Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-02-17

Great Lakes. Following the organization
Of the Union National bank of Cleveland
he was elected to its presidency in March,
1884.
He was delegates at large from the
state of Ohio to the Republican national
conventions of 1884 and 1896, and in
1888 was a district delegate. \ warm
friends Of Senator John Sherman. he
was an energetic advocate of his nomin-
alton for the presidency in 1880, 1851
and 1888. He felt that Shermans emf
nent services to the country in securing
the resumption Of specie payment and
the firm establishment of the nation S
credit and honor had never been ade-
quately recognized.
Mr.. Hanna took charge Of Mai Nc
Knley's preliminary canvass for the pres
dency during the winter of 1S95-9G. and
so well did he conduct it that he was
chosen chairman Of the national commit
tee. and given the entire conduct of The
campaign, which he carried to Il success
full issue.
Mark Hanna has been easily the most
potent force in Ohio politics as applied
to national affairs for a good part of
the last twenty-five years. When u. S.
1880, Blaine, Sherman and other promi-
nent men, who had been looking for the
prize, were similarly left in the rear.
The nomination was suddenly thrust
upon James A. Garfield. In spite of ali
stories to the contrary, Garfield had not
the slightest idea of winning the nom
nation when he went to the Chicago
convention as the leader of the Ohio
delegation. He was fighting Grant be-
cause he was opposed to the third term
idea, but chiefly because he was honestly
in favor of the nomination of John
Sherman.
GRAFT was beaten. Sherman was beat
en-, Blaine was beaten, and Garfield
emerged from the convention the Repub-
lican candidate. He was unprepared
for this in more ways than one. He
had no personal machine, had no strings
of his own to command Il campaign fund
and was wholly at sea as to the men to
be especially trusted with the conduct of
his personal campaign.
On his way, to Mentor, Garfield
stopped off at Cleveland to seek advice.
One of the men he met at that time was
Marcus A. Hanna, and soon thereafter
Hanna was at Mentor busily engaged
without any blowing of trumpets in put
ting Garheld's campaign into business
shape. The result was triumphant vic
tory, and had it not been for the assas-
slnatlon of Garfield the country might
have heard more of Hanna at that time.
An interchangeable worker, and full of
confidence himself, he inspired everybody
about him with a like faith and enthusi-
assn; more business man than q polit-
elan, he carried his business methods into
the management of the campaign, elm
mating as far as possible the item of
chance In one state, where the situa
ton was unsatisfactory. three complete
polls were made, and his thoroughness
was demonstrated by the fact that Nc
Kinley's majority i'll that state, at the
election. was within 1000 Of what the
polling showed. OH a vote Of nearly half
a fyNn
fore the election the Democrats were
claiming Indiana as certain for Bryan,
Mr.. Hanna's last canvass showed over
10000 plurality for Mckinley, and as a
matter Of fact the vote at the election
gave him 1890 advantage
Mr.. Hanna was always active in the
management Of his personal affairs, hav-
ing them organized and systematized un-
der force of men whose respect he held
because he treated them with respect
and was always fair to them.
During the Cleveland street railway
effort to get them out, claiming that they
had no grievance for which to strike;
and in the coal miners strike of 1896
and 81, the Hanna properties We're the
only properties at which there was no
disturbance. Mr.. Hanna always was a
true friend of labor; during the prostra-
ton of the iron industries, when all the
ore mines i'll the Michigan region were
shut down and the miners families were
in distress, his mine was kept running
and over 100000 tons of ore were piled
up on the docks, in order to give EN-
ployment to the men and to support Their
families. At one time the superintendent
was about to introduce two large steam
hoists and shovels for unloading vessels,
but as soon as Mr.. Hanna heard of the
matter he ordered the machines away,
saying that the men were brought there
70 do the work, and their families needed
the wages.