The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-29
FoR PREsIDENT.

If Mr.. Roosevelt adheres to his de-
termination to refuse denomination
for the presidency it devolves upon the
nation~to find man who will continue
the good work Roosevelt has inaugu-
rated-a man who believes in the
Roosevelt idea of square deal and
who has the courage and the force to
carry it out. and one who is also en-
dowed with a wisdom that inspires the
| confidence of the people.
What other man now prominent in
the Republican party fills these re-
quirements as fully as does Governor
Hanly Of Indiana? Without any adj
vance notices or lime1ight display Gov
ernor Hanly has demonstrated that he
out Roosevelts Roosevelt in his dis
play of backbone in enforcing the law
against corruption, even among his own
| friends. He has taken firm stand
against corporate greed and the grant
ing of improper favors to corporations.
but also against going to the other ex-
treme of treating corporate interests
unjustly.
| What other man has shown the abil
| ity and the inclination to carry out the
policies that the nation approved in the
election of Roosevelt as has Governor
| HanIy? Run over the list of those who
have presidential booms-Root, Taft,
Foraker, Fairbanks, Shaw-none of
them measure up to the standard as
| does Hanly. Some are possessed of
undoubted ability but they have been
SO hedged about with corporate inf1u-
ences in the past as to make it difficult
for them to break away from those in
huences. Each is qualified in some
particular for the presidency, but none
of them stand opposed to corporate
greed, for the enforcement of law, for
honesty in public affairs, and for the
square deal all around, as fully as Gov
ernor Hanly.
Two acts of Governor Hanly alone
have demonstrated his ability and his
| inclinations. One was his forcing the
public officials of Indiana to give up
| their railroad passes, and the other
was the summary ousting of Auditor
Sherrick for misuse of the public
funds.
Here is an estimate of Governor Han
ly by the Washington Post, one of the
ablest newspapers of the country, and
one which, because of it's location, is
| almost daily given the opportunity to
"size up public men. In an editorial
headed, "A Governor of the Right Sort
it says:
''Hanly, of Indiana, did not essay the
role of a. reformer in his campaign for
governor. He was not heralded as a
Folk or a La Toilette. His candidacy
offered no promise whatever of unusual
achievements. Indeed, he so clearly
typified the rough-and-ready Hoosier
politician that many good people look
ed aslxance when he was chosen and
! lugubriOuSly recalled the glorious past,
when men truly great presided over the
destinies of the state.
but Hanly has been a surprise and
a disappointment ali around-an agree
able surprise to those who expected
nothing of moment at his hands and a
| lous party men who counted upon an
answering allegiance to them and
their interests on his part at every
stage of his official career.
He is no longer Hanly the man, or
Hanly the Republican, but Han1y the
governor of Indiana. Unostentatiously.
but courageously, he. is proceeding To
do his duty as it is given him to see
that duty. His is a simple course, bts-
cause it is the straight course. No
| limeHght is required to make his pur-
poses clear. Primarily he stands for
enforcement of the law. His subordin-
ates must be abiding and
sonal judgment may be as
ITO the wisdom of legislative enactment,
he conceives it to be his sole duty to
see that such laws are honestly admin
istered. There is nothing radical or
revolutionary in this, even if it is bring
| ing about a wholesome reformation in
the state.
s'Hanly gave a magnificent exhibition
of courage the other day when he sum-
marily removed from Office his friend
and colleague, Sherrick. the defaulting
auditor. This was a disagreeable duty
bravely performed. A governor less
| honest-a politician simply-would have
shielded his friend and abetted the COW
ering up of the scandal, but Hanly re-
fused to permit personal friendship or
partisan welfare to control him in the
least when public duty confronted him.
He thus displayed the qualities that de-
ve1oped Weaver, of Philadelphia, from
a machine-made politician into a model
executive.
1.-THE country doubtless will hear
more of Hanly. He is worth keeping an
eye upon."
If Mr.. Roosevelt is bound to retire
at the close of his present term, why is
not Governor Hanly the best man to
succeed him?