The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-28
What's Wrong With Health
A Subject for Prayerful Contemplation
by the Republican Party.

by the Republican Party.
Evidence has been abundant of late
that one Perry Heath, secretary of the
Republican National Committee, has
lest control of his tongue and possibly
Of his temper. But the latest state
ment given out by him is enough TO
peTplex a mind-reader and arouse Sc
rious doubts whether he is not a sub
Ject for medical inquiry. 1t is GER
tain that if he goes on much further
he viii be a fit object for a prayer
meeting In the Republican party.
This newspaper man has grasped
the idea that In matters of politics it
is sometimes as we'll to have ones ear
within reach of prominent public men
as to put it to the ground, and his ear
has apparently been at the service of
Senator Hanna. He now asserts that
that same ear was also open to utter
ances of President Mckinley which
may be classed as important, if
true" Heath says he heard Mr.. Me-
Kinley say, just before going to Buff
falo:
II expect to see my friend and as
soeiate, Marcus Hanna, the next
President of the United States. / be-
lieve he will be nominated and elect
ed"
Now, anybody who ever had the re-
hottest acquaintance with William
Mckinley knows that while a consci-
cntious and kindly man, he was too
astute a politician ever to utter even
10 his nearest and dearest one word
which he would not be willing to have
called out from megaphone on the
street. The idea that he bequeathed
Mr.. Hanna to the American people
as dying legacy, that respect to the
martyred President requires the party
to carry out his last wishes, is so alb
surd that it would seen as if Mr..
Heath must have distrusted his ears IL
he thought he heard any such remark.
Nobody could ever find out what
Mr.. Mckinley was going to do about
an unimportsnt nomination until he
was ready to let the world know about
ii. At the time when he is said 10
have made this astounding statement.
the next election was three years In
the distance, and Mr.. Mckinley
would have been about as likely to
predict the candidate of the Republi-
can party in that election as he would
to predict the date Of the Day of
Judgment, or the fashion Of next sea
sons straw hats. As a piece of mock
Pathos, Mr.. Heath's little story is a
| failure.
But that is not all Mr.. Heath Is
not content with getting into a hole
he seems to desire to turn the hole
upside down and climb out of the
ether end. He says:
Hanna does not want the Office.
That does not mean that he does not
want the nomination"
Now, what in the name of Henry
James, Mother Eddy, George Mere
9th, Lewis Carroll, and all the gods
of elaborate word puzzles at once
does that meant Is Mr.. Heath of the
opinion that Mr. Hanna wants tho
nomination in order to be whipped by
the Democratic party, which is still
IN fragmentary condition unsuitable
to such operations, or does he meali
that Mr. Hanna would like the nomi-
ration offered him in order that ht
may coyly decline the honor? I'm the
lstter case. his announcement is pre-
mature. The American people do moi
offer nominations to men who All
nounce beforehand that they will moi
take them. That is perhaps the rea-