The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-02-16
Marcus AlonZo Hanna.
His Career as Business Man and Poll
teal Leader

Int uedlu VI lCelldLoI J1allud re-
moves from public life a figure which.
perhaps, attracted as much attention
as that of any man of his time. For
the last five or six years he has been
enc of those men who are widely
known and imperfectly understood.
Perhaps to be widely known is
synonymous with being misunder-
stood. The possession of such COM
handing qualities as may influence
ones generation involves many con-
tradictions, many discrepancies be-
tween what &c ordinary man does ir
certain circumstances and what the
extraordinary man does in the same
situation
Marcus Alonzo Hanna was born In
Ohio, in 1887, while the Mississippi
Valley was still the West, little known
and but half appreciated. He was
educated IN the schools of his State
and in the Western Reserve College /:
he became a business man, and bust
ness man he was to the day of his
death. At thirty he was partner in a
wholesale grocery house; later, ne was
in the coal business. the banking bust
ness, the street railway business, the
mining business. In 1896 he became
chairman of the Republican National
Committee.
Mr.. Hanna grew up with the West.
lie was a part of that great mass o.
human energy which developed the
immense resources of the Lake region
and the Mississippi Valley He was
one of those captains of industry vino
are coming TO be recognized as om
great men. our barons, IS the men WHO
built up feudalism were great men
great because they could control
others, mainly for the good of those
others. Industrial feudaEsm has beer
as necessary a step in our develop.
ment as military feudalism was II
that of Europe. Time only can show
what will succeed it; but time viii moi
disprove the fact that the men who
made II were powerful
Senator Hanna became, after hi:
great business success, a force In the
political world. He had two salient
qualities: loyalty TO his friends anC
capacity for organization. No one
can doubt his strong friendship fol
President Mckinley, and it is gener
ally recognized that, admirable a!
many of Mr. McKinley's persons
qualities were, and brilliant as wer,
his political talents, he would not have
been President but for the untiring
sagacious efforts of this modern War
wick. In this loyalty and devotion
again, Senator Hanna resembled tn,
men of more primitive times whel
they were at their best. 1t was a sid
Of his character which his political op
ponents refused to recognize, but pc
( litical opponents have no bushes
, with such things.
2 The intuition which led him to Sc
, opportunities fer business enterpris
where duller or more tiInid men over
r looked them also guided him in hi
! judgment of men; and those VIII
knew him can testify that he rarel
made a mistake in his selection o
. lieutenants. He understood huma
nature, or he could not have been tn
e political leader he was. a curiou
4 feeling OF kindliness can be trace
!. even in the estimates Of his antagon
2 ists- curious because it is rather IL
: consistent to like a man and fight hiI
d at the same time. This kindliness wa
: due to the recognition Of the esse!:ti;
V simplicity, loyalty, and honesty of Nj
O Hsnna's character Whatever he die
he did because he felt that the inter
! ests of business, of his leader, of h
l. PARTY, demanded it; and that IS Ion
e way from personal seheming for az
) grandizement.