Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-29
STAND BY FORAKER
Ohio Republicans Want Him
on big Four"
QUESTION AS TO cox
IF HE GOES ON FORAKER CAN
NOT.
Factions in the Party Still Distrustful
of Each Other-Hanna Con-
trolls Situation.
QUESTION AS TO cox

COLUMBUS, Ohio January g, 1904.
The concession from Senator Hanna that
Senator Foraker may have a place on the
Ohio big four has not ended the contest
for control of the Ohio delegation in the
Chicago national convention. The Star
correspondent has seen letter written by
Senator Foraker this week to one of his
lieutenants here, in which he seeks to ad-
wise his local agent that the stories sent
out from Washington to the effect that all
cause for contest has been removed and
that the factions in Ohio have Joined hands
in the interest of President Roosevelt, are
unfounded. He assures him that he is in
the fight to secure only unquestioned
friends of President Roosevelt for the Ohio
delegation-to stay and to win. Senator
Foraker is suspicious of the actions of Sen
ator Hannas friends, and in this letter re-
peats his terse statement made in an in
terview in Washington, that certain ele-
ment of the party seemed bent on securing
control of the Ohio delegation with a view
to delivering it to President Roosevelt. If
he did not need it. and to some one else
il he did" He is not inclined to give
credit to the statements of Senator Han
mas friends that 1t is desired that the
senator shall control the delegation at Chi
cagO merely in order that he may prove to
those who have made insinuations against
him his fidelity to President Roosevelt.
Friends of Senator Foraker here are I'M
decided as to what Senator Hanna means
when he says that he will not oppose the
selection of Senator Foraker as delegate
at-large- If he assists in the election of
George 3. Cox of Cincinnati as delegate-at-
large, IL Will be In enect opposing Senator
Foraker for a place on the big four, for ii
would be asking unusual thing of the
state convention to choose two of the four
delega tes- at-larse to which the state is
entitled from the same county. If Senator
Hanna's Cleveland delegates do not stand
for the selection of Senator Foraker del
egate-at-large, he will be counted
against him.
Foraker Wanted on the Delegation.
There is a murmur of disapproval all over
the state against the proposition to dis
place Foraker on the big four by Geo. B.
Cox. Even Senator Foraker's ardent enc
mics concede his ability and fitness to rep
resent the state in this great national party
council. 1t is recalled that four years ago
he easily the most distinguished figure
in the republican national convention at
Philadelphia, presenting the name of Presi-
dent Mckinley to the convention in a
speech that was a masterpiece of orato-y of
IL kind. The suggestion that he be left at
home this time is not well received even by
the more liberal of those who have been
opposed to him heretofore in the faCtional
iiffel erceS of the party.
The opposition to Cox as a delegate-at
large is much Ike that which developed
against him as a member of the national
committee in 1900. and forced him to re-
sign. His candidacy for this place was not
known until the state delegation met at
Philadelphia. He was elected national
committeeman before the republicans of
Ohio knew that it proposed to elect
him. 1t did not take long for this feeling
to crystalline The opposition came quick
ly and so strong that on June 30-just ten
days after his election-Cox rendered his
resignation to Senator Hanna. stating that
his election had developed condition in
Ohio that he did not believe could exist.
HIS duty was plain. He could not permit
himself to be a cause of disturbance. Gov
ernOr Herrick elected his successor
Cox never was orator. Probably he
could not in his best days make a public
address Now by reason of throat trouble
he can scarcely speak above whisper. In
the last four years he has done nothing to
earn a higher place in the estimation of
the party in the state. He is still looked
upon up the state a shrewd and highly
successful city boss-one with whom it is
all right to make trades for support in state
conventions. but not to be considered in the
selection of persons for places of honor and
distinction in the national party councils.
Views Of Senator Foraker's Friends.
There is certainly nothing in the man
that would suggest TO Senator Hanna that
he ought TO be made a delegate-at-large.
IL he has encouraged Cox to become
candidate for this honor-and it seems
highly improbable that Cox would an
nounce himself candidate without as
surance from Senator Hanna-the conclu-
sion that the friends of Senator Foraker
here have reached is that he las done so
with view to shutting Senator Foraker
out of the big four.
But Senator Hanna will no doubt abso-
lutely control the coming state convention.
1t will select the deiegates-at-Iarge and if
Senator Hanna cares to his power he
can keep Senator Foraker off the big
four" The question will be. however will
IL pay to do this? 1t would be throwing
down the gauntlet for a fight that would
not end with the national convention nor
even with the campaign.
The probab ility now seems to be that
Cox Will not be placed on the big four; not
TO the displacement of Senator Foraker
anyhow.