The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-05
HILTSW WHITE HOUSE DINNER
Much Speculation as 70 the SiSnifi-
canoe Of the Visit.

r.rs Believed to Mean Reconciliation
Betwoen the President and the Sena-
+or-Secretary Lamont Credited With
bringing Them Togetner-senatorR Hill
Saws the Visit Was Purely a Social
One and without Political signi6-
cance-other Senators Think It Means
That Mr. Hill Is to Be the Champion
ofthe Administration on the Floor of
the Senate in the Future.
washington, Jan. 3.-Senator HiITs visit
10 the white house last night occasioned
much gossiping and speculation a the cap
itol to-day. II is generally conceded that
there is a significance in the occurrence,
which will appear later on. 1t means rec
onclliation between the President and
senator Hill. Secretary Lamont was the
means Of bringing the two rival New
Workers together. Just before congress as
gembled Judge Lawton of Georgia urged
harmony in the Democratic party and sug-
gested that the President ought to call
a conference of all the leading democrats
without regard to their factional attach
ments The subject was fully discussed in
these dispatches.
Senator Ransom of North Carolina. who
was one of the guests at the white house
last night, commends the action Of the
President and Senator Hill, and adds that
it may not be too late for the President to
restore harmony throughout the party.
The step taken last night sets good ex-
ample to the factional leaders in other
states. If Cleveland and Senator Hill can
reconcile their political differences other
democratic leaders may do likewise with
out the loss of dignity. 1t means that
the chief magistrate OF the United States
has, without sinking his dignity to the
smallest degree, buried the hatchet with
the man with whom he has been on un-
friendly terms for more than two years,
and that in the future they viii train to-
gether in matters of state as we'll as So
cay.
There was little else talked of in the
Senate to-day. Every one was asking
what il all meant Senator Hill himself
was asked the question, not once. but
several dozen TIMES, and his inYariable
answer was that his visit was purely
social, and without the slightest political
significance.
II is natural that Senator Hill should
say this 1t is not to be expected that he
would come out boldly and say that in
future he would be the champion of the
administration on the floor of the Senate,
but that, nevertheless, is the generally
accepted theory of his action. Senators
generally take that view of the matter.
Senator Hin has been in the white house
il
Of President Cleveland. His first visit
was early in March, 1898.
Members of the House generally eX-
pressed much surprise at the fact that
Senator Hill last night broke bread with
President Cleveland, and the political sig
nidcance of the act occasioned consid-
cradle gossip.
There were a few who believed that the
result was due to magnanimity on the
part of Senator Hill, that he recognized
the predicament in which the President
was now placed by reason of financial
legislation bond issues, party defeat and
other matters Of worriment. He de-
sired to show that, Notwithstanding the
strained personal relations between them,
he WAS still willing to prove his demOc
racy.
The preponderance of opinion among
members credits Mr.. Hill with executing
great stroke of diplomatic cunning.
These believe that Mr.. Hill went TO the
executive mansion for the sole purpose
Of conveying a general impression to the
country that he had been the admins
traton candidate for governor of New
York, that he had personally done every
thing possible to save the President in
his own state, and that he had been
given administration support in his con-
test. BY accepting an invitation to dine,
they say, he hightens the belief that the
President appreciates the hard fight he
made in New York.