Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-17
HANNA AND M'KINLBY.

uls curious fact that when Hanna opposite sides. Hanna, coal mine owner, had had some trouble with some miners. Some of the strikers overstepped the bounds of law and were arrested. Mckinley, then young lawyer, defended them with marked success. Hanna was attracted to the man who could oppose him and carry off the flag of victory. He sought him out, became convinced of his worth and ability and won him over. The men first liked then loved each other. The business man in Cleveland watched the man in politics in Canton, saw him steadily rise in public life, kept always in touch with him, encouraged and up held him. The two men complemented each other. Hanna was aggressive, Mckinley was conservative. Hanna could not utter word in public. Mo Kinley was graceful, persuasive, forceful orator. Hanna kept close to the hard, practical world, Mckinley occasionally dwelt among the clouds. There were some points, too, where the men touched each other, and at these points their friendship was ce- mented by mutual feeling.
 Mckinley was also confident that his opportunity had come. Twice before he had seen the honor of nomination drifting toward him, but each time he had stepped aside. In 1894 the field seemed clear and the clements pro- pitious. Hanna, knowing how McKin- ley had steadily risen in public esteem, suggested his candidacy for, the pres idency. The Republican leaders, for some reason, were averse to the sug- gestion. Hanna thereupon determined to take the matter in his own hands. Mckinley was summoned to the fa- nous conference at Thomasville, Ga, Hanna's winter home, and went deter mined to meet the tide of fortune at its flood.
 Long before the convention assem- bled at St. Louis the result was fore gone conclusion. From almost every state came delegates pledged to Me Kinley. Their duty was perfunctory. They had merely to answer when their names were called. When they ar rived at St. Louis they went to little room in the Southern hotel to meet the man who had marshaled them under one flag. That little room, with Hanna coatless and perspiring, vas the focus of the convention. The man who had been a mere delegate in the ranks, who had then risen to be the chairman of traI figure of a great convention, the general of mighty army.
 The convention over and Hanna's purpose being accomplished, he pro- posed to again return to his desk. AS he was packing up his papers in his room at the hotel Henry c. Payne, now postmaster general, entered and invited him to, meet some gentlemen upstairs. Hanna complied. He found about fifty men assembled.
 "Mr Hanna said one of them abruptly, i've have elected you chair man of the Republican national com mittee."
 In that sudden and almost startling manner MT. Hanna was made ac- Quainted with his selection. MT. Han na hesitated for few moments, then accepted.
 In this fashion MT. Hanna went to the head of the Republican national or ganization. He became not only a new figure in American politics, but the embodiment of a new idea. With his ascendency all political methods were revolutionized. Campaigns had been previously managed by protess1onal politicians, but with the advent of MT. Hanna the business man came to the front Practical ideas succeeded theoretical issues. Of all the remarka- ble developments of the campaign of 1896, a campaign which includes a most interesting chapter in MT. Han- mas life, this fact stands out most prominent-tl1at under MT. Hanna busi- ness finally dominated politics. Nor is there any likelihood that the Ameri- can people will ever return to their an cfent ways.