The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-09
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
Tribune Bureau,

Washington. Jan. 8.
1t looks now as though the Martin .Magee
combine Is at the end of Its rope. There
Is now no doubt about Governor Hastings
withdrawal from 1t, and without him its
influence outside Of Philadelphia and Ale
gheny counties amounts TO practically
nothing. Politicians here who ought to
know what they are talking about say
Martin and Magee will have very little
to say about the selection OF delegates to
the next national convention. The coming
state convention will be almost solid
against them. 1t Is said that they will he
unable to control more than a dozen dele
gates to the national convention. 1t il
now doubtful II Chris Magee will be able
to go as a delegate himself. The same can
be said of State Senator Finn, Magee's
chief lieutenant in Pittsburg. The Quay
people are daily developing great strength
in that city, despite the influence of Ma
gee. and his municipal ring. Dave Mar
tins influence in Philadelphia Is rapidly
slipping away, and 1t Is said that both he
and State Senator Porter are seriously
thinking of getting out of politics for
good. The Quay people are entrenching
their forces everywhere, and expect to
of Philadelphia at the coming spring cleo
tion. If they succeed In getting the city
organization away from Martin he might
as well give up the ghost.
Senator Quay's recent visit to Philadel-
phia was for the purpose of strengthening
his outposts in that city. He Is quite well
satisfied with the way things are shaping
up in Martins bailiwick, and believes that
he will be able to accomplish the COM
plete overthrow OF his one time lieuten-
ant, but now arch-political enemy. Sena-
tor Quay will succeed Mr.. Martin on the
national committee. That is foregone
conclusion.
Boss Harrity finds himself in about the
same sort of boat that Martin and Magee
are in. Information has reached here
that he will be overthrown at the next
state convention. The opposition to Har-
rty are said to now control sufficient
number of counties to completely rout
him. In my opinion 1t Is high time the
Democrats were cutting loose from Har-
rity and his pernicious methods. The Re-
publican majorities are yearly becoming
larger and larger under his leadership.
More than one Republican has told me
that they hoped the Democrats would keep
Harrity in control of their party. 1T
makes it so much easier for us (Republi-
cans) to win," Is what they said. agree
with them. If Harrity has anything to
do with nominating the next Democratic
and is to have the federal patronage of the
state in exchange. 1t Is safe to predict
anywhere from 100000 to 100000 Republi-
can majority in Pennsylvania next year.
Paste this in your hat, my Democratic
friends.
The combine, which elected the officers
of the house and controlled all the pat.
ronage under it, found itself short OF
bones when 1t came to fulfilling all its
promises 1t seems the combine had prom
ised forty-eight more jobs than 1t had at
its disposal. and consequently. had to do
something toward satisfying the gang OF
hungry bone hunters who have been
haunting the capitol since congress con-
vened. The leader of the now famous
combine. Colonel Stone. made an effort
yesterday to have the house create forty
eight new places. The committee on ac-
counts. headed by Mr.. Aldrich, of ILL
nois, to which committee the resolution
was referred, made an adverse report and
instead Of allowing forty-eight cut the en-
ira number down to two. The combine
made a howl and endeavored to sit on the
committees report, but the house sus-
tained Mr.. Aldrich's committee. and the
combine Is now very mad. Mr.. Aldrich, 1t
might be mentioned, was not a member OF
the combine. Speaker Reed is being criti-
cized by the combine for making Aldrich
chairman of the committee on accounts.
Speaker Reed no doubt anticipated the
reason selected MIR. Aldrich for the i'm
portant position which he occupies. All
accounts relating to the expenditures OF
the house are first passed upon by Mr.
Aldrich's committee.
II Il \
Major Armes, who has just been Or
dered re-arrested by the court of APP
peals Of the District Of Columbia for
writing an alleged insulting and vitupera-
tive letter denouncing General Schoefeld,
then commander Of the army, is the man
who pulled Governor Beavers nose at a
hotel in this city some years ago. Major
Armes was placed on the retired list of the
army several years ago because Of his un-
fitness for active duty. Major Armes
is engaged in the real estate business In
this city.
/ \ \
The latest bit of political gossip afioat
about the capitol Is that Congressman
Leisenring win be candidate for the Re-
publican nomination for governor two
years hence. Mr.. Leisenring has two very
necessary qualifications to make a sue
cessful campaign. He is both wealthy and
popular.
i l
Secretary Carlisle's popular loan scheme
Is taking like hot cakes. In the neighbor-
hood of $25.000000 In gold have already
been offered and the secretary is confident