Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-02-10
SECRET OF
OPPOSITION
Walter WeIlman Gives Some Inside
information Of the Hanna Presi.
DENTAL Boom.
SENATOR NOT IN SYMPATHY
SAYS That n the Nomination is Taken
Away From Roosevelt the Re-
pubIicans Will Lose.
(Walter Wellman in the Chicago Rec
. ord. Herald


Persistent efforts are being made
by certain people who do not like
President Roosevelt to induce Sena-
tor Hanna to come out openly as a
candidate for the Republican presiden'
tial nomination. Some of these efforts
have their origin in that part gener-
ally spoken of as Wall street-for il
is now generally known that not all
by any means OF the influential lead
ers in the financial district are oppos.
ed to Mr.. Roosevelt-and others
spring from the yearnings of polite
fans who think they could get on bet.
ter with Mr.. Hanna as the leader of
the party than they are able to get on
with Mr.. Roosevelt. During the last
week evidence has multiplied of the
existence of these petty plots to de-
feat the president by coaxing Mr..
Hanna to permit his name to be used.
At the same time there is an abun-
dance of evidence that Mr.. Hanna has
no intention of doing anything of the
sort. The movement in favor Of Han.
ma and against the president Is not a
tenth part as formidable as some peD-
pie think ii is. But even II 1t were
all they believe IL to be. ii would not
be formidable enough to upset the
calm and well balanced Judgment Of
the Ohio senator or to induce him to
LAUGH his little bark on the stormy
sea of presidential ambition. Infor-
nation of the most trustworthy char.
actor received here indicates that Mr..
Hanna is not tempted; ne is, In fact,
by no means unselhsh efforts to get
him into trouble; to his intimates he
speaks of ones fool friends as being
the greatest enemies a public man
can have.
But as long as newspapers can be
found to seize on every little rumor
and magnify 1t into a development Of
prime Importance. as long as human
nature retains its well nigh univer-
sal aspect OF suspiciousness, 1t prob
ably will be necessary for those who
sincerely try 10 give the public cor
rect information concerning public ac
tivities to deny about once a fort
night, from now till the meeting of
the national Republican convention,
that any such thing as Hanna boom
worthy the name has actual life and
being.
In this connection I feel that | am
doing Senator Hanna and the cause
of truth service by revealing con.
| versation which took place in this city
during the meeting of the national Re-
publican committee last month. At
that time, it will be remembered. the
newspapers were filed with stories OF
the Hanna boom. Then. as now, all
| sorts of efforts we're making to stir
up trouble between President Roose-
welt and the Ohio senator. When the
talk reached its height a number Of
Republican senators took occasion
one night. during lull In the inno-
cent game of cards they were playing
together. to speak to Mr. Hanna on
the subject. | know who these SEN
| ators were, but am not at Liberty to
give their names. One after another
oil them briefly reviewed the condi.
tions-the popularity OF President
| Roosevelt with the rank and fle Of
the people throughout the country,
the general feeling that he had taken
up a most difficult task on the death
of Mckinley, and that he had done
well with it; the predominant senti-
ment that he was fairly entitled to a
chance to go before the people and to
secure from them. II he could, an ex-
preston Of their approval OF his work.
These opinions were expressed by the
senators, not in criticism of Mr.. Han
ma. and In purely conversational
rather than In preaching way. Fl
nally. Mr.. Hanna himself spoke.
Il know all that to be true Just as
we'll as you do" he said, "and will
go further. IL any combination were
| formed TO take the nomination away
from President Roosevelt and the peo.
pie thought he had not been fairly
treated, the Republican party would
be defeated at the polls as sure as
| fate"
Since hearing Mr.. Hanna make that
statement the senators present have
had no further anxiety as to Mr. Han
mas attitude. They read of the al
legged efforts of Hanna boomers, and
of suspicious circumstances In Wall
street and among the politicians,
| without a tremor of alarm. They
place implicit confidence in Mr.. Han
ma himself. They know that as long
| nd ~ IL,
ularly Republican sentiment. remains
as II is today, Mr.. Hanna will make
no effort to get the nomination and
knows he could not get 1t IL he tried
Above and beyond this, the men who
are close to Mr.. Hanna. and who know
his mind and his character. feel per.
fectly sure that what Is called the
presidential bee has never started
buzzing in his bonnet. Ambition ney.
er has taken possession OF him and
clouded his Judgment. He distinct
ly Is not crazy to be president. In
fact, his intimate friends know that
he feels IL by any chance he we're to
be elected president. the labor and re
sponsibility of the Office would kill
him within a year; and Mr.. Hanna is
not eager to commit suicide for ambi
tion's sake. Moreover, he is earnest
, in his desire for Republican success
and he feels kindly enough toward
| President Roosevelt
There is only one emergency In
which there Is the slightest possibil
ity that Mr.. Hanna would become q
candidate for the nomination. and ev