Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-25

easlly stand in 1t and gossip without
crowding, and it will fairly hum next June.
Mckiniey's Big Crowd.
The friends of Mckinley are making the
most extravagant preparations ever made
by the followers of any candidate at a
rational convention. They have rented
quarters everywhere and are evidently
preparing for an army of enthusiastic
boomers In addition TO the hotels they
nave taken for the convention the St.
Louis exposition building, and have leased
1t outright for that time from cellar to
garnet. This building covers nearly four
acres. 1t has over 100000 square feet of
hoor space for exposition purposes-about
seven acres-and in addition has room for
offices and two big amusement halls. Its
theater, which is in the building. will seat
Tour thousand people. with standing room
Tor 2OoO more. Its other entertainment
hall has seats for 800 Estimating that
a cot would occupy thirty square feet of
t,oor. there is room on the floor set apart
for exposition purposes alone for individual
cots Tor 10000 Mckinley men, an army
equal to that which Nenophon led in his
famous retreat. In addition to this, there
are the theaters and other parts of the
building, which will probably give sleeping
places for five thousand more. Think of
1000 Mckinley shouters in one building
alone, and you get some idea of the prepa-
rations being made for the man who seems
10 be the leading candidate.
The indications are that, though Harri-
sons name will not be put forth on the first
ballot, his friends will keep his forces in line
and will be ready to spring him on the con-
vention if there is any sign of a deadlock
Harrison's headquarters We're engaged at
The Planters before he withdrew his name.
These have not been given up and the
politicians of Indiana are-hke "Brer Rab-
Bit in the Uncle Remus stories-aying low
hjrNT leo. lt,,rr
delegate, who is as close perhaps to Pres-
dent Harrison as any man in the party,
said to me tonight. Suppose there should
be deadlock. and suppose New York on
one of the ballots Should cast its vote for
Harrison, Indiana would swing solidly into
line. and the convention might nominate
him with a rush"
Does he want it," said l.
NO" was the reply. Il think not, but it
would be natural for his new wife to want
to go down into history as one of the ladies
Of the White House. l know that both she
and Mary Mckee We're anxious that he get
a second nomination at Minneapolis.
AS for Harrison. he is, 1 think sa tisfied
with his present position. He has a con-
venient law practice which enables him to
take such cases as he can try easily and
Which give him big fees. If the law funds
run low he can write a page for one OF the
popular ladies' magazines and get 1900 for
And, then" the man continued, II think
Harrison is afraid of a re-elecrion He is
afraid of stubbing his toe if he gets into
the White House again. What / mean is
this, he has left a good record, and will go
down into history as an able executor but
the times have changed. The situation is
serious, and there is danger of his losing
the good reputation he has made during
his first term by his admins. -ation OF the
second. He knows this and is afraii.'
The New St. Louis.
st. Louis has been generally looked upon
a hac
always been noted fer Its substantial bust
ness men, sand today its average of wealth
per capita is higher than that Of many of
the cities Of the United States. 1t has a
large number of millionares, and its homes
are among the best Of the Union. Within
the past few years, however. ST. Louis
seems to have taken a tonic. The blood of
the citizens now flows almost as fast as
that Of those of Chicago, and there is now
no moro enterprising and pushing town in
the United States The ST. Louis of today
Is not only up to date, but it is little
ahead. Its eyes are wide open, and 1t is
looking over the United States ready to
grab everything and anything that will
better its condition. 1t has board Of trade
number of clubs and associations that
work together for the city's interests and
in addition to these, it's leading men have
United in what is called THE Business
Mems League" This organization might
be copied, with advantage, by other cities
Its sole business is to push St. Louis to the
front, and it is ever on the outlook for new
things for ST. Louis. 1t has a number of
working committees and corps of salaried
officials who devote all their time to ad-
vertisng, corresponding and such other
things will make the city known and
Bring new people and business establish
ments to it. 1t has as its secretary Mr..
James Cox, bright newspaper man, who
was formerly in the employ of the Globe
Democrat, and who Is walking encyclo-
paedia on all ST. Louis matters. He is the
50 ;f,,I
Louis Through a Camera" which will be
distributed by the tens Of thousands to the
visitors at the convention. Among the
committees of the Business Mems League
This started out at the first of the year to
get all of the national conventions to meet
at st. Louis. 1t succeeded with the repub-
lican the populist and the bimetallic con-
ventions, but failed as to the democratic
through the opposition of Senators Brice
and German, who did not like the treat
ment they received from st. Louis at
the time of the last democratic convention
here.
How St. Louis Works the Railroads.
This club of business men watches the
railroads more carefully, perhaps, than any
other board of trade in the United States.
1t has a man employed at a salary of
10000 a year to devote his time to detect
ing, investigating and correcting any dis
made by the railroads against st. Louis
This official is known as the traffic man.
ager Of the league. His name Is Joseph
S. Leeds, and he was connected with the
traffic department of the Missouri Pacific
until within few years. While acting
with the Missouri Pacific the road was in
a pool, by which st. Louis was discrimi-
mated against. Leeds. either by orders
from the Jay Gould interests. or otherwise,
disregarded the rules of the pool and made
special rates for st. Louis. The result was
that the freight came pouring into this
city. After time the other roads in the
pool discovered the fact that the Missouri
Pacific was not living up to it's rules and
demanded that theGould interests discharge
Leeds, or the road would be fought by the
pool. The situation was such that Leeds
was discharged and since then he has been
in the employ Of the city. Another man
Is hired by this club to do nothing else
than read the papers and magazines Of the
country and to look out for articles for
and against st. Louis. If anything unfa-
vorable is printed an attempt is made to
trace the source of the article and the
writer. If he is connected with one Of the
newspapers Of ST. Louis he Is warned not
to repeat the offense. Another man is enl-
rloyed to watch the hotel registers and to
report such distinguished guests and cap
ttalists as may visit st. Louis. AS soon