The times., 1897-11-07
POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Politics causes politicians 70 do some
strange things, bat one Of the meanest
things yet attempted by members Of this
Administration is the removal Of Mrs.
Kenna as postmistress OF Charleston, W.
va. Mrs. X enna is the widow OF the late
Senator Kenna, OF West Virginia, who,
though d young man, was one Of the most
brilliant uen in the Senate, and had he
lived would have been famous as a n orator
and a statesman. He died after serving
but a comparatively short time aud in the
prime OF manhood. His widow was made
postmistress at her home town, and there
are Republicans in the Senate who knew
her husband and who hoped that she would
not se disturbed. But the clamOr for Of
flee from that State appears 10 be too
great.
Congressman DOrr saw the President FRI
day ana urged that she be removed and
Republican worker put in her place This
action OF Representative DORIS was in
dorsed by Senator Elkins, who has signed
the papers of the man who is being urged
for the place by the Congressman from
that district. The President promise ed to
take the matter up and said be would
make the appointment, but intimated that
he could not do so until Congress had met
Representative Dorr antagonized this, stat
ing that If this were done the woman could
not be got out of the office until after
the session had ended, for the reason that
the senators would not consent TO her re-
moval ard would hold it up by declining
TO act upon the nomination. THIS action
would he followed ! a mark of respect
to the late Senator and it is this very
thing that Representative DOrr fears. 1t
is quite probable that the President be
lieves this would be done and that his d e
cison not TO make the appointment until
Congress meets is in order to keep the
woman in a long as possible and at the
same time to appear to be doing what the
politicians Of the State want done.
The Kentucky contingent at the White
House yesterday gave an exhibition OF how
easy 1t is TO swap hors Is in the delivering
OF political benefits. When Senator De-
Doe made up his slate Of offices for the
State he designate E. T. Franks to be
collector of internal revenue for the district
Of Owensporo, one of the largest whisky
producing sections of the State. Now, it
so happened that Franks was under indict-
ment, together with DR.. Hunter, for al
legged bribery in the Kentucky senatorial,
election, and the President declined to ap-
point HIN 81 long as this indictment was
banging over him. He was put IN the same
boat with DR.. Hunter. 1t had been ar
ranged that Mr.. YandeIl, one or the
Senator's Iieutenants, should be the chief
deputv, 50 a deal was easily arranged where
ny ran Ks would lose nothing. YandeII was
made collector, with the undeTsta 1ding
that he should resign when asked and
Franks was appointed deputy. The indict-
ment was defeated a short time ago, and
the Senator is now in Washington with
Yandell's resignation. Franks viii be a2-
pointed next week.
Dr. Hunter, who is also out from under
the ban, yesterday informed the President
that he would accept the mission as
minister to Guatemala, and that appoint
Irent will also be made the first OF the
week. TWO disagreeable cases VIII then
be off the Executive docket anu the
President will be free from the pressure
for office from Kentucky, for this dis
poses of every important appointment
that is to go to that state.
Both Senator Debee and Dr.. uunteT
are pursuing the usual Republican tactics
when they meet with defeat. They could
not very well avoid q discussion OF the
result In Kentucky, and when they have
discussed it they attribute 1T 70 fraud
Both these men have been persistent in
their cries of fraud in connection with the
election, and insist that when the next
big election comes around the State win
again swing into the Republican column
and declare for sound money" Dr.
Hunter puts 1t even stronger than this Dy
saying that Kentucky is a Republican
State a fact that has been proven but
once, and that, too, by a fluke. DIR
Hunter is not very good political rophet.
The President for a long time has had
in view the reorganiz zation OF his Cabinet,
and the general belief has been that John
Sherman and James A. Gary would be
relieved from further worriment over
state and postal affairs. Both these gen
tleiuen many years ago passed The age
for public usefulness, and it has been an
open secret that Mckinley would not be
grieveG by the receipt OF the resignation
of either of them. Although both are
wealthy, IL willingly lay aside the offices
they hold Is probably the last thing to
occur to either OF them. How little John
Sherman has known of foreign countries
and international affairs, even la his best