The evening times., 1900-06-19
Circulation Statement
The Roosevelt Episode.

The Roosevelt Episode.
If we are not woefulIy mistaken in our
estimate OF the Hon William McKinley's
perceptive powers. it has occurred to him
before now that his distinguished personal
ity has been rather lost sight Of in Phila-
delphia. and replaced by the teeth and eye
glasses Of the younger man, whose amaz-
ing respectability, considering the politi-
cal company he keeps. is depended upon by
many to pull the Republican ticket
through in November.
We are unable to believe that Mr. Nc
Kinley likes this. and it is quite safe to
say that his mentor, Hanna, does net
The sentiments of Colonel Roosevelt on the
subject are, however. different. Never
since he played tag as a trUculent and
squalling child in Madison Square has the
doughty Theodore been happy unless he
was it; and there IS together too much
prominence in his present posii
in Philadelphia for him to COM
plain Of it. How he ray come
out in The end is another uu5s-
tion. The situation has reached the point
Of a square issue between Hanna on one
The first named is on the ragged edge Of
an inclination to openly charge Roosevelt
with deliberately deceiving the Admins
tration as 10 his real intentions. Hanna
says tsat the Rough Rider declared to him
and TO Mr. Mckinley that in 10 circum-
stances would he accept a nomination TO
the Vice Presidency; ard that he had been
taken at his word. Now it looks very
much as if he had surrendered TO Boss
Platt. and was anxious to be knocked down
and run over by a stampede which should
create the universal impression that he
had finally sacrificed himself. because he
heard the despairing voice Of the Presi-
dent crying. Help me, Cassius, or I
sink"
1t Is neither the policy nor the desire
Of the Hon. Marcus Alonzo Hanna that
any such certificate should 90 with the nom
inatiOn Of a candidate for Vice President
II would amount to too effective a picture
for Democrats 10 hang up for public con-
temptation during the campaign. Mere
over, things have come to such a PASS
that the nomination of Roosevelt would
be distinctly a defeat Of the national boss
by the State bosses Of New York and
Pennsylvania. and that is something that
Hanna viii not stand Il he can help IT,
NO wonder. then, that he grew very angry
over the weak and wobbling statement
which Roosevelt read to a hundred news
paper men yesterday afternoon. and no
wonder that he elected to take il as
final and irrevocabIe decIination. OF
course it was not intended that way. but
the word has been passed down the line
TO so treat il, and it now remains 10 be
seen whether Hanna is strong enough 10
stop the stampede
Undoubtedly he would be- if he had a
candidate Of respectability and popularity
with whom to stem the tide But unless
there is an anonymous horse Of that cha
acter, of sable hue in his harm. he is
going to find it uphill work to manufacture
any enthusiasm for another man. Yester-
day he and his heelers were trying to
shout Long, but the name stuck in ther
throats. 1t is a strong one, in the sense
that it is connected with the memory Of
Sampson, but not otherwise. Dolliver
stands well among Western Republicans,
but is not a person to set the East af E.
Allison seems to be out of the question.
and Fairbanks, while acceptable to the
trusts, and hence to the Administration.
is too visibly tarred with the trust stick
to make him safe. At the last moment
Hanna may spring Leonard Wood, and per-
haps that name might be effective.
For Convention purposes, Thursday is a |
good long way off yet, and nobody knows
what may happen in the meantime 1t is |
possible, though by no means probable, |
that the Roosevelt boom has grown too
large to be controlled. Every delegate is
well advised that. should he oppose the
will Of the Presidents and the party's |
master, the pie counter OF the future would
be closed to him forever. The prospect,
therefore, would seem to be that, as usual. |
what Hanna wants will be done He NAV
be forced to want Roosevelt: otherwise
that interesting individual viii be out OF il. |