Evening star., 1901-12-28
CANNOT COMPROMISE
Factions Will Fight for Offices in
Ohio Legislature,
Big INTERESTS IN THE RESULT
indications That the Foraker Fol-
lowing is Gaining Strength.
ATTITUDE OF GEORGE b. cox

| Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
COLUMBUS, Ohio. December 2s.-An ef-
| forts to compromise the contest between
the friends of Senator Foraker and Senator
Hanna for the organization of the legisla-
ture have failed, and have now ceased.
Each side has announced its SLATE" and a
test of strength is to be made I'm the re-
publican senate and house caucuses which
are to be held one week from today. A few
positions that carry with them some dis
tinction and half a hundred subordinate po-
sitions. with salaries aggregating about
$4,000, are directly involved, but the real
object in the contest is the control OF az
fairs in republican politics In Ohio. For
several years-at all events since the first
election of President McKinley-Senstor
Hanna has held this power. Control OF the
Ohio patronage has been so completely In
his hands that all who had ambitions in a
political way felt that their wishes could
be gratifed only through him.
Since the succession of Mr.. Roosevelt to
the presidency the suspicion has been
growing in the minds of Ohio republican
politicians that Senator Hanna's power is
on the'wane. The story has come repeat
edly from Washington that Senator For
aker now finds more favor at the White
House than Senator Hanna, and that the
President will require that Senator Hanna
prove that he is at the head of and In con-
troll of the republican party In Ohio before
he will regard him the Ohio leader
Case of Mr.. Weaver.
These stories found strong support in the
action of the President In refusing to ap-
point former Representative Walter L.
Weaver of Springfield to be Ohio pension
agent, saying that he would appoint no
one to the position who did not have the
Endorsement of both senators. In taking
this position the President gave no special
significance to the Endorsement of Senator
Hanna on the ground that he was national
chairman.
Senator Hanna's friends fully understand
that this is the chief matter involved in the
legislative organization. They claim that
1t Is only the initial movement on the part
of Senator Foraker and his friends to pre-
vent the reelection Of Senator Hanna two
years hence, but there appear no indica-
tons on the surface Of any such intention.
The beginning of any such movement Just
now, even If Senator Foraker had il in
mind, would We very short-sighted policy on
his part.
Senator Hanna is anxious to secure the
election, above all else, of VIM. b. Uhl. his
confidential political man, as clerk of the
senate. Mr.. Uhl holds that position now
Senator S. L. Patterson of Waverly was
the original Hanna choice for president pro
tempore, but he was obliged to withdraw
on account of personal unpopularity The
place was taken by Senator Geo c Dun
nam OF Toledo; but he has withdrawn. be-
ker candidate, Senator Frank B. Archer OF
Belmont, who is likely to have no opposi-
tion. Against Chl, the Foraker faction will
present Sheriff F. +. Scoie Of Miami coun-
ty. Last week George b. Cox, the Cincin-
natl republican boss" stated to both sides
that he would give his support to Senator
Hanna's candidate in the senate-Mr. Chl-
and to Senator Foraker's candidate for
speaker in the house-Mr. Price. Cincinnati
and Hamilton county have ten members in
the house and three in the senate These
can be absolutely controlled by Cox Scolie
seems TO be confident, and claims that he
can be elected, and will be- without the
support of Cox, but 1t is not apparent how
he can do so.
Situation I'm the House.
In the house Price, the Foraker candidate
for speaker. claims thirty-one votes without
counting the Cincinnati delegation. With
that delegation-and he certainly will get
them-he will have forty-one in the caucus.
Thirty-five Is enough to nominate The fact
that Senator Hanna has felt It necessary to
accept w. ). McKinnon of Ashtabula as his
candidate for speaker is alone sufficient 10
indicate the desperate strait he is in on the
mouse side. The senator tried to prevent
the nomination Of McKinnon for another
term In the house last fall, but was unsuc-
ceSsful. Mckinnon resented that interfer-
ence in his district and in his campaign
speeches said some bitter things about SEN
ator Hanna. Up to Christmas day Senator
Hanna's friends here were urging Judre
Thomas Of Huron for speaker and evidently
switched to McKinnon who was already ont
on MS own score as candidate for speaker,
1or the reason that he had quite a personal
following In the house. and his votes added
to those that Senator Hanna could control
Price.
Apparently for the same reason Senator
Hanna's friends have indorsed the candi-
dacy Of B. L. McElroy for clerk dropping
thS candidate OF their original "slate" for
t
ware, In hope Of defeating the Foraker can
dldate for the position, II. v. Speelman of
Marietta Senator Hanna is specially anx-
tous to defeat Speelman, for the reason that
Speelman held clerkship in the house at
the hands Of the Kurtz- -McKisson combina-
tion, which came within one vote of defeat-
ing MIN for election to the United States
Senate four years ago.
George b. Cox May Take Onense,
m making this alliance with McKinnon
and McElroy. however, Senator Hanna has
probably offended George B. Cox. SO that
he may withdraw his promised support
from Mr.. Uhl, Senator Hanna's candidate
for clerk of the senate. for McKinnon and
complishing the defeat OF a Cincinnati
ripper" bill that Cox caused to be intro
duced In the legislature two years ago.
Though Senator Hanna may succeed in
pushing his slate through it will be
only an apparent victory for he has been
forced to take available candidates, and
not those personally acceptable to him
self-some of them are, indeed, highly OBJ
jectionable as his candidates
At present the contest over the legisla-
tive organization does not threaten 20 In
terfere with the carrying out Of the ex-
pressed wish of the republican state oon-
ventfonOhe election of Senator Foraker to
the Senate for another term, and the
friends of Senator Hanna scout the idea
that they would for any reason be led to
oppose the reelection of Senator Foraker.
"
Exposition of Lille, France.
United States Consul Atwel, at Rouen,
France, has Informed the State Depart