The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-16

having controlling interest In concerns
pig iron in Buffalo and
western Pennsylvania, he had many manu-
interests turnout Ohio.
1t has been said Of Mark Hanna that he
was at once the best known and the least
known public man in the United States
Once he tried and failed to make John
Sherman president of the United States
Twice he was a potential personal factor
In electing William Mckinley to the presi-
1ency. No man has been SO conspicuous
and influential in helping other men to
write history within the span Of his own
days. Yet in spite Of all this. the Amer
lean public never learned to know the |
real Senator Hanna. Cartoonists never
tired Of picturing him in all sorts Of gro
tesque DISCUSSES. But no true or even ap-
accurate image of the man
existed in the minds Of the great bulk Of
the American public.
Mark Hanna's rise in politics was by far
the most interesting phase Of his career.
Ever since the days Of his earliest man
hood he had taken the keenest interest in
politics. AS a young man he believed at
tendance upon primaries was one of the
duties Of the citizen. Long be-
fore his name became conspicuous in
national politics, he took an active part
in primary elections. 1t was a part Of his
earliest belief that to take an interest in
public questions and share in their de-
compensation one owed to ones country
for.the privileges one enjoyed as an Amer
lean citizen.
1t was in 1880, when General Garfield
was the republican nominee, that Mr..
Hanna first took an active part in a presi-
Dental campaign. In that year, with sew
eral prominent business men of Cleveland
he organized the Business Mems league.
From it's start in Cleveland this organ
station quickly spread thru several states
and proved powerful factor In the cleo
ton Of Garfield.
It was this campaign that gave Mr..
Hanna his first appreciation Of the enor-
politics, both in conventions and cleo
lions, by the systematic organization of
the business interests Of the country. To
him must be given the full credit for
the discovery of this potent factor, which
since that time has become more and more
policies Of national administrations.
In 1884 Mr.. Hanna took still more ac-
tive part in the making of a president,
tho this time success did not crown his
efforts. He was a delegate-at-large from
Ohio to the national convention, which. he
attended in the interests of John Sher-
man, who failed to win the nomination
| Four years later Mr.. Hanna again shared
Sherman's defeat at the republican ma
tional convention. It was at this conven-
! .tion that he saw Congressman McKinley's
| great sacrifice in throwing aside, in his
loyalty to Sherman, the possibility OF
| winning the presidential nomination. 1t
was at this convention that there was first
born that loyal friendship between Hanna
and Mckinley that later ripened into a
| love equaling the love OF one brother fol-
| another,
| At this time there was a steadily grow.
ing sentiment in the country that Nc
Kinley: was destined to become nationa
statesman Of the first rank. Mr.. Hanne
this, and he attended the convention il
minneapolis in 1892 chiefly as an onlookel
interested in the mastery manner il
which Mr.. Mckinley presided over tn.
gathering. At this convention he saw the
denomination Of President Harrison aIlt
the second time ballot cast for McKin
| ley against the latter's protest. ,
| It was then that he fully realized thu
sweep of the tide toward Mckinley ant
the principle Of a protective tariff which
he represented. From that hour he threw
himself heart and soul into the work o
crystallizing into practical form this sen
timent for Mckinley. Mr.. Hanna helt
persistently to his self-appointed task an
til, in the spring Of 1885, he finally essayet
the task Of securing Mckinley delegate
for the national convention held In st
Lie 1OllOWluS year. .f1OW
success crowned his splendid efforts b,
the sweeping nomination OF the man VIII
became his hero, needs no recounting.
/ It was only by the strongest persona
effort that President Mckinley prevaile
upon him to become candidate for tn
senate, to fill the vacancy caused by tn
selection of John Sherman as Secretar
Of state In 1897 he was appointed Unite
States senator by Governor Bushnell Q
Ohio, and to this seat he was electe
in 1898 for both the short and long terms
and in January Of this year was re-electe6
Mr. Hanna was always true frien
Of labor During prostration In the iro
industries, when all the mines In tn
Michigan region were shut down and tn
miners families were in distress, his min
| was kept running, and over 10000 ton
of ore piled up on the docks, in order t
give employment to the men and supper
to their families.
At one time a superintendent was abor
5 Ito introduce two large steam HOSTS an
t shovels for unloading vessels. but as 500
as Mr.. Hanna heard of the matter he OF
dered the machines away, saying that tx
men were brought there to do the worl
and their families needed the wages.
II While the opposition tried to make
9 appear that he was the enemy Of labor, /
) Ibid not permit such efforts to disturb h
q Eequanimity. He had the assurance of
v Eclear conscience and Of the fact that h
. own employees were with him, because
: the good understanding that had alwa,
existed between them and himself. TIL.
the good opinion held Of him by his en-
ployes has extended to all wage workers
= the nation would have been prime fact
9 in the campaign, had he lived and becon
- a candidate for the presidency. A notab
= instance Of the cameraderie between h
- men and him was shown at the time of Il
= Cleveland railway strike Of 1899, when h
. employees refused to enter into it. becaus
!. as they said, they had no grievance, we
y well treated and satisfied. Again, in 1S9
: 81 the Hanna properties were the on
ones in which there was no trouble du
ing the coal miners strike.
: AS the head Of the Civic Federation
has done good work in bringing togeth
S the antagonistic elements in wage di
3 turbances, and not the least since
IS nnourners for the dead senator will be t
d wage earners OF the country whose bite
y est enemy he was declared to be but fe
c. years ago..
W Mr.. Hanna, upon entering the senat
J. at once took commanding position. DO
" by reason Of his intimate relations wi
d President Mckinley and by his own fore
" full character. His position as chairm
) Of the national republican committee tn
Is two campaigns gave him hold on t
N machinery of the republican party viii
he used effectively and unselfishly for t
party's good.