The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1884-05-03
TERRIBLE EPIDEMIC.
WASHINGTON CITY SEIZED WITH
THE QUADRENNIAL FEVER,
Which Makes Politicians Even of
Statesmen, and Gamblers of Every.
body Else--The Perpetual Specuia-

Special Corvssf ssfpoHfencs Of the Csronicie.
WASHINGTON, April 3o.-There is little
else than general confusion here now
The most earnest men in Congress cannot
keep the universal discussion of political
topics from interfering with their proper
Congressional work. at least from causing
them To lose a good deal of attention they
might otherwise draw To their proper
work. 1t is the most unsatisfactory of all
times for the honest and industrious man.
The foremost debaters of the tariff bill
on each side run away and go home 10 at
tend State conventions. When they come
back, the House Is really much more eager
TO know who Is the fayorite Presidential
candidate than to hear any discussion of
the pending bill
The spectators who fill the galleries of
the Senate Chamber gaze with double at
tention at Bayard or Sherman or Logan
and talk much more about the probability
of their nomination than about whatever
work these Senators may have in hand.
The Presidential tinge is given to every
| subject In truth, all solid work Is very
| nearly impossible for the rest of the ses-
| sion because of this prevailing turn of
| thought.
Nor does it effect Congress only. All
| Washington is now a city where folks
make Presidential guesses-that and little
more. In the hotels the news from the
| latest State convention is discussed with
as much eagerness as if it really had set
| tied the matter In the Departments
there is an earnest calculation of the
| chances of favorite candidates, and on the
| probable or at least possible effects of
| this or that move. In society no other
| subject excites half the interest. The
women of Washington have already be-
| gun to make heavy bets on the nOmina-
| tlOnS OF either party. On the streets, eS-
pecially when a possible nominee comes
into view, the topic is taken up by the
crowd of passers-by.
All this premature excitement has a
| very bad effect en the Government and
| especially on some Of its foremost officers
1t would be unjust, perhaps, to say that
| the President or any Of the foremost Sen
| ators show any great concern about it, nor
change their actions or phrases but they
are made careful or fearful to greater or
| less degree because they are aware that
| every act and word will be Judged by the
| public precisely as if it had been done or
spoken only with reference to political
| effect.
Yet all this speculation throws no light
| on the subject. There is 10 better ground
| to base a sensible prediction on now than
| there was a year ago. There do seem to
| be very strong preferences shown in favor
| Of Arthur and of Blaine, as Republican
candidates but the dark horse has twice
won the race in Republican National Con-
| ventions, and this confuses all plans made
| in advance.
About the Presidential candidate of the
| Democrats, it is absolute darkness. Peo-
pie who live in Washington had rather see
Mr.. Bayard President than any other man,
as a matter of personal preference. He
has always been a favorite both in official
and in social circles. But this is a small
thing in determining the question. More
depends on the Democratic platform than
on the candidate and more depends on
the Republican candidate than on the
| platform.