The times., 1898-12-11
GENERAL POLITICAL GOSSIP.

The report that Col William Jennings
Bryan was seeking promotion to the rank
of brigadier general is emphatically de-
MED by c9I Bryan's close friends In
Washington. They say that Col. Bryan
has no ambition to remain in the military
service, but that he intends to stick by
his regiment until 1t is regularly mus
tered out. 1t is not likely that Bryans
regiment will be sent to Cuba. If Con-
gress acts promptly on the army reorgani-
zation bill there Will be very few more
volunteer troops sent out of the country.
Chairman Hull. of the House Military
Affairs Committee. said yesterday that
his committee would be ready to report
his army reorganization bill by Thursday
of this week. when the bill gets before
the House, said Mr.. Hull, lit viii have
the right of way until 1t is passed. We
may be able to get it through the House
before the holiday recess"
Mr.. Hull was asked for his opinion of
the army reorganization bill drawn up
by Gen. Miles.
II have great respect for Gen. Miles as
a soldier. said Mr.. Hull, but l do not
think that his bill is suited to the condi-
tions that exist in this country. 1t is
modelled after the European system, and
would perhaps be all right where IL Is
necessary to maintain an immense stand
ing army. But our army under Gen.
Miles's plan would be found too top
heavy: there would be superiiuous num-
Der of officers. l believe that the bill as
it will come from the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs will be found to meet the re-
quirements of the situation better than
the one proposed by Gen. Miles"
Representative Beach, of Cleveland,
Ohio. is close friend of Mr.. Mckinley
and Senator Hanna 'I do not think -
said Mr.. Beach last night, that the
movement to prevent the election of Mr..
Reed Speaker of the Fifty-sixth Congress
is likely to attain serious proportions.
The argument that the West, where the
bulk of the Republican vote is located,
will be likely to insist upon having a
representative of that section placed in
the Speakers chair is all right on general
principles. but / do not believe that it
will be used against Mr.. Reed or that 1t
Will prevent his reelection as Speaker.
Mr.. Reed is too big a man to be affected
by such n consideration OF course, If the
Administration and Mr.. Reed should get
at loggerheads it would only be natural
for the President to desire the election of
some man to the Speakership who was
in harmony with his policy. But there Is
no danger of such a situation arising, in
my judgment, so it is not necessary to
speculate about it,.
Richmond Pearson, who represents the
Ninth North Carolina district in the
House, has decided to make a contest for
right to occupy a seat in the Fifty
sixth Congress. He was only defeated by
small plurality and claims TO have sufi-
cient evidence of fraud to more than
offset it, If one-half of what Mr. Pear
son alleges is true there is no doubt that
he piayedln exceedingly hard luck during
the last campaign. Talk about Tam
many Hail." exclaimed Mr. Pearson, in
discussing his troubles to his colleagues
in the House, why the members of that
noted organization are mere children in
comparison to some OF the politicians
down in my State. They do not stop at
anything, and they keep their brains
working overtime Matching out new
schemes. Let me give you an illustration:
''One OF the counties in my district is To-
Gated up in the mountains and ordi-
| narily safely and surely Republican.
did not intend paying any attention to it
at all. One day about ten days before
election an old colored man came into
my office and handed me a typewritten
note which bore my signature and was
under my letter head. The note ran
about Ike this: Don't say anything
| about 1t to any of your friends. but if
You will present this note at my office
you will find fifteen dollars waiting for
YOU
II read the letter over several tines
l.aeN 7 a.
colored man 1 said sharply: Uncle, this
letter is a forgery
Whats that? he asked.
We'll / said. it means that l did
not write it. Somebody has forged my
name
% Boss. he said. I don't know nothing
about that. 1 live thirteen miles from
here and walked all the way to get the
fifteen dollars promised.
THE interview ended by my giving the
poor old man five dollars. But that was
not ALL More than two hundred negroes
from this particular county turned up
with similar letters. OF course 1 did not
undertake to help them all and the
chances are that 1 lost good many
votes by the trick. Some one had stolen
some of my Office stationery and had
scattered these forged letters through
lile ulSlTlct
Mr. Pearson is serving his second term
in the House. He was elected to the
Fifty-fourth Congress as an nIndepen-
dent Protectionist," but since then ne has
come out squarely as a Republican.
Gov. Pingree. of Michigan, has an
nounced himself as a candidate for Presi-
dent. He has opened press bureau and
has sent word to Senator Hanna, it is
understood, that he will have to hustle
If he hopes to renominate his friend VIII
liam Mckinley.
Col. Joseph H. Manley. of Maine, who
is one of the veteran guard of political
leaders and close observer, says that
he does not anticipate remarkably
lively session of Congress this Winter
II think" he said, that very little will
be accomplished outside of the regular
appropriation bills. Opposition to Mr.
Reed for Speaker. did you say? Prepos-
ferrous. Not worth talking about Mr..
Reed will be the Speaker of the Fifty
sixth Congress-