The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1904-01-29
SOMETHING OF A DILEMMA.
The Republican Party IL Rctween
the DesiI and the Deep sea
over Hanna.

Pstween the growing distrust OF
Roosevelt and the doubtful availability
Of Hanna the republican party finds it.
self In a desperately weak situation: a
situation which is BADLY disclosed now.
says the ST. Louis Republic. with Roose-
welt being pounded all along the lines
OF the organization and the Wall street
influence going with the organization
in the effect 10 develop Hanna's boom.
Distrust OF Roosevelt has crystallized
into open opposition by the business in
terests. not only OF Wall street. but OF
the country very generally The great
part Of the business OF the country does
not possess either the interest or tho
influence Of Wall street In politics. but
is conservative: desires to follow the
established commercial conventions;
relies substantially upon a secure and
conservative administration; and re-
sents vagaries which are apt to disturb
and unsettle it's whole basis OF opera
tions- Uneasiness perhaps best describes
the attitude Of Americas commercial in
terests toward Roosevelt: not so muc h
I
the present term as for his course should
he receive the Office upon his own ac-
count by the vote OF the people.
In contemplating the Roosevelt Of now
and the Roosevelt OF the future a clear
distinction is made. Mr. Roosevelt. sud
denly elevated TO the presidency by the
tragedy az Buffalo implicitly assumed
a continuation OF McKinley's policies;
these constituted tacit incumbrance,
as IL were, and the obligation rested upon
the successor to carry them out I'm
questionably this obligation has had a
restraining influence upon Mr.. Roose-
Welt. though he has by no means kept
within the limitations of the Mckinley
conservatism at all times. He has been
sufficiently impulsive. radical and err
ratio on several occasions 10 demon
strate what he might do If placed in Of
flee upon his own responsibility and
without the superimposition OF re-
strsining influences
Given a clear title 10 the presidency
by popular suffrage. what would the
pride. the egotism and self-will OF this
extremist lead him TO? This is the ques-
I ton which the financial Industrial and
mercantile communities are asking
themselves
The answer is indicated BY the forces
which are rolling up for Hanna Ohio
and Indiana are for Hanna New York
goes without saying Pennsylvania
would be for him likewise Probably
I Illinois would. The influences in these
states are strong enough TO dominate
the machine, or organization"
Would Hanna make a stronger candi-
date than Roosevelt? In one sense he
would. Behind him would be united and
thorough organization. Behind him
would also be the republican interests
known as Wall street" which have
withdrawn from Roosevelt Business
interests generally would perhaps ac-
cord 70 Hanna. if president. greater
confidence than they now repose in Mr.
Roosevelt
But from the standpoint Of the peo-
pie. Hanna would be 10 unmixed bless
ing. RELOCATED TO Hanna for its nomi-
nee. the republican party would have
TO face defersively the great national
question of corruption il the federal SER
vice The department scandals have
oonclusively revealed the link which
connects Doodle with the machine with
which Hanna is associated and has been
largely instrumental in perfecting.
Yet the fact remains that Hanna is nc
more identified with the organization
than was Roosevelt UP to within recent
weeks Roosevelt assiduOusly cult
waited machine strength by every means
/ in his power: by appointments. by capt.
uIation. &c the machine. by concessions
even by the abandonment OF previously
expressed convictions and intentions
concerning vital issues. And by thess
means he succeeded in developing and
possessing no inconsiderable pull with
the powers that be. Nor did his machine
strength wane until the distrust Of tho
financial and mercantile interests gerer-
ally became manifest and Wall street
threw its influence into the opposing
scale
Thus the republican party stands be-
tween the devil and the deep blue sea;
between unsafe radicalism and machine
I concentration-the former dangerous tC
commercial. industrial and financial
health: the latter lacking. even in great
or degree, the confidence Of the masses