Evening star., 1932-10-23
BY HENRY W. LAWRENCE.

-HE presd ental campaign Of 1896
centered two men-the Demo-
cratic candidate, William Jennings
Bryan, and the Republican candi-
ate-maker Marcus Alonzo Hanna.
To understand these two leaders
thoroughly is to understand the fundamentals
of the desperate warfare they waged, with mil
lions of dollars and billions of words.
Bryan specialized in eoquence and upheaval;
Hanna preferred organization and stability
Friends and foes have described these warriors
and their battle in such labels st George
and the Dragon" Don Quixote and the Steam
roller. B" the Mob VS.. Management" Misery
w. Money" and the silver tongue vs. the
gold standard"
Hanna had carefully groomed Mckinley Tor
the presidency. Bryan, however, was entirely
self-groomed for that Office, and like many
another self-made man, If he did not actually
Worship his Maker he at least had great
confidence in Him.
An illustration of this confidence, together
with q specimen of his oratory, more pleasing
than profound. is afforded by his maiden speech
In Congress, in 1892, when he waded boldly
into an attack on the Republican tariff OF 1890
The thorough quizzing and hecklng he got from
older members of the opposition failed to en-
barrass him. In fact, it stirred him to livelier
eloquence and bolder sallies.
4
- stood as opposed to a State or national
protection to be extended to the beet sugar
industry"
This was supposed to be tough nut for the
young Nebraskan to crack, since the sugar beet
growers of that State had been clamoring for
just that kind of protection; but he shot back
without displaying even flicker of hesitation:
'I am most assuredly And when it is
necessary to come down to Congress and ask
for protection bounty for an industry III
my own State which I should refuse to an
industry in another State I shall cease to
represent Nebraska in Congress"
More heckling followed, with lively retorts;
30 lively that when Bryans time was up the
House permitted him to 60 on indefinitely.
The boldness and fluency of this fedging
Congressman thrust him suddenly into the
umelight-where he ever longed to be. The
press made him hero overnight.
] his great antagonist, Mark Hanna. If
Bryans long suit was hot air, as his opponents
charged, Hanna's was hard cash.
He knew how to get the cash, for himself
and for his party. and he knew how to spend
it where it would do the most good. When ne
passed the hat among the wealthy they didn't
shut their eyes and turn away; not before they
had tossed in something handsome or, II any
tried to, he roared at them.
The story is tod-quite probably it Is not
literally true-that tightwad millionaire
who declined to contribute after Hanna had
sent him somewhat urgent follow-up letter
remarked afterward that Mark Hanna Is
very poor speller. He spells lousy with two
S's and skunk with CO.
Another story shows either that the great
president-maker was desperately determined
person or that he sometimes said what he did
not altogether mean.
During the bitter heats of the 1896 cam
paign Kansas Populist (who related this Incl
dent very circumstantially to the present
writer was introduced to Mr.. Hanna. When
the conversation turned to Bryan's chances for
winning the presidency, Hanna suddenly ex-
ploded with the following blood-curdling threat.
"Do you think" said he that we'd let that
damned lunatic get into the White House?
Never! You know you can hire half the people
Of the United States to shoot down the other
half If it's necessary and we've got the money
to hire them!"
This sounds pretty violent, but Hanna was
probably letting off steam somewhat reck-