The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-03
1t is Hanna in the Pres
identiaI Chair.
CAN THESE THINGS BE?
1t Really Looks That if Teddy is
Named at all He Will be Named
as the Leader of a FOrIorn
Hope of the Repub-
!iCans.
liCanS.
Especial to News and Observer. :,


President is greatly worried over his pros
poets of nomination and election is an
open secret here.
In fact, he makes little effort to con-
ceal his feelings in regard to it. The
Hanna boom. especially, annoys him. II
comes and goes, repudiated today only
to break out stronger than ever tomor
row. and with each recurrence to mortlfy
and exasperate the strenuous occupant of
the White House more than before.
To be sure Mr.. Hanna smiles in an
incredulous sort of way each time, and
with gracious wave of the hand dis
misses the subject with the declaration
that he's mot now, nor ever has been,
a candidate" The President smiles back,
accepts the assurance-though. as a mat
ter of fact, it's no assurance at all. Then
straightway some one close TO hanna
writes an article or an editorial ABOUT
the uncertainty of Roosevelt's election,
pointing out his personal unpopularlty
and his almost certain inability to carry
New York Thereupon the Hanna claquers
begin again and it's all repeated, the
Hanna smile and assurances and all
until the knowing ones refer to 1T as the
continuous performance" at the White
House.
This has gone on until the people are
beginning to take the Hanna boom Sc
riously, and are making canvass OF the
situation that is causing them to ask
whether it would not be well to norli-
nate the Ohio Senator anyway, whether
he wants it or not. New England Re
publican who has Just returned from his
home, where he spent the holidays, sad
today: my people are Just now more
interested in the Presidential nomination
than in anything else. They are wonder
ING whether Hanna will really be can
ddate, and many of them are hoping ne
will be. still larger number think that
even while saying he is rot candidate
he is quietly telling 'the boys to keep
OH saving wood"
While the popular current Is thus un-
doubtedly setting against the nomination
of Mr. Roosevelt for personal reasons
the signs are unmistakable that he -
not the real choice Of the keen-sighted
leaders of his party who. while they
question the advisability OF his nomlna.
ton are uncomfortably doubtful OF his
election if nominated. More than one
prominent leader has been heard to re
mark in the past few weeks, ''Oh, we are
compelled now to nominate him. Not
to do so would be to acknowledge de
feat" Which, being interpreted. means,
if it means anything, that Mr.. Roosevelt
is to be put up, if put up at all, to lead
"forlorn hope" In other words, II the
men who control the convention think
that the nomination is worth anybodys
taking, they viii give it to Hanna II
they decide that the case is weil-nigh
hopeless, they will let the President have
the honor of showing us 1892 over
again"
Not only is Theodore Roosevelt per-
sonaily unpopular, but the country is
afraid of him. 1t feels that his presence
in the White House is a constant menace
to prosperity at home and peace abroad.
Wall Street is against him because 1t
fears him. labor is against him for like
reason. The temperament of the man is
the cause of this remarkable situation
An earnest and inspiring preacher, he
becomes dangerous in the enforcement OF
his convictions.
More than any other one thing, possibly,
his attitude toward Panama and Colombia
has brought under respectful but de-
termined consideration the temperament
of the man as related to the peace and
prosperity of the country. Former acts
OF corresponding impulsiveness were 1g-
nored, if not forgiven, because the feel
ing was widespread that Mr.. Roosevelt
was at least honest and would have
the courage to correct is errors before
their consequences became serious. But
the Panama incident has given birth to
the belief that where great matters OF
state are concerned his counsel makes
swift for misunderstanding and his acts
argue for war. Not one single inter
national question has he touched to It's
illumination and advantage. For the
Jewish massacres he would have insulted
the Gear of Russia, and for the persecu-
ton of Christians he would have met the
willy Turk with booming guns, utterly
regardless of the fact that either act
would for the first time in history have
involved us irrevocably in the endless
quarrels and wars of European politics.
1t is these things that have made
Theodore Roosevelt man to be t cared
by the conservative element of the Amer
lean people. 1t is for this reason that
one so often hears the hope expressed
by conservative men of affairs and lead
ers in the world of business that the Re
publican party will turn from Roosevelt!
before it is too late and nominate Hanna,
o. that if it fails to do so the Democratic
party will nominate a man whom they can
confidently vote for.
And as for Mr.. Hanna, Walter Wellmap
sets forth in the Chica go Record Herald
his position exactly. He says:
"Our Uncle Mark is level-headed. He is
practical He is master of himself He
is probab bly, the last man in the country
who will permit ambition to make a fool
of him and lead him into disrupting the
Republican party in chase of will-o-the-
wisp. Barring accident, there is not
slightest probability of change of front
on his part Many Senator'S and other
observers say: 1T is a queer situation
can't understand it, Yes. it is queer
But such as it is it is likely to remain
for some time to come. Mr.. Hanna is
not likely to get either in or out of the