Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-02-13
OHIO POLlTICS
As Related BY the Commercial Trlb-
une's Columbus Correspondent.

III
This was the paragraph:
The Republicans Of Athens county
have changed the usual time for hold
ing their primaries from April to Au-
gust, the exact date being August %.
There are but three nominations to be
made-Recorder County Commission
er and Inflrmary Director.
There is political meat in this news.
1t means the present anti-Grosvenor
Committee in Athens will select the
delegates to the Congressional Con-
vention.
There are as many angles in the pol
ltics of this scholastic town as there
were in that of its ancient prototype.
1t has been customary in Athens to Sc
lect at the April primaries a County
Committee, which, by sufferance,
names the delegates to all the conven-
tlons of the year. AS no new COM
mittee is to be selected before the
holding Of the Congressional election,
the resolution passed some time ago
by the present committee will remain
in force. General Grosvenor was
quoted in Washington as saying this
resolution empowered him to select
the delegates to the Congressional
Convention. Perhaps that will be the
result but it is not so stated on the
face OF the bond. The resolution au-
thorlzes the Chairman OF the present
committee, General Grosvenor and FIVE
Republicans, who are to be named by
the Chairman, to select the delegates.
Now the Chairman is Mr. E. G. Bid
Olson, whose chief claim to power is
that he wrested The control of the Ath-
ems county organization from General
Grosvenor. On the strength of this
achievement, and also an increased
Republican plurality in Athens last
fall, Mr.. Biddison wants to be State
Mine Inspector. That little arrange
ment by which General Grosvenor, as
sisted by Biddison and five Biddison
men, is to choose the Congressional
delegation, was made in order to pro-
duce one of two results: either Biddi-
son is to be State Mine Inspector, or
General Grosvenor will cease to be a
Congressman.
1t was generally supposed here for a
time that this cutthroat game would
succeed. General Grosvenor did his
part. He urged Governor Nash to APP
point Biddison, and doubtless felt so
sure Of his recommendation being fol-
lowed that he was justified in saying
he would appoint those delegates.
But in fact Mr.. Biddison has never
received a message he has been wait
ing for these many weeks. Governor
Nash told him he would be summoned
to Columbus when the Governor cared
to talk with him further about the
appointment. Not yet has the Gov
ernor sent that message. In fact, Mr..
Biddison's prospects are not the
brightest. General Grosvenor has not
great standing ut the court of Colum-
bus, however solid his footing at
Washington. And it is well known
that the Governor is just little weary
OF being urged to give out all the
places at his command to the friends
Of Senators and Congressman, leaving
nothing to be divided among the
friends of Nash, excepting janltorships
and such. 1t has come to light also
that Mr.. Blddison hasn't a strong fol-
lowing among the miners.
Now, State Mine Inspector Hazeltine
has. He has a personal following
among the miners, and also among the
mine operators, and is satisfactory to
both. This is one reason why he has
to stay in office for twelve
years. Talk that Hazeltine is to stay
IS now at a premium in the gossip
market
So there is craning of necks here
10 watch Biddison and five Biddison
men assist" General Grosvenor in Sc
Getting anti-Grosvenor delegates.
Unless Governor Nash soon decides
lhe State Oil Inspectorship, only a
anguid interest will be taken in the
of his selection. The
subject has been done" to death, and |
20 have most of the candidates. Mr. |
). D. Hollenbeck, of Chardon, will be |
appointed If the administration is not |
lfraid to encounter a little faked-up |
criticism of the appointee because he |
las son who never was proven to |
lave done anything reprehensible in |
connection with the election of Sena-
or Hanna. If the timid course is fol- |
owed Auditor George w. Gaghan, of |
Wood county, Is the heir apparent. He |
8 strong at home, and has strong |
'acking from friends of the adminis-
ration elsewhere. His name has been
in print so often of late
hat ne ought to be made Oil Inspector
merely as matter of poetic justice.
Mr.. s. S. Knabenshue will be con-
idered only in the event of his having
he support of all the elements in To-
edo. The place was conceded to To-
edo If the Republicans there could
gree upon a candidate, whereupon
hat city presented four AS the sue
essful editor of a successful paper,
Ir. Knabenshue's selection would be
onsidered a high compliment to the
ress. Should he land, the two best
aging offices in the Governors gift
'ould go to newspaper men, for Mr..
ohm r. Malloy was newspaper writ
r, and one who left behind him an
nviable record of bright Scoops" on
is contemporaries.
Governor Nash has tried in vain to
smpt Ex-Governor Foster to accept
fhca under his adfnistr ration Whfle
ne two Governors are as "chummy"
5 two boys and are the closest of
'iends, Charles Foster of Fostoria,