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Mark Hanna
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Portrait, 1896
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| United States Senator from Ohio |
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| In office March 5, 1897 – February 15, 1904 |
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| Preceded by | John Sherman |
| Succeeded by | Charles W. F. Dick |
| Chair of the Republican National Committee | |
| In office June 18, 1896 – February 15, 1904 |
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| Preceded by | Thomas H. Carter |
| Succeeded by | Henry Payne (Acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Marcus Alonzo Hanna
September 24, 1837 New Lisbon, Ohio, U.S. (now Lisbon) |
| Died | February 15, 1904 (aged 66) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Resting place | Lake View Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Charlotte Rhodes
(m. 1864) |
| Children | 3, including Ruth |
| Education | Case Western Reserve University |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States (Union) |
| Branch/service | United States Army (Union Army) |
| Unit | Perry Light Infantry |
| Battles/wars | American Civil War |
Marcus Alonzo Hanna (born September 24, 1837 – died February 15, 1904) was an important American businessman and Republican politician. He served as a United States Senator from Ohio. He was also the chairman of the Republican National Committee. Hanna was a close friend and political supporter of President William McKinley. He used his wealth and business skills to help McKinley win the presidential elections in 1896 and 1900.
Hanna was born in New Lisbon, Ohio, in 1837. His family moved to Cleveland when he was a teenager. There, he went to high school with John D. Rockefeller, who became a lifelong friend. Hanna left college early and joined his family's business. He served briefly during the American Civil War and later married Charlotte Rhodes. Her father, Daniel Rhodes, brought Hanna into his business after the war. Hanna quickly became a partner in the company. It grew to include many different businesses, especially in coal and iron. By his 40th birthday, he was a millionaire. He then started to focus his attention on politics.
Contents
Mark Hanna: A Life in Business and Politics
Early Life and Family Business
Marcus Alonzo Hanna was born on September 24, 1837, in New Lisbon, Ohio. His parents were Dr. Leonard and Samantha Hanna. His grandfather, Benjamin Hanna, was a wealthy store owner. Mark's father, Dr. Hanna, joined the family business after an injury. The family business, B., L., and T. Hanna, was a large grocery and goods company.
Mark was described as a strong and sturdy boy. He went to the local public school. He enjoyed debating with other boys. He once argued that Black people had more reasons to complain than Native Americans, and he won the debate.
The Hanna family invested in a canal project to connect New Lisbon to the Ohio River. This project failed, and the family lost a lot of money. Most of the Hanna family left New Lisbon in the early 1850s. Mark's father started a grocery business in Cleveland with his brother. The family moved to Cleveland in 1852. In Cleveland, Mark attended several public schools, including Cleveland Central High School. He was classmates with John D. Rockefeller there. After graduating in 1857, Hanna went to Western Reserve College. However, he was dismissed for playing a prank during a serious ceremony. Hanna then worked in various roles in the family business, learning everything from the ground up.
Brief Service in the Civil War
By the start of the American Civil War, Mark Hanna was a key part of the family business. His father became ill, and Mark was made a partner even before his father passed away in 1862.
Because his father was ill and he had many business duties, Mark Hanna could not join the Union Army. Instead, he hired someone to serve in his place. He became a member of the Perry Light Infantry. This was a National Guard group made up mostly of young Cleveland businessmen. In 1864, his group was called into active service for a short time. They were sent to guard Fort Stevens in Washington, D.C. During this time, they saw a brief battle when Confederate General Jubal Early pretended to attack Washington. Hanna, who was a second lieutenant, was away at the time. He was escorting the body of a soldier back to Ohio. The group finished their service in August 1864.
Building a Business Empire
Before his Civil War service, Hanna met Charlotte Augusta Rhodes in 1862. They fell in love and married on September 27, 1864. Charlotte's father, Daniel Rhodes, was a strong Democrat. He did not like that Hanna supported the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln. But Daniel Rhodes eventually agreed to the marriage.
The 1850s and 1860s were a time of big growth for Cleveland. It became a major city for trade on the Great Lakes. After the war ended in 1865, Hanna started his own businesses. He built an oil refinery and invested in a fast Great Lakes ship. However, the ship sank, and the refinery burned down without insurance. These losses left Hanna almost broke.
His father-in-law, Daniel Rhodes, saw Hanna's potential. He took Hanna into his own business in 1867 as a partner and soon retired. The company, Rhodes and Company (later M.A. Hanna and Company), mainly dealt with coal and steel. Under Hanna, it grew into many other areas. The company worked closely with railroads, especially the Pennsylvania Railroad. Hanna later became a director for two railroads.
Hanna started getting involved in politics during President Ulysses S. Grant's first term (1868-1872). At first, his interest was local. He supported Republican candidates for city and county jobs. In 1869, he was elected to the Cleveland Board of Education. However, he traveled a lot for business and could not attend many meetings.
Stepping into Politics
In 1880, Hanna bought The Cleveland Herald newspaper. This made Edwin Cowles, who owned a rival Republican newspaper, very angry. For five years, Cowles's paper attacked Hanna. This started a negative image of Hanna in the press. Cowles's paper even called him "Marcus Aurelius." This nickname stayed with Hanna for the rest of his career.
In 1880, President Rutherford Hayes did not want to run again. The Republicans nominated Ohio Representative James Garfield. Hanna was very active in Garfield's campaign. He helped create a club for businessmen to raise money for Garfield's personal expenses. Garfield often met with politicians at his home in Mentor. Many believed Hanna played a big part in Garfield's election.
Hanna did not ask for a job in Garfield's government. Garfield's presidency ended after six months when he was assassinated. Hanna was in charge of the committee that handled the late president's body and funeral arrangements in Cleveland.
In 1884, Hanna supported Senator John Sherman for president. Hanna believed Sherman would help businesses and supported the gold standard. Hanna was elected as a delegate from Ohio to the Republican National Convention. There, he worked with Joseph B. Foraker, another Ohio delegate. The Ohio group was divided between supporters of Sherman and James G. Blaine. Blaine won the nomination easily. Hanna worked less enthusiastically for Blaine, who lost to Democrat Grover Cleveland.
During Cleveland's first term, Hanna continued his businesses and prepared for Sherman to run again. Hanna and Sherman became good friends. President Cleveland appointed Hanna as a director for the Union Pacific Railroad. Hanna's work for the railroad was highly praised. Hanna also helped Joseph B. Foraker win his campaigns for governor in 1885 and 1887.
Partnering with President McKinley
A Strong Friendship Forms
It is not clear exactly when William McKinley and Mark Hanna first met. McKinley later said their friendship lasted over twenty years. Hanna believed he met McKinley before 1876.
They definitely met in 1876. McKinley, a lawyer, represented coal miners who had gone on strike. Hanna was one of the mine owners affected by the unrest. McKinley's success in defending the miners earned him respect. Hanna remembered, "I became intimate with him soon after he entered Congress, and our friendship ripened with each succeeding year."
In 1888, Hanna was a delegate to the Republican National Convention. Governor Foraker and Congressman McKinley were also delegates. Hanna managed many parts of Sherman's campaign. McKinley refused to seek the nomination himself, staying loyal to Sherman. Hanna was very impressed by McKinley's loyalty. Hanna became convinced that McKinley was the best choice for president from Ohio.
After 1888, Hanna and Foraker had a strong dislike for each other. This split the Ohio Republican Party into two groups. Hanna never forgave what he saw as Foraker's disloyalty.
Harrison was elected president in 1888. Hanna raised a lot of money for his campaign. After Harrison's victory, Hanna decided to help an Ohioan become president. Sherman would be too old by 1896. Hanna had grown to admire McKinley, and they shared many political views. From 1888 onwards, their relationship became very close. Hanna believed McKinley's strong support for high tariffs, which Hanna also favored, was a key reason to support him.
In 1890, McKinley lost his re-election to Congress. This was not seen as a big problem for his career. People thought it was due to unfair district boundaries and his support for a tariff bill that raised prices. In 1891, McKinley was chosen as the Republican candidate for governor. Hanna spent much of his time helping Sherman get re-elected to the Senate. Senators were chosen by state legislatures back then. Hanna raised funds to help elect Republican candidates to the legislature.
McKinley won the governor's race, and Republicans gained a majority in the legislature in 1891. Hanna was crucial in making sure Sherman won re-election to the Senate. Hanna even hired detectives to find legislators who were hiding and believed to support Foraker. He made sure they voted for Sherman. Hanna's efforts helped establish him as a powerful figure in politics.
The 1896 Presidential Campaign
Choosing a Candidate
As early as 1892, McKinley and Hanna began preparing for the 1896 presidential campaign. Hanna was asked to lead the Republican state committee. He was told that campaigns from 1892 to 1896 should aim to get McKinley nominated in 1896.
At the 1892 Republican National Convention, McKinley's speech received huge applause. Many delegates saw him as their future nominee for 1896. Hanna, a delegate from Ohio, promoted McKinley to other delegates. McKinley finished third, even though he was not officially running.
In 1893, McKinley faced a financial crisis. He had guaranteed a friend's business loans without fully understanding the amount. He was asked to pay over $100,000. Hanna and other wealthy supporters helped pay off McKinley's debts. They raised money from business owners and the public. This made McKinley more popular with the public, as many Americans were also struggling during hard economic times.
McKinley was easily re-elected governor in 1893. He remained popular and traveled the country speaking for Republican candidates. In January 1896, he finished his two terms as governor. To focus completely on McKinley's presidential campaign, Hanna handed over his businesses to his brother Leonard in 1895. Hanna was sure that "nothing short of a miracle or death will prevent his being the nominee of the party in '96."
The Money Question
After leaving business, Hanna spent time in Thomasville, Georgia. The McKinleys joined him there. This allowed McKinley to meet many southern Republicans.
In 1895, Hanna met with powerful political leaders. He told McKinley that these leaders would support his nomination if they could control local government jobs. McKinley refused to make such a deal. Hanna then worked to get McKinley nominated without their help.
McKinley and Hanna made a great team. McKinley decided the main strategies and issues. Hanna organized, built support, and handled the difficult work. They both believed in the benefits of industry and strong government.
In the months leading up to the 1896 Republican National Convention in St. Louis, Hanna built his campaign organization. He paid for expenses and used business methods in politics. Hanna met with many politicians at his Cleveland home. He paid for thousands of McKinley's speeches to be printed. He sent many McKinley posters, badges, and buttons across the country.
McKinley's main rival was former president Harrison, but Harrison decided not to run. Other political leaders supported local candidates, hoping to stop McKinley from getting a majority. Hanna spent a lot of money and effort to weaken these rivals. He created "McKinley Clubs" to gain support.
A key part of Hanna's plan was Illinois. A young businessman named Charles G. Dawes (who later became vice president) worked with Hanna. They secured almost all of Illinois's delegates for McKinley. This gave McKinley a strong lead before the convention. By March 1896, McKinley's campaign was unstoppable.
Journalists realized McKinley would likely be the Republican nominee. Democratic newspapers, like William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal, tried to find negative stories about McKinley. McKinley had a very good reputation. Reporters found that even his enemies spoke well of him. McKinley's financial problem in 1893 was one of the few issues. Newspapers suggested that those who helped him financially would control him as president. They called McKinley's supporters a "Syndicate." One reporter wrote, "Hanna and the others will shuffle and deal him like a pack of cards."
At the St. Louis convention, Hanna refused to make deals for political favors. McKinley was easily nominated. To balance the ticket, McKinley and Hanna chose Garret Hobart of New Jersey as the vice-presidential candidate. Hanna was elected chairman of the Republican National Committee.
Reaching the Voters
A big issue in the 1896 election was the currency. Since 1873, the U.S. had used the gold standard. This meant gold could be turned into coins. Silver, however, could only be sold as a product. Many farmers and miners disliked the gold standard. They believed it limited the money supply, making it hard to get loans and pay debts. They wanted "free silver," meaning silver could also be turned into coins freely. They thought this would help the economy. Supporters of the gold standard argued that "free silver" would cause inflation and hurt international trade.
McKinley and Hanna decided to clearly support the gold standard in their party's platform. Hanna successfully added this to the platform. Some Republicans, mostly from the West, left the convention because of this.
McKinley expected the election to be about tariffs, which he strongly supported. The Democrats met in July in Chicago. On the third day, William Jennings Bryan gave his famous "Cross of Gold speech." He spoke against the gold standard, saying it hurt working people. The Democrats nominated Bryan for president. The Populist Party also supported him. Hanna had been on vacation, but he quickly returned to work. He realized Bryan's nomination changed everything.
Bryan's campaign had little money. He traveled across the country by train, giving many speeches. This was a new way to campaign. McKinley felt he could not match Bryan's speaking skills. Despite Hanna's urging, McKinley decided on a "front porch campaign." He stayed at his home in Canton and let people come to him. This also helped his image as a good husband, as his wife, Ida, was often ill.
Hanna and McKinley realized Bryan's emotional appeal for free silver. They decided to launch a large and expensive effort to inform voters. The McKinley campaign had offices in Chicago and New York. Hanna's job was to raise money. Other officials decided how to spend it. Hanna initially struggled to get money from Wall Street, as some bankers did not take Bryan seriously. But his old schoolmate John D. Rockefeller (whose company, Standard Oil, gave $250,000) vouched for him. By late July, Hanna found it easier to get money from industrialists. He also gave large sums himself. This money paid for ads, brochures, speeches, and other ways to persuade voters. The country was filled with these materials.
McKinley spoke from his front porch in Canton to many groups of people. Some groups came on their own, others were planned. Any group was welcome if their leader wrote to McKinley beforehand. Delegation leaders sometimes met with McKinley in advance to plan what they would say. If not, a McKinley agent would meet them at the train station. The agent would learn what the leader planned to say and send the information to McKinley. This gave McKinley time to prepare his response.
Hanna believed Bryan's support would fade. He was right. The excitement for silver decreased by September. Bryan had no new message. McKinley, convinced his "sound money" campaign worked, began to talk about tariffs. He told crowds, "I believe it is a good deal better to open the mills of the United States to the labor of America than to open the mints of the United States to the silver of the world."
Democratic newspapers, especially Hearst's papers, attacked Hanna. They said he controlled McKinley. Cartoons by Homer Davenport often showed Hanna as "Dollar Mark," wearing a suit with dollar signs. McKinley was sometimes shown as a child, controlled by businessmen and Hanna. However, historians agree that McKinley was in charge of the campaign's overall strategy. Hanna managed the organization and fundraising.
Hanna's fundraising campaign was huge. He asked banks and wealthy people for a contribution equal to 0.25% of their assets. This was a new scale for fundraising. The McKinley campaign raised over $3.5 million. This did not include money spent by state and local groups. Republicans also received "in-kind" help, like discounted train fares for groups visiting Canton. Bryan's campaign received much less money.
In late October, Hanna felt confident of success. On November 3, McKinley won the election with 271 electoral votes to Bryan's 176. McKinley won the Northeast and Midwest. Bryan won in the South and some western states. McKinley received 51.0% of the vote, the first presidential majority since 1872. Voter turnout was very high at 79.3%. Hanna sent a telegram to McKinley, saying, "You are elected to the highest office of the land by a people who always loved and trusted you."
After the election, President-elect McKinley wrote to Hanna. He thanked Hanna for his "generous life-long and devoted service." He called Hanna's friendship "an encouragement and a source of strength."
Serving as Senator
Becoming a Senator
After McKinley's election, Mark Hanna was in a very good position. Many people admired his work. Hanna said he would not accept a job in McKinley's government. He feared it would look like a reward for his political efforts. However, he had long wanted to be a senator.
Senator Sherman, who was almost 74, would face a tough re-election in 1898. On January 4, 1897, McKinley offered Sherman the job of Secretary of State. Sherman accepted. Some people criticized this, saying Sherman was too old for such an important job. They suggested he was moved to make way for Hanna. Sherman later felt he had lost both his Senate and Secretary positions because of this.
Historians say the Secretary of State job was very important then. Sherman was likely happy to accept it. He exchanged two years in the Senate for a four-year term in the Cabinet. Hanna did not believe the warnings about Sherman's mental abilities at the time. McKinley also dismissed these stories.
Sherman's new job did not automatically make Hanna a senator. Ohio's governor, Republican Asa Bushnell, had to make a temporary appointment. Then, the state legislature would hold elections in 1898 for the rest of Sherman's term and for a new six-year term. Governor Bushnell was part of the Foraker group, which opposed Hanna. However, McKinley and Sherman used their influence to support Hanna. Bushnell was running for re-election in 1897. Without Hanna's support, his chances were smaller. So, on February 21, Bushnell agreed to appoint Hanna to the Senate.
The 1897 legislative elections in Ohio were important for Hanna's re-election bid. President McKinley visited Ohio to give speeches, urging Republicans to support Hanna. The Ohio Republican convention voted to support Hanna. Republicans won the election, and most of them promised to vote for Hanna. However, some Republicans, mostly from the Foraker group, did not want Hanna re-elected. They joined with Democrats.
When the legislature met in January 1898, the anti-Hanna groups gained control of both houses. They chose Robert McKisson, the Republican mayor of Cleveland, as their candidate. There were rumors of intense political competition and even accusations of bribery. In the end, Hanna won re-election with the smallest possible majority.
Working with President McKinley
Mark Hanna and William McKinley remained close friends after taking office in March 1897. Senator Hanna stayed at the White House until he found his own home. He later moved into a large suite at the Arlington Hotel. After Vice President Hobart passed away in 1899, Hanna leased his house across from the White House.
Presidents had many jobs to fill. It was common to give lower-level positions to party workers. Hanna had a say in some of McKinley's appointments. He could recommend candidates for most federal jobs in Ohio. He also had influence in the South, where there were few Republican congressmen. However, other people, like McKinley's friend Joseph Smith, had more influence over federal jobs.
As 1900 began, Hanna hinted he might not run McKinley's re-election campaign. He said he was suffering from rheumatism. But he did want to run the campaign. McKinley was slow to ask him, perhaps to show he was not controlled by Hanna. This caused Hanna a lot of stress. In late May, the President announced that Hanna would run his campaign.
The Spanish-American War
Even during the previous presidency, Americans were very interested in the ongoing revolt in Cuba, a Spanish colony. Most Americans believed Cuba should be free from Spain. Congress passed resolutions calling for Cuban independence. McKinley tried to keep peace, hoping to negotiate for Cuba's freedom.
In May 1897, the Senate voted to intervene in Cuba, with Hanna voting against it. As the situation grew more tense, Hanna worried about the political impact if McKinley avoided war. However, Hanna believed McKinley's quiet efforts were already working to reform Spanish rule in Cuba.
On February 15, 1898, the American warship Maine sank in Havana harbor. Over 250 sailors died. It was unclear if an outside cause or an internal problem caused the explosion. McKinley ordered an investigation and asked the nation to wait for the results. But he also quietly prepared for war. Newspapers, especially Hearst's, demanded war with the slogan, "Remember the Maine and to hell with Spain!" They blamed Hanna for any delay, saying he was stopping the war because it was bad for business.
Many who wanted war thought McKinley was too slow. Hanna and the President were even criticized publicly. Assistant Secretary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt strongly pushed for war. Hanna, however, supported McKinley's patient approach. He acted as McKinley's main contact in the Senate on the war issue.
The Navy's report blamed an external cause for the Maine's sinking. Despite growing calls for war, McKinley still hoped for peace. But when it became clear that the U.S. would only accept Cuban independence, negotiations ended. On April 11, McKinley asked Congress for permission to use force to secure Cuban independence. Hanna supported McKinley in getting this authority. Spain broke off relations on April 20, and Congress declared war five days later.
The war resulted in a complete American victory. Hanna was not comfortable with the conflict. He once said, "War is just a nuisance." After the war, Hanna supported McKinley's decision to take over Spanish colonies like Puerto Rico and Guam.
McKinley's Re-election in 1900
Vice President Hobart had passed away in late 1899. President McKinley let the 1900 Republican National Convention choose his vice-presidential candidate for 1900. New York Senator Thomas C. Platt disliked his state's governor, Theodore Roosevelt. Platt hoped to move Roosevelt out of state politics by making him vice president. Roosevelt was popular because of his service in the Spanish-American War. Platt easily convinced state groups to vote for Roosevelt.
Hanna thought Roosevelt was too impulsive and did not want him on the ticket. He tried to get McKinley to use his influence to choose another candidate. But it was too late. Hanna was very upset, saying, "Everybody's gone crazy! What is the matter with all of you? Here's this convention going headlong for Roosevelt for Vice President. Don't any of you realize that there's only one life between that madman and the Presidency?"
After the convention nominated McKinley and Roosevelt, Hanna wrote to the President. He joked, "Your duty to the country is to live for four years from next March."
The Democrats nominated Bryan again. This time, Bryan criticized McKinley for taking Spanish colonies, calling him an imperialist. He also wanted stronger antitrust laws. Hanna summed up the Republican campaign with four words: "Let well enough alone."
Hanna did not need to do as much fundraising this time. Corporations were willing to donate. President McKinley gave only one speech. Roosevelt, however, traveled widely and gave many speeches. Hanna also wanted to campaign in the western states. McKinley was hesitant because Hanna had recently disagreed with the administration on trusts. But after a meeting, Hanna made his speaking tour in the West. His tour was very successful.
In September, a coal strike threatened to cause problems for McKinley. Hanna believed the miners had fair complaints. He helped the two sides agree to a settlement.
On November 6, 1900, voters re-elected McKinley. He won 51.7% of the popular vote, a slight increase from 1896. He won 292 electoral votes to Bryan's 155. McKinley won six states that Bryan had won in 1896. This was seen as a strong victory.
A Sad Farewell to McKinley
McKinley traveled a lot during his presidency. In September 1901, he visited the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. On September 6, 1901, while meeting the public, McKinley was shot by an anarchist, Leon Czolgosz. Hanna and other close friends rushed to his side.
As the President lay wounded, he asked for Mark. Doctors told him Hanna was there but he should rest. McKinley seemed to be getting better. Hanna, with the doctors' reassurance, left Buffalo for an event in Cleveland where he was scheduled to speak. There, he received a telegram saying the President had worsened. He hurried back to Buffalo. He found McKinley unconscious and dying. On the evening of September 13, Hanna was allowed to see his friend. Hanna, weeping, made plans to return McKinley's body to Canton. At 2:15 am on September 14, President McKinley passed away.
Later Years and Lasting Impact
Supporting the Panama Canal
McKinley's death deeply saddened Hanna. The new president, Theodore Roosevelt, reached out to Hanna. Roosevelt hoped to gain Hanna's influence in the Senate. Hanna agreed to work with Roosevelt on two conditions. First, Roosevelt had to continue McKinley's political plans. Second, Roosevelt had to stop calling Hanna "old man," which Hanna disliked. Roosevelt, who hated his own nickname "Teddy," agreed to both.
Hanna supported building a canal across Central America. This canal would allow ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans without going all the way around Cape Horn. Hanna believed a route through the Colombian province of Panama was better than a rival route in Nicaragua.
The Nicaragua route had many supporters. A bill to build a canal there had passed the House of Representatives. In June 1902, the Senate considered it. On June 5 and 6, Hanna gave a speech against the Nicaragua bill. He used large maps in the Senate Chamber, which was a new idea. The maps showed active volcanoes in Nicaragua with red dots. Hanna pointed out that the Panama route was shorter, needed less digging, and had existing harbors. Hanna was not well when he gave the speech. He warned that if the U.S. built the Nicaragua canal, another country would build the Panama route. His speech helped convince many senators. The bill was changed to support the Panama route. Some say this was partly because a lobbyist found Nicaraguan postage stamps showing volcanoes and sent them to the senators. The House then agreed to the Panama plan.
The U.S. began talks with Colombia to build the canal. A treaty was signed but rejected by the Colombian Senate. In November 1903, Panama, with U.S. support, separated from Colombia. A representative for the new Panamanian government signed a treaty giving the U.S. a zone to build the canal. The U.S. Senate ratified this treaty in February 1904, eight days after Hanna's death.
Final Years and Legacy
At the 1903 Ohio Republican convention, Senator Foraker tried to get a resolution passed to endorse Roosevelt for re-election. This was meant to challenge Hanna's control of the Ohio party. Hanna was in a difficult spot. If he supported it, it would mean he wasn't running for president. If he opposed it, he risked making Roosevelt angry. Hanna eventually supported the resolution.
The 1903 convention also supported Hanna for re-election to the Senate. Hanna campaigned for Republicans in Ohio and they won a big victory. Hanna was re-elected in January 1904 for the term 1905–1911. He won by a much larger margin than before.
Despite their differences, Roosevelt asked Hanna in November 1903 to run his re-election campaign. Hanna saw this as a way for Roosevelt to ensure Hanna would not run against him. Hanna delayed his response. He allowed talk of a "Hanna for president" campaign, though he did not plan to run. In December, Hanna and Roosevelt met and resolved many of their disagreements. Roosevelt agreed that Hanna would not have to serve another term as chairman of the Republican National Committee.
On January 30, 1904, Hanna attended a dinner but did not eat or drink. When asked about his health, he said, "Not good." He never left his Washington home again. He had fallen ill with typhoid fever. As days passed, politicians waited for news. Hanna drifted in and out of consciousness. On the morning of February 15, his heart began to fail. Roosevelt visited at 3 pm, but Hanna was too ill to see him. At 6:30 pm, Senator Hanna passed away. Many people were very sad. Hanna had achieved great success in both business and politics.
Mark Hanna strongly believed in the benefits of capitalism for America. He thought that workers, businesses, and the government should work together for everyone's good. He always tried to have good relationships with his workers. He was often shown in cartoons as being harsh to labor. But he challenged anyone to ask his employees if he ever paid less than the highest wages or refused to meet with them. Unions representing his workers confirmed his statements.
Hanna became the first president of the National Civic Federation (NCF). This group worked to create good relationships between businesses and workers. The NCF supported workers' rights to form unions for better wages and conditions. In a 1903 speech, Hanna said that workers organizing into unions was no different from businesses organizing into trade groups.
A famous quote sometimes linked to Hanna is: "No man in public office owes the public anything." This phrase supposedly appeared in a letter from Hanna in 1890. However, historians believe it is unlikely Hanna wrote this. It does not accurately reflect his political views.
Hanna is often given credit for creating the modern presidential campaign. His campaign for McKinley in 1896 was new because it was so organized and successful at fundraising. While McKinley was the leader, Hanna's innovative campaign work is still recognized today.
Mark Hanna's Family
On September 27, 1864, Hanna married Charlotte Augusta Rhodes (1843 - 1921). Her father, Daniel Rhodes, was related to U.S. Senator Stephen A. Douglas. Hanna's brothers-in-law included industrialist and historian James Ford Rhodes and Col. James Pickands, a cofounder of Pickands Mather & Company. His cousin Edith Hanna married William Yale, who worked for Standard Oil.
Mark and Charlotte had three children:
- Daniel Rhodes Hanna, born December 27, 1866. He owned the Cleveland News and The Cleveland Leader newspapers.
- Mabel A. Hanna, born June 13, 1871. She married Harry Parsons, her father's personal assistant.
- Ruth Hanna, born March 27, 1880. She married Congressman Albert G. Simms. She later became a congresswoman and a political activist.
See also
In Spanish: Louis Riel para niños
Images for kids
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Louis Riel circa 1875
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Jean-Louis and Marie-Angélique Riel, children of Louis Riel
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Louis Riel testifies at his trial
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Riel's tombstone at the St. Boniface Cathedral in Winnipeg
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1970 Canada stamp depicting Louis Riel
