Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-04-11
DELVING FOR POWER
Political Mo1es of Both Parties Are
Busily at Work.
How \ Successful Presidential Boom
In Created, Expanded and Trans
formed Into Potent
Reality.
Especial Washington Leter.l

THE political moles are burrow-
ing deep down beneath the
presidential pastures, where
they would not be discovered, nor
suspected, but for the work of inim-
icaI political ferrets- They are unlike
the coyotes and gophers who abrade
the surface sward, but delve far, far
below.
One of the wonder-workers in the
political world is the senior senator
from Ohio, the man who from OBJ
security stepped into national fame
early in 1896 as the manager OF the
Mckinley campaign for nomination.
T he old-time politicians thought that
he could soon be disposed of; but
they found that for three years Mark
Hanna had been burrowing for dele
gates - the national convention.
Politicians do not rest during the
Lenten season, nor for any other
season. They are not primarily re-
ligious, although some of them are
nicely veneered with churchly in-go-
ings and out-comings- Primarily,
they are self-seeking and ambitious,
ready to sacrifice others, even good
friends, for their own advancement.
The most successful of them are al
ways burrowing for future prefer
ments.
Senator Davis, of Minnesota, once
said to the narrator: Il went to
church this morning. just for few
minutes l sat up last night until
after midnight thinking over the ap-
plicants for an Office. Having con-
cludeu that a certain man should
have preferment, l went to bed and
slept as calmly as a child. After late
breakfast this morning I lighted a
cigar and took walk. Just as l was
passing a church, memory called up
picture of my first election to the
senate. One of the candidates for
office had sacrificed a great deal for
me at that time, and | remembered
having said: If ever you need a
friend. rely on Cush Davis And yet,
because another had seemed to me
to be of greater future value, l had
made up my mind to turn that
friend coldly down. I went into
church, stayed until the conclusion
of service. came home and concluded
to have my former helpful friend
appointed. So. you see. once in awhile
conscience will make even a politician
do the right thing
Well, while ambitious men are bur
rowing for the presidency, all of
them are denying their ambition.
Senator Hanna, the greatest burrow-
er of them all. keeps gravely quiet
and affects Indifference to the quest.
But there are surface indica1 tons
which point to his ambition in that
direction. An old politician here to-
day called the attention of the writer
to one very interesting fact. He
said: do you remember that last Oc-
tober the physicians informed Sena-
tor Hanna that he must quit politics
and go to bed. because of danger
from heart failure? Well, what did
Hanna do? He went home for only
couple of days, and then appeared
on the hustings in Indiana to help
his friend Senator Fairbanks: and
he was SO weak that he was obliged
TO quit speaking in the midst of one
of his addresses. What did he make
that effort for in Indiana?''
But the chief burrowers are on the
other political side. and all of them
seem to believe that the democratic