The times., 1898-10-09
GENERAL POLITICAL GOSSIP.

man 11dlIa, MI. BdDCOCK
and other eminent Republicans concede
that they have only a fighting chance to
retain control OF the FIfty-sixth Con-
gress. they feel pretty certain OF having
good working majority in the United
States Senate after March 4. 1893 Their
confidence is understood TO be based upon
the theory, which has often been DEM
onstrated. that it is easier to control leg
islatures than congressional districts.
The Senate is the Administrations anchor
to the windward. so to speak. II the
House is lost in the shuttle il IS still
hoped to keep the Senate in line and pre-
vent the brilliant policy OF the Admins
tration from total wreck.
the recent developments in Pennsyl-
vania make it exceedingly doubtful
whether Mr.. Quay viii be able To sacur..
reelection. but there is no chance If
quay being defeated by a member az
MS own party. The nominations for tba
legislature IN the Keystone State were
an made weeks and months ago Wan
very few exceptions only thick-and-tbin
quay men were nominated, so IL the p.
puDhcans have a majority on Joint ballot
Mr. Quay viii feel absolutely confident
or being returned. But il is By no means
as certain as 1t was a few weeks ago that
the Quay people will have a majority
IN the legislature which is to be chosen
IN November. II the revelations that
have taken place had occurred in almost
any other State except Pennsylvania
there would be no earthly doubt about
the downfall Of Quay and all that he rep
resents. But Pennsylvania has been boss
ridden 50 long that the people OF that
commonwealth have grown accustomed
70 the yoke. and. in fact many Of them
seem 10 rather glory in it. The plain
truth is that 1t is almost as difficult TO
arouse public sentiment in Pennsylvania
upon anything connected with politics "a
il has been to obtain Justice for Capt.
Dreyfus in France through a rehearing.
But unless all signs fail NJ s Quay is
booked for retirement and perhaps some
thing else.
The congressional contest in the Sixth
Maryland District is attracting some at
tention. This is the home district OF
Judge and Senator-eIect Louis E Nc
Comas. Governor Lowndes and Senator
Wellington also claim residence in the
same territory and naturally there was
some rivalry as TO who should have the
honor of naming the Republican nominee
for the lower House The district is nor
mally Republican. but the Democrats
! have twice been successful there within
! the past ten years. There were four or
| five aspirants for the nomination and the
| congressional convention was in dead
lock for long time over the matter FL
nally McCOmas's man. Pearre. won on
about the 2,5e9th ballot Mr. Pearre is
particularly objectionable 10 Governor
| Lowndes. and he is not ripe favorite
with Wellington and if the friends Of
these two men knife him TO any extent
Mr. Pearre can hardly hope to win
The Democrats have nominated ThOm-
! as A Poffenbuger. of HagerstOwn. to
run against Pearre- Mr.. POffenbuger IS
young man OF ability and is exceedingly
popular. He ought to be able to make
d stiff fight
If there is anyone who is inclined to
be skeptical about the return of prosper
ity and an expansion Of the circulating
medium which some people call money.
let him take trip out to West Virginia
He will come back convinced that there
is certainly no scarcity of money in cir
culation in that immediate locality at any
rate The Administration. however. can
not extract any credit 10 itself out %
the situation The era OF good times
Virginia has not been brought about by
the adoption Of any new economic condi-
uOnS; il owes its existence to the fact
that two rich Republicans. Nathan 3.
Scott and Governor Atkinson. are engag-
ed in a battle royal for Senator Faux
ner's seat in the United States Senate.
The Hon. Stephen B. Elkins is acting
as referee and. OF course. that is a guar
antee that each man will receive fair
play-if he can get it, Mr.. Scott is the
present Commissioner of Internal Reve-
nue., and by reason of the war legislation
enacted at the last session of Congress
he has considerable Federal patronage at
his disposal that has not come under the
restrictions of the civil service regula-
tiOns. He is also a member of the Re-
publican National Committee. and took
a leading part in the Presidential cam
paign OF 1885 in the raising of campaign
funds. If the Republicans capture the
legislature OF West Virginia this year
Mr.. Scott viii probably have the inside
track, but Governor Atkinson is not
novice by any means. The cows do not
offer to bite him when he goes out alone
AS governor he wields a great deal of
power and he has shown that he is not
afraid TO use it to advance his own inter
ests-
The most interesting stage of the West
Virgir5a contest however, viii come, pro-
vided the Republicans have a majority OF
the members of the legislature. after the
legislature gets together to take ballot.
Votes then will. from present indications.
command fancy prices. Tremendous pres
sure Will be brought TO bear on the indi-
vidual members TO shift from one side 10
the other. Under certain contingencies a
seat in the West Virginia legislature next
Winter ought TO be worth small fox
tune to an enterprising citizen
The Republicans are counting upon
electing the successor of Senator John
L. Mitchell. of Wisconsin. this Winter.
and the chances are decidedly in their
favor Uncle Philetus Sawyer, who viii
be remembered as the Mr. Pickwick OF
The Senate for a good many years, is SAID
to be figuring on taking MIR. Mitchell
place Uncle PhiletuS is over eighty
years of age, but he is still young in
feeling. and. besides, is worth over
s.. COO. 600, which is something of a pretty
strong argument He made his money
in lumber. Former Senator Villas will. l.
is said. stand no show even If the Dem-
ocrats should control the legislature
Not much is known in Washington OF
the new senator who has just been elected
out in Oregon His name is Joseph Simon
and he was a partner of the late Senator
Doiph. which would seem TO indicate that
the old Dolph wing of the Republican par
ty in Oregon had succeeded in asserting
itself again.
Most people in Washington are familiar