Evening star., 1897-06-09
Departure of the President and His
Party.
TRAIN WAS FRAGRANT WITH FLOWERS
Large Gathering at the Railway
Station.
CALLERS ATTHE wH1TEHoUsE

The special train conveying President
| Mckinley and his party left Washington
| for Nashville at noon today over the Ches-
apeake and Ohio railroad. The private car
of President NJ. E. Ingalls,, in which Mr..
Mckinley and his immediate party trav-
eled, was fragrant with gigantic pots Of
roses and other flowers. There were also
| flowers in the car occupied by the cabinet
and the invited guests. The train was in
| charge of w. H. Gregor, general agent of
the passenger department of the road.
| There was no change in the personnel of
! the party as published yesterday. They
will stop tonight at the Virginia Hot
Springs, resuming their journey tomorrow
The party consists of President and Mrs
| Mckinley, Secretary and Mrs. Porter, Dr.
and Mrs. Bates and Mrs. Saxton, Secre-
| tary Sherman and daughter. Mrs. Mccall
lum, Secretary and Mrs. Alger and Miss
Frances Alger, Postmaster General and
Mrs. Gary and the Misses Gary, Secretary
Wilson and Miss Wilson, Commissioner of
Pensions Evans, General Grosvenor MIR.
Joseph P. Smith and Mrs. Smith and about
twenty-five newspaper men. There was
large gathering at the railway station to
see the party off, but there was no special
demonstration.
Before the President Left,
The fact that the President was arrang-
vent a large number of callers at the White
benefited by their trip. Special Commis-
sioner Calhoun arrived at the White House
at go o'clock, and was with the PreSi-
dent until about 10 o'clock. Shortly after
that hour, Attorney General Mckenna
called upon the President and was in con-
sultatlon with him until after IL o'clock
over several pardon cases and matters in
the legal department. Mr.. McKenna was
very anxious to go to Nashville, but was
unable to do so owing to a pressure Of
business in his department.
One of the most interesting incidents OF
the day call by Senator TiIlman,
Senator McLaurin. Representative Lati-
mer and Representative Stokes of South
Carolina. Although silver democrats of
the deepest-dyed hue they are on friendly
terms with the President and visited him
to request the retention of General Wade
Hampton. a gold democrat. railroad
commissioner. The President told them
that he thought very highly of General
Hampton, but said that he expected to
make a change in the office some time in
the future. He did not expect, however,
to Immediately nominate a successor to
General Hampton.
AS has been stated in The Star, General
LonGstreet is the man who has been picked
for the position.
Supported by an Opponent.
To South Carolinians and to politicians
tions that existed for years between Gen
Hampton and the faction represented by
| the callers today the visit is of deep in
terest. In 1890, when Senator Tillman was
elected governor of South Carolina, after
one of the most bitter campaigns ever
known in the south. an intensely hostile
feeling between Governor Tillman and
Gen. Hampton. then senator was aroused
resulting in the defeat of Senator Hamp-
| ton for reelection. and the election, by
Tillman's efforts, of Senator ]. NJ. L. Irby.
The hostility between Gen. Hampton and
Governor Tillman was further increased by
the bitter attacks which Governor Tillman
and his faction made upon eX-President
Cleveland at the Chicago convention of
1892, General Hampton being a warm sup
porter of President Cleveland. There has
never been a reconciliation of any kind be
| tween Tilman and General Hampton, and
the visit to the President today was a
grateful act upon the part of the South
Carolinian.
Senator Tillman and President Mckinley
are Oh wonderfully good terms for men of
such wide divergence of views. Senator
McLaurin is highly regarded by the Presi-
dent.