The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-05-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
" ARLINGTON, May Is, 1896.

" ARLINGTON. May IS, 1896.
Mckinley paid big price for the
support of the A. P. A. Nothing less
than written pledge to live up to the
principles of that organization should
he be nominated and elected President.
This pledge was obtained BY COM
mittee Of three cent by the supreme
Council of the A P. A. to see McKin-
ley personally and report back to the
Council. The visit was supposed to be
kept secret and Saturdays papers con
taiued telegram stating that McK1o-
lev denied having been waited upon by
an A. z. A committee. but when that
denial was published, the written
pledge, sigued by Mckinley, which to
all intents and purposes makes him a
member of the A P. A., was in Wash
ington and being discussed by the
members of the Supreme Council, who
had been awaiting the return Of their
committee with considerable impa-
sieuce. With that pledge, and 1t IS
said a considerable expenditure OF
money, it did not take the Supreme
Council long to undo the anti-Mckln-
lev work Of the advisory committee,
aud to virtually hitch the organization
/ to the tail of the Mckinley kite.
Czac Reed has resumed his crown
and has abandoned the conclliatory.
you're-a-good-f fellow style which ne as
sumed as candidate for bis party s
presidential nomination and again be-
come the autocrat of the House that be
used to be. He has also resumed the
habit Of making enemies by hr'og
sarcastic episrams at members VINO
give him an opening either on the floor
Of the House or in private converse
tions. The meaning Of all this is per-
fectly plaio. Mr.. Reed sees the
Mckinley shadow en- the wall and no
longer regards himself as 10 the Presi-
dentiai runotpg. He can have the
second place, but it is said that be will
not take i, unless he finds it necessary
to keep it from goicg to some man like
Senator Proctor or 10 Senator quay,
both Of whom be thinks betrayed him.
If be takes the second place 1t is said
that be will be open to the charge of
treachery to the combine, each mem
Der of which pledged himself to make
no deal with Mckinley.
The democratic Senators we're uoanl-
nous in their belief that Col. Dupont,
of Delaware. was not entitled to seat
in the Senate, and as the popullsts
voted with them DuPon, was turned
down BY a majority of l. It was
thought chat some of the republicans
would vote against Dupont, but such
strong party pressure was brought to
bear that those who would not swallow
their convictions outright by voting for
him allowed themselves to be paired.
which amounted 10 the same thing 1t
can be positively stated that the deuo
Gratis did not offer the popul'sss single
inducemeut to vote against Dupont.
Aside from their con 0ictions. there we're
several strong reasons for their doing
so anyway. not the least of which would
have been their loss of the balance of
mower in the Senate if Dupont had been
seated.
At .,as; oue important Office has
sought a mao. and found bin be-
fore be knew it was after bin
him. Mr.. Dominick |. Murphy, of
Pa, who has been nominated to succeed
Com missioner Locbren. who has been
nominated to be T.. S. Judge of the
Minnesota district, got the first oews
of his promotion from newspaper
bulletin board. Gen. Dana has been
nominated to succeed Mr.. Murphy as
first Deputy Commissioners of Pensions
He has been chief of division in the
Office for loug time.
When a man gets reputation tor
lodging, such as Senator Allison, Of
Iowa has had for maoy years, ne cannot
come out aatloo:ed upon any important
question without creating sensation
aud stirring up e uest of Interrogation
points. That is just what Senator
Allisou's square statement IL favor OF
the gold standard and aga'os: the free
coinage Of silver has done. Mr. Allison
has been sort Of Presidential candl-
date for twenty years and has made it
a point to try to s:aud we'll with every
body in his party. His entirely uo-
expected declaration is taken to neao
that be, like John Sherman, has come
to the conclusion that be will never get
the Presidential pon,ina alton Of his party