The St. Louis Republic., 1903-12-30
ROOSEVELT, HANNA AND DOODLE.

Mr.. Perry Heath, it would seem Is not specially
advantageous to Senator Hanna, assuming that the
old Roman seriously purposes trying It on" The
fervor with which the politician most conspicuousy
associated in the public mind with the national scan
dals throws himself into the fray for his old boss
would appear rather detrimental than otherwise. If
the Senator is really out for the nomination, then
Heath may be said to be coloring his old chier's
campaign at the very outset with hue dstasteful
to the public eye
Whether Hanna in fact will enter the presidential
race is yet largely matter Of doubt but 1t s true
that his acquiescence seems daily to grow less
doubtful From the newspapers in his vicinity rises
dense and, yoluminous smoke which bespeaks
fire of intention Anonymous interviews announce
fatty that he will run OF course 1t is just possible
that the smoke and the interviews put forth as
preliminary test Of the peoples temper toward
him.
'If Hanna does come out" remarks an astute
politician, lust watch Mr.. Roosevelt turn around
and make Doodle the ISSUE" The remark is sug-
gestive particularly when we consider Hanna's re-
lations with the machine and the bond that links
him to Heath, the man to whom public opinion
ascribes large measure Of responsibility for ma
chine grating. Hanna would unquestOnably rep
resent the wrong side of Doodle ISSUE What makes
the possibility interesting is that he would have
with him large part Of the organizations Doodle
issue might split the party.
Mr.. Roosevelt may have foreseen the dsadvau-
tage towhich he might subject his rival by develop
ing this issue when he tackled his Doodle postscript
to the Brstow report and wrote in familiar terms Of
Doodle in his message to Congress; and It may be
that in espousing Wood as against Heath and en-
phasizing Hanna's championship of the latter Mr..
Roosevelt had some Of the same method in his mad
~l1 0~fl-1
velt with possessing more or less of the nesse Of
politics may yet have to admit themselves vastly
mistaken
1t remains to be said, though, that however
adroitly Mr.. Roosevelt may have prepared the way
for his stand the Doodle ISSUE he will not be able
to occupy 1t very mpressively herocally. He will
be seen to have taken up the cudge for reform
within the party as an expedient and not through
principle. For Mr. Roosevelt's past relations with
the machine or such part Of it as he could impress
into the service Of his personal ambitions, amply
proves his willingness to abandon any hostile mo-
tves he may entertain against it and to make some
moderate concessions Of principle in the interest Of
his political SELF For example, his sacrifice in the
past of other powerful reforms such as his proposed
stthrottling and war on the tariff schedules for
the sake Of harmony with the machine looking to
ward his own advancement, is sufficient evidence
that he is not an deaSt where the organization Is
concerned. When it suits his purpose and not till
then, will he wage definite and damaging war
upon the crowd who ordinarily control conventions.
Just now Mr.. Roosevelt probably would fain have
"the bunch" stick with him. Stranger things have
happened than that his menace of q Doodle issue
should be mere ''bluf' after all. Should his boo
die convictions materially weaken between now and
convention time just as his rabid animosity toward
the trust melted away last year. 1T will be pretty
fair sign that some big machine bosses have capitu
lated-among them, possibly, Mr. Marcus A. Hanna.
A tug of war between Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr..
Hanna would exhibit many enfvez.ng phases. Con-
sidering Mr.. Hanna's hold on one end OF the ma
chine, IL Mr.. Roosevelt secured firm grip on the
other it would strain the mechanism severely.
On the other hand, should Mr.. Roosevelt finding
that he could not pull 1t away from Mr.. Hanna let
go of the machine altogether, cut clean away from
it so that all the nation might see, and indeed do
heroic battle against 1t with Doodle issue he could
make things equally interesting. He might lose the
nomination, but wouldn't he wreck his successful
rivals chances for election-wouldn't he play the
very hoh with fho rnarhiueS