The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1897-02-12
.THEC0URTCT ST.JANES
Numerous Candidates For the
Office.
CHAUNCEY DEPEw THE FAyORITE.

The English People Admire Him. and He
| Is More Eloquent Than Even Bayard.
But Walter wellman Sees . snag In
Governor Morton.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 6.-[Special. -
| Chauncey Depew is a serious and very anx.
ious candidate for the Enthusiastically at
| President Elect Mckinley and Is not per.
hitting any grass to grow under his feet.
Mr.. Depew has for some years been anxious
to go abroad in diplomatic role, and Of
course London is the place of places for
| him. He is already well known there and
very popular. Mr.. White, who was our
secretary of embassy at London, tells me
the English think Mr. Depew the greatest
man in America Their constant marvel
is that he has not ere this been elected
president of the United States. They can
not understand why a man of such bril-
liancy has not risen to the very heights of
the political ladder.
Bayard's Popularity.
| ambassador Bayard is very popular in
London, and for much the same reason
that Mr.. Depew is. You must remember
that in England the public man who can
make good after dinner speech or reel of
an address upon something or nothing at
all, as circumstances demand, Is rara
avis. The average after dinner speaker in
England hens and haws, clears his throat,
coughs when he wants to stop and think,
repeats his words, drawls to gain time and
gets through his dull remarks without say
ing very much of anything and almost al
ways without even the semblance of q
good joke to enliven the scene. Embassa-
dor Bayard Is, as every one in America
knows, a fluent talker. He has the divine
afflatus of a flowing tongue. He can talk
on one subject almost as well as another
He is never at loss for words. More
over, he loves to make speeches and never
misses chance to do so.
The result is that the ambassador Is in
vited everywhere when speechmaking is
wanted. He is the stock orator of the
great metropolis. After certain number
of EnClishmen have reeled off their staren.
typed platitudes, hemmed and hawed and
coughed and exclaimed don't you know"
the regulation number of times Mr.. Bay
ard is introduced. Then the company set
ties down to enjoyment. Then 1t knows 1t
will get something worth having Mr..
Bayard opens his mouth, and out roll the
pearls of wisdom, of eloquence, Of senti.
ment. The English are not quite able to
understand how he does it. The process is
a msytery TO them. 1t is not in their line
But they enjoy it-they love it, in fact
it is such refreshing novelty.
They All Like Chauncey.
There are times when the ambassador
rubs it in little too strong, when he
speaks for an hour when 10 or 15 minutes
would do good deal better. Sometimes
the audience fails to discern very clearly
what the good man is driving at, for they
are not up to our American ways. But
they endure it all for the sake of their
favorite and applaud him wildly at the
close, whenever the close comes. 1t stands
to reason that in city like this Chauncey
Depew, dignifed by the title of embassa-
dor, would be shining success. He would
simply take the town. I have heard it
said that with Mr.. Depew in London, din
ing out daily and making nightly speech,
we should need no arbitration treaty.
There would never be any danger of war
between tho two nations. The English
wouldn't fight with us for fear of losing
Chauncey.
However this may be, doubt if DR..
Depew compasses his ambition. There are
others Mr.. Platt, the senator elect and
leader of the Republican party in New
York, has q candidate for ambassador at
London in the person of Ex-Governor Nor
ton. Mr.. Platt seems to be in earnest about
1t. He has made his wishes known at
Canton, and Mr.. Platt is gentleman who
will be treated by the president elect with
good deal of consideration. Then there
is Whitelaw Reid. He also is q candidate
60 f1., 10 q t..
He has no particular hacker, but does not
need one. l hear upon pretty good author
ity that the man who was originally picked
out for the London mission, Colonel John
Hay of this city, told Major Mckinley he
would gladly step aside for Mr.. Reid.
Reid and Hay have been friends for years.
A Snag In the Way.
This is what is likely to happen: Depew
and Morton will become such warm rivals
that the president will not dare give the
appointment to any New Yorker. Mr..
Reid, on the principle that one good turn
deserves another, will resign his chances in
favor of his friend Hay, and Mr.. Hay will
get the prize. At least this is my guess. 1t
will be pity to deprive London of the
bliss of having DIR. Depew for its prize aft
er dinner talker, but if Mr.. Hay becomes
the successor to Mr.. Bayard this country
will get first class diplomatist. Mr. Hay
has had great deal of experience in the
diplomatic world. He has been at Paris.
at Berlin, at Madrid, in diplomatic roles.
He knows the ropes.
In Washington Colonel Hay is one of the
best known and most popular of men. He
is still young in appearance, although he
was President Lincoln's secretary. He lives
in beautiful house here and entertains a
| great deal. Colonel Hay, as every one
knows, has genius for literature. His
Pike county ballads are famous through
out the world His and Colonel Nicolay' S
life of Lincoln is notable production. l
wish Colonel Hay were not so indolent II
| he were not rich and had to work for a liv-
ing, he would produce more things which
would reflect credit upon himself and his
country. 1t is In him, but he Is too lazy
| to bring 1t out.
| Senator Allen of Nebraska Is gaining
reputation as the hector of the senate He
dearly loves to take up the political record
| of his fellow senator's, to put them on the
| gridiron, blow up slow fire and toast
them. He is an adept at this business.
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