The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-23
ROOT MAY LEAD
The CAMPAIGN
Present Secretary Of War May Sue
ceed Hanna as Chairman of
i,s. the Committee.
The President, It Is Said, Is Trying
to Persuade Him to
Do So.
Hanna Has Definitely Declined to
Continue in Harness After
Next June.
New York Sun Special Service.

New York Sun Special Service
Chicago, Dec ,23.-Walter Well
man, in Washington special to the
Record-Herald, says:
Senator Hanna has declined, for
mally and finally, to serve as chairman
of the national republican committee
after the expiration of his term, which
will be when the national convention
meets in Chicago in June.
Elihu Root ma. be his successor.
Mr.. Root is to retire from the war de-
partment the latter Y part of next
offered him the Craftsmanship OF the
national committee. Mr.. Root has
taken the matter undel consideration.
Altho at present Mr.. Root is much in-
clined to adhere strictly to his deter
mination to retire wholly from active
politics as well as from public life and
to devote his entire time to the Drac-
tice Of law in New York, city, there
is still a possibility that President
Roosevelt may be able to induce him
to consent to serve as natiOnal chair
man and as manager of next year s
campaign. The president and Secre-
tary Root have had several confer
ences on this subject since the presi-
dent recently was placed in possess
sion Of Senator Hanna's final and def
mite declination to continue in office.
Only this afternoon the president and
war secretary had another talk on this
subject without coming to any final
conclusion.
q If Not Root, Crane.
If Mr.. Root shall decline to serve,
former Governor Crane of Massachu-
setts will be the new head of the ma
tional republican organization. He
has consented to take the post if the
president cannot find any one else.
Altho several newspaper statements
to the effect that Senator Hanna would
not serve another term as chairman
have been made during the last few
weeks, this is the first definite and
authorized statement that he has in
formed the president of his decision
For months there has been little doubt
of what Mr.. Hanna's decision would
be- AS long ago as early last summer
it was stated, on information from
first hands, that Mr. Hanna had fought
his last political battle saving his cam
paign for reelection as senator from
Ohio. The sequel shows that he has
not changed his mind since then, de-
spite the effoftsz-w hich the president
has made to induce him to do so,
Must Save His Strength.
Mr.. Hanna. has reached the point
where he feels4it his duty to save his
strength and take most excellent, care
of his health. He feels, besides, that
he has done his full share Of work
for. the party and is entitled to rest
1t is not only the heavy responsibility
of managing a national campaign and
the onerous labor Of its details, but
for four years after the campaign Is
over the manager who elects his man
must be harrassed with an almost in
credible amount of labor in connec-
ton with the distribution of offices
and settling of disputes. For a num-
Der of years Mr.. Hanna's mail has
averaged 800 letters a day, and he
had to employ a force OF eight or ten
clerks-to dispose of It.. ,res-, ,..a.- =
Mr.. Roosevelt tried earnestly and
persistently to induce Mr.. Hanna. to
remain at the head of the organiza.
ton, but without avail. In addition
to his other reasons Mr.. Hanna be-
lieves that with the nomination of Mr.
Roosevelt for a second term new
coterie must naturally come to the
front in the management of party af-
fairs, and that it would be best fol
him to stand aside.