The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-16
SENATOR HANNA DEAD.

The country was prepared for the death
of Senator Marcus A. Hanna. For days
he has been lingering between life and
DEATH He made brave struggle Tor life
and men of all parties hoped for his re-
covery. But it was not so to be. He had
fulfilled his mission. his work was done
For many wears he had been a leader in
great enterprises and since he entered
notifies he has been constantly in the pub
lie eve. The strain upon him since 1896
has been very great probably too great
for his physical strength. The tremend-
Gus labor of conducting national cam
paign calls for the expenditure of all the
nerve power a man possesses. The two
campaigns he conducted drew large drafts
upon Mr.. Hannas strength and his private
business and senatorial duties gave no time
for recuperation.
1t is singular how some men, hitherto
unknown, loom up in the public eye and
occupy the centre of the stage. Up to
January, 1896, nobody, outside of his
business associates. and his own State
had ever so much as heard of Mr.. Hanna.
In that month his name began to appear
Kinley who had saved him from bank
ruptcy, and whose devotion was such that
he was leading his fight for the presi-
Dental nomination. At that time. it was
supposed the contest would be close one
between Reed and Mckinley The Maine
man seemed to have the lead in the East
Hanna undertook to direct the Mckinley
forces. He carried into politics the
methods that had won success for him in
his great business enterprises. He had
learned the power of organization in bust
ness and he believed it would be made as
effective in the political world He first
learned vino were the Mckinley men who
could be relied upon in every State, and
put himself in communication with them
Many came to see him in person. He
communicated to them his own enthu-
siasm and marked out the plan of cam
paign in every State. Trusted agents were
sent everywhere. literary bureau, man
aged by brilliant journalists, was or
ganized, and the world was made familiar
with every phase of McKinleys career
character and availability An army OF
enthusiastic co-workers was put into the
ea11 ,bo+
up the delegates for the Ohio man was
done under the remarkable generalship OF
the new amateur leader from Cleveland.
At first the Reed men gave no heed to
the work of a man they regarded as u
novice. They did not think general who
had won no spurs in the political field
could prove a match for Joseph Manley
and the other Reed leaders who had de-
voted their whole lives to political manage
ment. But it was not long before they
began to see the result Of the work that
doubted that New England would be solid
for their man. They were dumbfounded
when it appeared that Mckinley would
carry almost as many votes in New Eng
land as Mr.. Reed. Vermont made the
first break and the Mckinley sentiment
made itself felt in almost every other
State that the general public had conceded
to Reed. That was carrying the war
into Africa 1t was a bold stroke and
the American people like boldness in poll
tics. The strong Mckinley sentiment in
New England and the East was exploited
by capable press agents. In the South,
In the far West-everywhere was felt the
hand of Hanna. He had organized the
Mckinley forces so perfectly and had done
his work so well that long before the Con-
vention met the nomination of Mckinley
was conceded by all. OF course Mr.. Nc
sagacity of high order, but many men
of greater ability have lost the presidency
because they did not have a Mark Hanna
to manage their campaign. If Daniel
Webster could have had Mark Hanna
to direct his campaign for the nomination,
he would have been president at the time
that Zachary Taylor was elected. Of
course it took money in plenty to conduct
such a campaign as Mr.. Hanna planned
and executed, but he was rich enough to
spend it, and he took pleasure in doing so
to advance the fortunes of his friend.
The old stagers in politics revised their
opinion of Mr.. Hanna when they saw that
he was more than a match for them. He
had gone "up head at the first dash
into politics, and from the st. Louis Con-
vention in 1896, until the day of his death
he was the recognized leader of his party.
the head of its organization. and the
ablest political organizer in America.
Mr.. Hanna's success in the preliminary
campaign for Mckinley foreshadowed his
| election as national chairman It was q
campaign calling for resourceful man