woodruff conferred with Roose-
| Welt last night and told him that it was
| impossible for him to refuse the nominal
| ton. The governor protested that he did
| not want the nomination, but admitted that
] it difficult thing to resist a demand
| coming from all parts of the country.
An effort is being made by the adminis-
| tration men. under the direction of Mr.
| Hanna, to decide upon candidate against
| Roosevelt
| After the conference with Roosevelt, Mr..
| Hanna sent for Bliss. Fairbanks McComas.
| Grosvenor and Plunkitt of Massachusetts
| to meet him in his room, and announced to
| them that Roosevelt had declared to him
| in the most positive terms that his Attitude
| with reference to the vice presidency had
| not changed.
1
| declaration that Roosevelt would not ac-
| cept II nominated.
| 1t is being urged upon Mr.. Hanna that
| the only way to prevent RooSevelt's nomt-
nation is for the administration to settle
| upon another candidate. Hanna shows
| luctance to do this. but the names of Fair
| banks, Dolliver and Long were canvassed
| at the conference, with the view of GEN.
| tering efforts upon one of them. The
| Michigan delegation has tabled resolu-
| ton indorsing Roosevelt
| Others Called Into Conference.
Later Senator Hanna sent for Senators
| Thurston, Allison Scott and National Com
mitteeman Payne and Secretary Dick to
| join in the conference. Mr.. Hanna repeated
| to them the statement made to him by Mr..
| Roosevelt, at the same time making it clear
! that while Mr. Roosevelt said his attitude
was unchanged he had made no positive
statement that he would decline the NOM
ination.
Nothing was accomplished at the confer
| ence between Mr.. Hanna and the senators.
| The general conclusion Of those present
was that there was nothing in Roosevelts
declaration, as repeated by Hanna, that
changed the situation.
No agreement was reached on the propo-
sition to put forward administration
candidate
If the mix-up over the vice presidency
were not unavoidable it would be designed.
Without it there would be too much har-
mony and the convention would be devoid
of interest But the doubt is genuine: no
one knows who will be nominated to fur
nsh the companion-piece to the portal. Of
Mckinley in the coming campaign. Some
people may have thought they knew when
they started for Philadelphia, but these
have found on their arrival that there are
certain things that were not taken into
consideration in forming their hasty con-
clusion. There Is no scarcity of prominent
| party leaders who know just what they
want. but 1t is patent to any one with
enough intelligence to have a positive opin-
ion that there is enough conflict of 1udg-
ment to render a personal choice impossible
or SO impolitic as to be as good as jmpoS-
sible.
Mr.. Hanna, in spite of the repeated decla-
ration that the administration has no can
didate. is not a passive looker-on, willing
to accept any candidate on whom the fancy
of the convention may light. Certain men
there are to whom he particularly Objects
and he has his own particular choice. He
wants Bliss. would be well pleased with
Allison, and does not object to Scott of Cal
ifornia- There are others the nomination
of whom he could with equanImity stand
having forced on to him by the men who
like to feel that they have a hand in things.
The attitude Of Mr.. Hanna appears to be
very generally misunderstood. There is no
reasonable doubt that II he chose to dc so
he could force the nomination of any man
he might select. either against the will Of
Platt contrary to the wishes of the
chosen candidate. He knows this, and for
a man of his temperament there Is the
temptation to be willful and ride down all
opposition.
Hanna Looking to the Election.
But for once Hanna is not looking for a
personal triumph. He is devoted to Nc
Kinley and his aim is to serve the admins
tration and to insure McKinley's re-elec-
ton. If McKin,ey's denomination were at
stake he would be quick in the saddle and
would strain every nerve to ride down the
opposition, riskng all enmities and trust
ing to fortune in the election. With Nc
Kinley's nomination unopposed, his eyes
are fixed upon the election. There Is no
triumph in the convention that can add to
his own honors. The election is the thing.
Harmony must be maintained. complete CO.
operation of all elements of the republican
party assured and everything be bent to
the end of rendering the defeat OF McKin-
lev in November impossible.
To this end force must give way to diplo-
macy. and Mr.. Hanna appears in a new role.
The important things for him to accomplish
are to see that no really bad nomination is
made for the vice presidency and to guard
against factional friction. The most i'm
portant is to insure perfect party harmony
and the earnest cooperation of all the