Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1892-11-24
JEALOUSY AMONG THE DEMOCRATS
II. j. helps Too much with Mr.. t!sve-
land 10 Please the irhctical Politicians.
From TIM n y Tribune. lSth.,1

II. }. Ihelp. Too Huch WIN Mr.. t!eve-
land to Please the IrActioh Politicians.
From tho n. y. Tribune lSth.l
Democratic statesmen continue to swarm
into New York, and generally manage to
pay their respects to Mr.. Cleveland and
(within ~ hours after their arrival remind
him of their conspicuous services in his be
half. There is one visitor here at
whom the thorough going, convention
running, vote getting democrats look
askance. Yet he is tho man who seems to
be closest to Mr. Cleveland, and upon whom
the president-elect makes 1t no secret that
he intends to lean heavily during the com
ing four years. This 10 +. j. Phelps of
Vermont, lecturer on international law at
Yale. He was Mr.. Clevelsnd's minister to
England from 1885 to 1899, and came near
to being chief justice OF the Supreme Court
when Judge Fuller was appointed. Mr..
Cleveland has unlimited confidence in Mr..
Phelps. and since the latter has been In New
York, he has been so constantly in the COM
pany of the head of the coming admnistra-
ton, and has been treated with such marked
Difference and cordially by him, that MIR.
Phelps has won the almost unanimous Jeal-
Ousy of the other visiting statesmen.
lie has succeeded in creating the impress
sion that he will be the next secretary of
State, and will dictate the foreign policy to
he followed after March t. The general run
OF great democrats who hail from New
Nork Illinois, Wisconsin, Maryland, Ken
lucky, Tennessee, Indiana, and ether States
which have furnished large blocks OF cleo
toral votes for the democratic ticket, grow
small in the presence of this college prUfes-
Or from Vermont, and they don't like the
situation "for u cent, ~ Any one who could
suggest feasible plan for suppressing eX-
Minister Phelps, and sending him back hast
lily 10 the Groea Mountains again, would be
II popular man among the people who did
the heavy work OF the campaign on tho
democratic side.
sir. Phelps Calls on MIR. Cleveland.
From the New York World, Nov III
Yesterday afternoon a coupe drove up to
the Cleveland residence. From it alighted
gentleman of fine presence. He might
have been mistaken for Hamilton Fish,
President Grants secretary OF war; or the
late William ii. Vanderbilt. He wore nut
ton chop whiskers and wGs clean shaven as
to chin and upper lip. He was Edward j.
Phelps of Vermont who during the last
Cleveland administration represented this
country at the Court OK st. james. MIR.
Phelps had run up from New Haven, where
he is giving the Yale students course of
lectures on law.
1t had ueen rumorel that Mr.. Cleveland
had sent for Prof. Phelps 10 consult with
him. If the rumor was correct, the presl-
dcut-elect wished to talk about taking Phelps
into his cabiuet The most natura place
for him, SO politicians say, would be the
secretary ship OF State. 1t will he recalled
that the appointment of the professor as
minister to England was recsiyed with
no greater surprise anywhere than in
his own State He was knowa to
only u few people outside of Vermont,
and when he was awarded the best
foreign mission in the gift of tho admins
tration thousands cried, no Is Phelps -
Pie ps went to England and proved him
self match for any diplomat John Bull
pitted against him. He showed an extraor-
binary kno wledge OF international law and
utilized it with such effect that IN many
dispute he was able to prove the British
position wrong and that of America right.
During the Boring sen controversy Minister
Phelps handled the American case with con
summate ability After the death of Chief
Justice Waite, out Of personal friendship as
well as admiration Tor his legal ability,
President Cleveland intended to appoint
Minister fhelps 10 me vacant phce on lhe
United States supreme Court bench. Mr.
Phelrs, it Is said, saiied for this country
with the intention OF accepting the appoint
ment, and, according to the story, Congress-
man Patrick \. Collins OF Messechus etts
had great deal to do with dissuading Mr.
Cleveland from naming Mr.. Phelps AT any
rate, Fuller Of Illinois was chosen.
Mr.. Cleveland has strong personal
friendship for Prof, Iheps and the latter
idmirers are banking on his being placed at
the head of tie department of State under
the next administration.