The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-02-20
SENATOR HANNA.

Ohio and chairman of the Republican
national committee, is dead. In his
death the party of which he was leader
has lost a great general. Few men
ever entered politics with greater de-
termination to win and succeed as did
Mark Hanna Possessed of wealth and
an ambition to lead, he entered politics
at time when his advent therein was
by no means welcome. Conditions
sometimes make men, and who knows
if it had not been that William McKin-
ley was candidate for the presidency
of the United States that Mark Hanna
might never have demonstrated to his
friends and enemies alike his fitness
for the enviable position he held as
leader of his party. When Mckinley
was nominated for the presidency,
Mark Hanna took charge of the cam
paign, and how we'll he did his work
was shown by the result. Old and tried
leaders of the party did not approve
of McKinley's choice, but that did not
disturb Hanna. He organized his
forces and put the best men obtainable
where he thought they would do the
most good. He spared neither time
nor money to accomplish his purpose,
and he won. This placed him at Nc
Kinley's right hand, and all through the
latter's term at the White House he
was the power behind the throne. Pres
ident Mckinley was not regarded as
president by a good many people be-
cause of IIanna's influence, and it was
often said that Hanna and not Nc
Kinley was the real president. 1t was
generally supposed and justly so, that
an applicant for any position in the gift
of the president who had secured Han
mas o. k. was as good as appointed.
To those familiar with the relations
that existed between President McKin-
ley and the chairman of the national
committee, and what led to the brother
ly love between these two men, it
does not appear strange that President
Mckinley showed so much courtesy
to Mark Hanna. Many years before
William Mckinley was spoken of for
president he became financially in
volved, and after exhausting all his
available resources found himself TN
able to meet his obligations. Mark
Hanna heard OF his troubles and went
Immediately to Canton, o. He offered
his services to Mckinley, took tip all
the unpaid notes bearing McKinley's
endorsement, and thus saved him from
financial ruin. When Mckinley be-
came president he showed his graft
tude by remembering his friend. Who
would blame him? To have done
otherwise would have stamped him as
an migrate President McKinley's TN
timely death was a severe blow to
Hanna, and it can be truthfully said
that he was not the same man after
wards.
Senator Hanna, like all great men.
had his faults and his prominence in
politics made these faults more pro-
nounced. AS a plain citizen and bust
ness man he was, particularly in later
years, highly regarded by his en-
ployes. Though in years past as an
employer he had some difference with
his employees, but after close per-
sonal attention to the justice of their
demands, lie extended them many priv
ileges denied others similarly employ
ed. AS politician he was unscrupu-
lous in his methods. He cared little
about what was thought or said of him.
Whenever he entered political race,
whether for his own or his friends
benefit, he hcsitated not to avail him
self of all means at his disposal to
win. This was his greatest fault, but
in death we can all afford to forget
and forgive His life was full of many
useful lessons, and his name will go
down in the history of his country and
his party as being that Of the greatest
political leader OF his time.