The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-16
Of, 463 Copies.
Senator Hanna.

The death Of Senator Marcus A.
Hanna will deeply affect millions of
Americans. No man probably has
ever been so DETAINED and misrepre-
sented as Hanna, and has yet realized
that neither false report not deliber-
ate calumny was able to overcome the
respect and admiration entertained
for him by millions of his countrymen
That character and ability will assert
themselves and win their reward in
the face of the most INSCRIPTIONS OBJ
position was never better demon
strated than in the life of Senator
Hanna.
There was a time when even Sena-
tor Hanna's political associates, who
were not fortunate enough to know
him well. felt that behind all the
smoke of the calumny and libel in
which he was enveloped there must be
some grave defect of character. Many
who recognized in him a great leader
and rejoiced that he led the republican
hosts in the critical battles felt that
his methods were probably unscrupu-
elous. There was some justification for
this in his lavish use Of money in polit-
'ical campaigns. 1t is probably true,
too, that with all his interest in the
public welfare and his ardent desire
that the dissensions that distract the
country should be settled the senator
was never able entirely to subordinate
private to public relations. This is
defect Of most generous natures. Sem
ator Hanna believed in standing by
his friends, even if sometimes, as in
the case Of Rathbone, the evidence
was all against them. But the other
Gside Of this trait was shown in his
affection for and devotion to Presi-
dent Mckinley. Very likely, too, he
sometimes resorted to political meth
DDS that the scholar in his cloister
would shrink from. But when all is
sBaid, the fact remains that in these
respects he was no worse than most
men who are charged with the man
Eagement Of political machines. Against
Ethis shortcoming it must be set down
ithat he had ideas, hopes and aspira-
Saons that are unknown to the average
machine politician. He believed pro-
tfoundly in America and in American
ability to settle right all the problems
THAT confront the republic. He was
sbroad-minded, tolerant, generous,
sympathetic and helpful.
The profound grief his death evokes
samong those who knew him best as
well as among those who never saw
him Is abundant proof Of the departed
Ssenator's essential greatness.
Senator Hanna was perhaps the first
great American business man to enter
politics. He went into politics as a
business man, and he made all his po-
1itical moves in business-like way.
His career is a model for men who
shave money and time to spare and do
mot know what to do with either.
Senator Hanna believed that the bust
ness man ought to go into politics, and
he proved that it is quite possible for
4 a man to attend successfully to his
yown affairs and yet devote much at
tention to public affairs He right
fully felt that the business men of a
business nation ought to have an in
fluential voice in determining nation
Sal policy. He realized that if they
were organized their political power
would be almost invincible. The fear
of the business world of free silver and
tariff revision in 1896 and 1900 en-