The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-11-18

ma, and they now see tnelr opportunity
to get even with Wood and Roosevelt.
Serious charges are made against
Wood who is accused of having &C
copied diamonds and other presents
from a tobacco syndicate to which he
granted monopolistic concessions just
before his retirement from the control
of the Cuban government.
Wood has had little experience IN
the army, having entered the service
as a surgeon and securing his commits
sion as colonel by organizing the Rough
Rider regiment at the outbreak of the
Spanish American war.
The contest over the confirmation OF
Woods appointment as major general
is likely to make an open breach be-
tween Hanna and the president and
will give Hanna an excuse for entering
the race against Roosevelt for the
presidential nomination next year
The majority of the republican leaders
would prefer Hanna to Roosevelt, and
they would rejoice at an opportunity
to support Hanna if they were assured
of his success.
1t is worthy of notice that Hanna
has not yet yielded to the presidents
earnest solicitations regarding the
management of next years campaign
and it would not be surprising if Han
ma would withhold an announcement
of his intention to retire from the
Craftsmanship until after he has made
good use of his position to take the
nomination away from Roosevelt
Mark is a sly old boy and it will be
interesting to watch his movements
for the next few months.
1t may reasonably be promised that
Mr. Mark Hanna covets the presi-
dency, the most eminent honor within
the gift of any people and one to
which all Americans, potentially, are
born. 1t has been said that power
was all Hanna desired and that to
boss his party machine and dictate
it's policies fulfilled his ambitions If
this is true he is sui generis among
politicians. In all previous history
there has been no boss content to fore
go the honors of office, provided honOrs
seemed comparatively easy. The boss
ship may not have been secured with
the original intention of using it as
stepping stone but with it's acQut-
SitiOn always came enlargement of am
bition Naturally it cannot but ranllle
when boss perceiyes his vast power
no of of
In the past Hanna's career has demon
strated that the honor and perquisites
of mere boss ship were not wholly
satisfying. His great abilities as wire
puller and manager of men have been
made to advance him as far as the
senate.
These abilities he will not consent
to exercise on behalf of Mr.. Roosevelt
in the coming campaign-such. in eff
feet, is the announcement. Hanna isn't
endeaVOrs amply prove that. But he
declines to serve as heretofore The
country has promptly arrived at the in
ference that he is reServing his abil
tiles for use in his own behalf and that
he will allow nothing to interfere with
his acceptance of the nomination,
should it be forthcoming. Although
Mr.. Hanna laughingly declares that he
will throw anybody who talks preSi-
dency to him out of the sixth-story
window, he by no menas denies his
Willingness to have it if it can be had.
Hanna as a possible candidate looms
larger day by day. He does we'll to
preserve mystery, such as it is, con-
corning his intentions AS a doubtful
proposition he is big. A dark posi-
bility in the background is immense
with interest for the people and es-
pecially for the politicians A specific
declaration of his candidacy at this
time would render him very much less
a figure, but equivocatiOn and silence
tend to increSaSe his proportions.
Doubtless he will vary his silence with
half-hearted denials and humorous
threats until the situation shall have
become clearly defined. 1t would be
a master stroke of political genius if
Hanna could bring his party to force
the nomination uDOn him