The times., 1898-11-04
GENERAL POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Bryan In 1895 are, not acting together this
year. For instance. John NJ. Palmer, of
Illinois, who wasitheonominee of the gold
Democrats in 1896 for President; David
r. Francis. of Missouri, and Don NJ. Dick
inson. of Michigans advise their friends to
vote with the Republicans this year in
the interest of t'somd money" On the
other hand, Witiiami C. Whitney, John
De Witt Warner. Frederick R. Coudert,
/ and William B. Hornblower are support
ing the regular Democratic nominees on
the ground that no national issues are In
volved in the present contest. and that
1t will be time enough to consider nation
al issues when-the campaign of 1900 comes
around. 1t is fair to presume. therefore.
that the gold Democratic vote this year
will be divided between the Republican
and Democratic parties. Which party
will suffer most through the support or
| opposition Of these distinguished gentle
men can only be determined after cleo
| ton. -
| Certain friends of Mr. Cleveland declare
that he is anxious to get back into the
Democratic fold and that If he can be as
sured OF receiving the Democratic nomi-
nation for President in 1900 that he will
come out and advocate the free coinage
OF silver at 1S to /. Some Democrats are
unkind enough to say that Mr.. Cleveland
could not prove his devotion to the gold
standard any more effectively than by
becoming an alleged friend of silver.
Senator Thomas c. Platt, accompanied
by his son. Frank II. Platt. came over
from New York last evening. The sena-
tor did not register. and kept out of sight
as much as possible. There was much
| speculation as to what Senator PIatt
| could be here for at this time. 1t was
naturally assumed that 1t must be some-
thing very important to take Mr.. Platt
away from New York at this critical
stage of the campaign, when his presence
at home ought to be needed every mo-
ment of the time. 1t was reported that
Mr.. Platt was here to invoke aid from
the President to help save Col. Roosevelt.
This. 1t was learned subsequently, was
| incorrect.
Senator Platt is here, ii can be stated
on high authority, to put in final plea
for his friend and kinsman. Capt. Carter,
with the hope of having his sentence to
fine and Imprisonment. mitigated. 1t Is
understood that the President intends TO
take final action on the case today. after
going over the evidence with his Cabinet.
| The most Capt. Carter's friends
hope TO accomplish now is to
have his punishment reduced to
the payment of a fine and dis
missal from the service of the United
States, but it is not believed that the
p ant xx.fn he
portion of the sentence Tnere seems to
be no question as, to Capt. Carter's guilt,
and the sentence of the court-martial
that tried him would have been carried
out long ago but for the powerful polit-
ical and financial Influences he has had at
his back. Take IL Ill in all, Capt. Car
ter's case has been one of the most re-
markable in the history OF the country.
The testimony in the, case would fill sew
erai good-sized volumes. 1t is very volu-
minous. AT every stage of his trial Capt
Carter has hadGthe.f assistance of the
abiest counsel'o that unlimited money
could procure The verdict OF the court
I was, II is believed. unanimous, and the
findings have successfully been approved
by the adjutant. general. the major gen.
eral commanding the army. and the Sec
retary of War The amount of money
said to have been stolen or misappro-
priated by Capt Carter runs up into the
millions II is limited that II Capt. Car
ter's sentence is finally affirmed by the
President that he may make some reve-
lations that will possibly incriminate
several persons high up in political and
! business circles.
In conversation with friends at the Ar
lington last night, Senator Pla,t express
ed himself as confident OF Republican
success in New York next tuesday He
said that the regular organization OF his
party was supporting the Republican
ticket loyalty. from Col Roosevelt down
If the independents and the men who
had been apparently most anxious for
Col. Roosevelts nomination stood by him.
his election was a moral certainty Sena-
tor Pla;t said that there was no doubt
whatever that the Republicans would
control the legislature insuring the e,ec-
tion of a Republican successor to Senator
Edward Murphy, jr. Mr. Platt also ap-
peared sanguine that the Democrats
would not gain over three or four Con-
gressional districts at the outside.
The betting In New York does not seem
to bear out Mr.. Platt's rosy views of the
Republican prosperity. The prevailing
odds remain at about 10 TO in favor of
Van Wyck, and apparently very little
Roosevelt money is coming out at that
By Monday night the prediction is con-
fdently made that the odds will be z
to !, or better in favor of the Demo-
cratic candidate. However, It may be
well to remember that betting does not
prove anything and that the favorite does
not win any oftener in elections than in
horse races. Blaine was a prime favorite
in the betting pools in 1854 and yet0he
was defeated. The professional bettors
placed their money on Cleveland in 1855
and lost. In 1892 Harrison was the favor
lite. but Cleveland had walk-over In
1896 the gamblers picked Mckinley to win
and they were not disappointed.
When one recalls the fact that Gov
Black carried New York only two shor.
years ago by over 100000 plurality 1t is
difficult to understand how the bettors
can see their way clear to give odds on
the Democratic candidate. What has be-
come of Blacks tremendous plurality,
Upon the surface of things it would
seem as If the betting odds ought to be
decidedly in Col. Roosevelt's favor New
York, however, is a very uncertain State
as the elections there have demonstrated
in the past. Since 1882, when Mr.. Cleve-
land carried the State by plurality OF
over 1876, 900, New York has been swinging
back and forth from one party to the
other with bewildering frequency In
fact the year after MFR. Clevelands elec.
tion as governor. the Republicans elected
their candidate for secretary of State BY
a plurality of over 2a,0Oo Cleveland barely
scraped through, year later, when he
was running for President by the narrow
7 n 80