The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-01-14
HANNA IN THE LEAD.

Inc IHOSl lepTOuS OI AlleEIcdH pull
ticians and republican party managers
is no doubt Mark Hanna. His name
should be synonymous with corruption
in politics and ballot ~debauchery. He
is as conscienceless as any s%coundrel in
the penitentialy, n believes that the
American system means and includes
the purchase and degradation of Amer
lean voters. 1t is a sad condition when
such a fellow can hold a seat in the U.
S. senate. control the legislature of a
great state, hob-nob with the first men
in the land in the political walks. have
private interviews with the president
and put his feet under the mahogany Of
the White house. 1t is Il blasting shame.
an eternal ~reproach, an overwhelming
evidence of low morals and national
| decadence, in spite Of commercialism
and great statistical figures of pros
pe1ity otherwise. The Atlantic Month
ly is the chief literary exponent of Gull
ture in the great north. In the January
.1nb there is a writer who holds
that in this country "a man may be a
king, although he appears 20 be only
a plain citizen who does not sit on a
throne or wear a crown. In fine, ac-
cording to this authority. he chairman
of the national committee of the po-
litica1 party which controls the gov
eminent yields imperial power. He is
a coordinate branch of the govern
ment. and on occasions a bigger man
than the president"
He points aptly, exactly to Mark
Hanna. and he shows how this coarse
fellow without honesty has exerted
k1ngly powers. or greater. in carrying
twice the presidential election by de-
bauchery of electors. He points to the
fact as We find it given in the Balti-
more Sun, that the chairman Of the
republican national committee. Senator
Hanna, Of Ohio, has twice had the
spending of vast sums of n In
1896 the campaign fund at his disposal
was estimated to be fully S 10000 0
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 it did in 1896. The man
who controls such huge sums is able
to establish a claim upon the gratitude
of his party's candidates for congress
and also TO make himself solid" with
the members of the national commit
tee. He not onlv disburses the cam
paign fund, but he collects it"
So If Roosevelt insists that he is him.
self the government, then it is certain
that behind the throne there is a power
greater than the throne itself. And
what will the people do about it? We
believe that concord will continue be-
tween Mark n his puppet. Roose-
welt will not interfere with buying votes
to keep his own party in power. He
and Mark will not quarrel, but get
pass in all probabilit". If Hanna is
turned down as the chairman of the
republican national committee there
might be hope of less corruption, less
prostitution of voters, of less wrong
to free government. The Sun thinks
there may be a fight ahead. 1t says
that If MIR. Roosevelt should assert
the power of his exalted office against
the head of the republican national
committee the contest would be an in
teresting one-a battle of political
giants. For, while the president has
many resources. Mr.. Hanna has for
midable allies whom ne might summon
to his assistance if the president should
undertake to strip him Of his powers.
Mr.. Mckinley was elected twice by
Hanna's management--by the free use
of money. If he favors Roosevelt for
reelection he can Use big money
again and put his man in.