The Tucson citizen., 1902-01-16
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
ROOSEVELT AND HANNA.

the good old days when the monarchs
word was law and his divine right TO
rule was cheerfully conceded by his
dutitul subjects. Now w-a-days, with the
execution of the Car of Russia, the !
Sultan OF Turkey and our own sultan
of Sulu. whom we acquired with the
Philippines, monarchs are largely IL
CURE heads, being subject 10 the cap
rices and dictates of legislative assem-
blies. Even our own interesting sui
tan of Sulu may one day find himself
reduced to a cipher by an act OF Con-
gress. We are rather disposed to anti
cipate pity for him the first time
Democratic majority gets a crack at
him Still. if the assertions o. writer
in the current number OF the Atlantic
Monthly can be accepted as correct
statements of fact. man may be
king in the United States, although he
appears to be only a plain citizen who
does not sit on a throne or wear
crown. III me, dIHS ~ C44t0 60
thority, the chairman Of the national
committee of the political party which
controls the Government wields i'm
perial power, He is a coordinate
branch of the Government, and on oc-
casions a bigger man than the Presi-
dent,
The Atlantic Monthly writer points
out that the chairman Of the Republl-
can National Committee, Senator Han
ma. OF Ohio, mas twice had lhe spend
ing of vast sums of money. In 1896 the
campaign lunu at his disposal was esti-
mated to be fully 100000 In 1900
the fund was probably quite as large,
possibly much greater, as Mr.. Hanna
argued that year that the treasure chest
ought to contain twice as much as 1t
did in 1896 The man who controls such
huge sums is abe to establish claim
upon the gratitude of his party's can
didates for Congress ana also to make
himself solid" with the members OF the
National Committee He not only dis
burses the campaign fund. but he CO..
lects il. He makes pledges 10 contrlhu
tors and thus in a measure determines
in advance the policy OF his party on .
tariffs. ship subsidies and financial mea-
surcs. He is, in short, the repository
Of all the secret liens upon party ac-
ton. and the one mysterious agent by
whom they are made good lie con-
trolls a majority of the members of
national conVent.ons and dictates
and platforms. Then. af
ter the political battle has been fought
and won he steps in and controls the
distribution OF the federal patronage.
Thus, in the past few years the chair
man OF the National Committee has be-
cosne what the Atlantic Monthly writer
designates a power of portentious
size" in our piltics.
Is it possible for a politician with
the imperial powers which senator
Hanna has possessed since 1896 to lie
In harmony with a masterful and ag-
gressive President like Mr.. Roosevelt?
Imagine. for instance, Hanna attempt
ing to boss a President like Grover
Cleveland Will Roosevelt recognize Mr..
Hanna's title 10 the functions and
privileges wnicn he has exercised since
he became chairman Of the National
committee OF his party? Evidently the
Monthly writer has grave
doubts on this point. If Mr.. Roosevelt
should assert the power of his exalted
office against the head OF the National
the contest would be an
one--a battle OF political
giants. For. while the President has
many resources, MIR. Hanna has formt-
dable allies wnom he might summon
to his assistance if the President
should undertake to strip him Of his
powers Quite recently the Warwick of
the Republican party had more than he
vas able to 40 to control the organiza-
,l0n OF the OHIO Legislature. With his
utle seriously impaired in his own
State can he defend his title as king
Of ne national political machine? mat
title has not been seriously challenged
since Mr.. Hanna became prominent as
maker of Presidents. 1t is possible
that resident Roosevelt, who Is
wiser politician than most people i'm
hgine VII find some way of recogniz-
ing Mr. llanna's claims as head OF the
national committee without accepting
him as coordinate branch of the +
government BY such an arrangement I
peace may be preserved. and those
who are looking for a quarrel between