Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-09-03
WASHINGTON LRrrER
From our Regular Correspondent.

NATIONAL L armerS' Alliance, to fight
duel? A telegram from North Caro-
lima, where he now is, says that he will
challenge one or both of the editors
of the Raleigh Ne,cs and Observer
for having in that paper made per
sonal attacks upon him in connection
with his war record. This telegram
aroused the greatest interest here,
and the Alliance headquarters, where
Col. Polk has his Office. when in Wash
ington, has been beseiged by newspa-
per men and others IN search of infor-
nation, but none of the Alliance off
cials seem to know anything about it,
or at least nothing that they are dis
posed to make public, although one of
them said that he did not believe that
Col. Polk would send Il challenge I'M
der any circumstances, but he might
accept oneif 1t were sent to him.
In spite Of the fact that everybody
was satisfied from the first day that
Senator Edmund's resignation was
made public that Secretary Proctor
would be his successor in the senate
the formal announcement of that fact
by the Governor of Vermont has been
the principle political topic under dis
cussion this week This was probab-
ly largely OWING to the belief that
there may be at least one, possibly
two other vacancies in the Cabinent
about the time congress meets, and
there is nothing so interesting to poll
ticians as vacancies or prospective va
cancies in the cabinet; they open up
such long vista of possibilities, and
enable so many obscure meE to get
themselves mentioned in the newspa-
pers, to say nothing of the boom they
are to the working newspaper man in
enabling him to pay many debts to
politicians by mentioning the fact,
which would otherwise never be known
that Strong pressure is being brought
to bear upon the President for the ap-
pointment of Hon. John Blank to one
Of the vacancies in the cabinet" Your
correspondent, having no debts of this
kind. will not mention the names Of
the score Of political nobodies who
are getting themselves talked about
as probable successors to Secretary
Proctor now, because they know very
well that their names will never be
consiered at the White House after
the President returns. When Mr.
Harrison was making up his Cabinet
he rendered the Secretaryship of Wal
to Ex-GoY Cheney of New Hamp-
shire, who declined it for personal
reasons. That leaked out some time
ago, and is probably all the real basis
there is for the talk about his now en-
tering the cabinet which is going
around. It is said, and it is plausible
if not true, that Mr.. Harrison would
be very pleased to have Gen. Algel
join his cabinet. It would unques-
tionably be good politics for Mr. Har-
rison to secure Gen. Alger as a mem.
Der OF his official family, and it may
be true, as said by some, that he has
rendered him the position, but, al
though possible, those who should
enjoy Gen. Alger's confidence do no
regard it as at all probable that hC
would accept, as he is kaown to in
dulge higher ambition.
The statement of Representative
Crisp that ''the Speakership contes
is to be a friendly fight with sof
gloves, and for points only" mus
have been intended for sarcasm; i
certainly was If Mr.. Crisp is aware o
the vicious attacks whibh are being
made upon him by the friends of on
of the other candidates. These PEG
pie are certainly not treating MI
Crisp's candidacy in friendly man
ner; they are constantly saying baC
things about him and limiting tina
they know much worse things whIcl
may be told later on. With the rep
resentatiYes supposed to be under tn
influence of the liquor men they har-
on the fact that Mr. Crisp was one @
the five democrats that voted for th
original package bill in the House; t
those representatives supposed to b
hankering after committee Chairman
ships they 80 lamenting the rumo
that Mr.. Crisp had promised ava,
every single Craftsmanship, and t
those representatives known to hav
a special horror of lobbyists and thei
methods they say something like this
Everybody knows that Judge Girls
is personally an honorable man, and
is deeply to be regretted that the Ioi
byists and schemers should have a
settled upon him as their candida
) for speaker, as it will prevent his ge
ting votes which otherwise would hay
gone to him" IL these be the kind
blows struck in a "friendly fight
most people will prefer to engage
a kill-if-you-can fight, where braI
3 knuckles, bowie knives and reyolveI
are used by the combatants.
The international Congress of Geo
: ogists is holding its fifth triennial Sc
}, sion here. There are about 200 men
= bers present, representing near
every country in the world. Secretal