The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-21

Mr.. Hanna is large employer of labor.
The concerns in which he is directly inter-
ested give employment to about 5000 per-
sons, with pay rolls aggregating from $780,
GOO to s275.000 per month. Yet all these
diversified interests are run with but little
friction. He holds the respect of working
men because he treats them with respect.
He has their good will because he is al
ways fair with them. 1t is rarely that a
strike occurs in any OF the concerns in
which he is actively interested During
the great street railroad strike I'm Cleve-
land year ago, every effort was made
by the strikers and their sympathizers, and
by INSCRIPTIONS demagogues. who hoped
to profit politically thereby. to induce the
men on his lines to strike, but without
avail. They claimed that they had no
grievance and nothing TO strike for. and
resisted every effort to get them out.
The same condition existed at the time of
the coal miners strike In Western Pennsyl-
vania, In 1851 and in the Michigan ore
mines-the Hanna properties being the only
ones at which there was no disturbance OF
work. The attempt to brand him as Ia
Dor crusher" during the campaign Of 1895,
and again in Ohio, in 1897, was conceived In
malice. bolstered by falsehood and misrep-
resentation, and has fallen to pieces from
its own rottenness. Its original purpose
was to destroy his influence as leader, and
weaken his party with the wage-earners or
but was finally smothered by the testi-
mony IF employees themselves.
MI Hanna has always been a true friend
Oh iaoor, and has probably paid more to
working men in fair and liberal wages and
given more for their relief in times of need
than all his traducers combined. During
the prostration In the iron industries, sew
eral years ago. when all the ore mines in
the Mlchlgan region were shut down and
the miners and their families were in dis
tress, Mr.. Hanna's mine was kept run
ming and over 10000 tons of ore piled up
on the docks in order TO give the men en-
ployment and support for their families
during severe and protracted winter.
AL another time, some five years ago.
mere was trouble with the men at the ore
DOCKS at Ashtabula harbor The superin-
tendent brought two large steam hoists and
shoyels from Detroit and Buffalo to do the
work or unloading vessels. This was con-
sidered also as matter of economy, not
only saving the firm quite a sum in the
price per ton for loading but doing the
work more rapidly. Mr.. Hanna. when this
matter was brought TO his attention, or
that the men were brought there to do this
work, that many of them had families to
provide Tor. and needed the wages These
,nciidents' amply substantiated, are charac-
teristics and given to show the senator's
ATTITUDE toward his employees.
IN POLITICS FOR HIS FRIENDS
Mr.. Hanna is striking example of the
man in politics for his friends Up to the
time he became a candidate for United
States senator, in 1897. he had held only
one public Office That was government
director in the Union Pr cifc Railroad
Company. to which position he was ap-
pointed by President Cleveland, unsolicited,
in 1885. Coming from the section in which
he does, and having been from boyhood
interested in mining and industrial devel-
opment of that region, he was naturally a
protectionst and a Republican. and took
a lively interest in the success of that
party, as did hundreds of other business
men.
In the same part of Ohio in which he was
born and has always lived are the homes Of
john Sherman. James A. Garfield and VIII
liam Mckinley. He has been the personal
friend OF each, and ii can be truthfully said
mat on their account he became politi-
clan. He was in accord with each in po-
litical faith. He believed in them and felt
OF each in turn that his elevation to the
presidency would add dignity, honor and
prosperity to the country warm friend
and advocate of the nomination of John
Sherman in 1850. he had no part in the
nomination of General Garfield. After the
convention, however. he participated ac-
lively in the canvass. and was conspicuous
in the Business Mems Association. which
became such a prominent factor in that
memorable contest. when the great Grant
and Conkling meetings at Warren and
Cleveland turned the tide of battle
Mr.. Hanna was at Cincinnati in "a, again
advocating the selection of John Sherman
But James G. Blaine had the call. and was
carried to the nomination on tidal wave
of personal popularity.
In 1883 Mr.. Hanna early entered the con-
test for the nomination of Mr.. Sherman.
He had faith in Shermans ability and
patriotism. He felt that his eminent service
to the country. securing the resumption OF
specie payment and the firm establishment
Of the Nations credit and honor, had not
hap r,rO cd nd ho cffn A1ll
firmly to that opinion.
Mr.. Mckinley also was warm friend of
Mr.. Sherman yet, in obedience to what he
believed to be the popular demand. he went
to the convention as the Ohio leader for
Mr. Blaine. He felt however that the two
men should get together, and he finally SO
far accomplished that end that Sherman
sent word to Blaine that IL he desired TO be
a candidate he should have clear field.
The big four from Ohio that year were
Mckinley, Foster. Foraker and Hanna.
Hanna and Mckinley were joint managers
from Ohio for Sherman. They were the
two to whom more than any others, he
gave his confidence. Sherman's friends
worked faithfully for his success, but his
position was not strong enough to effect
his nomination, and in the end Harrison
was made the choice of the convention The
preliminary proceedings of this struggle
brought Mckinley and Hanna together and
made them friends. Mckinley stood by
Sherman, as did Hanna to the end. There
were several attempts made at this time to
stampede the convention 1Or Mckinney, and
several scattering votes were cast for him.
|. Finally Mckinley, hale of voice and with
trembling lips, arose I'm his place and put
an end to this embryo Mckinley movement
by emphatically denouncing il and declar-
ing that he would. under no circumstances.
be considered candidate. During all this
struggle the keen eye of Mr.. Hanna was
upon Mr. Mckinley, and his respect and
regard for him was welded into living adj
miration, that has resulted in his firm
friendship for the President. There was
formed the liking of the unlike'-that is,
an attraction greater than that cast Of the
same metal From that hour Mr.. Hanna
has been a devoted and answering friend
TO make him President. Gerrymandered
out of Congress by the opposition Mckinley
was made the candidate for Governor OF
Ohio. There was apprehensiOns in the Re-
publican ranks that his protective policy
would hurt, but the reverse was the result.
| The influence of Mr.. Hanna in his behalf
was full of force and resistless energy. and
| counted in the triumph which followed
AS PEACEMAKER
When Senator Forakers friends made
| the contest for Sherman's seat, Mr. Hanna
| again showed his esteem for Sherman, and
| became a prominent factor in that fight,
| and Sherman won. Hanna, as a peace
maker, afterward extended the hand to
| Foraker, and the latter was made Senator
| to succeed Brice.
| In 1892 Hanna and Mckinley were again
| of the big four from Ohio at the Repub-
| lican National Convention. An attempt
1a CT. a<Ja