The times., 1898-12-06


Iete absence of the expression Of any posi-
tive opinion in the Presidents message
was commented on by the politicians.
The consensus of opinion seemed to be
that Mr.. McKinley's apparent anxiety to
please all hands was due largely to the
fact that he is an ardent candidate ror
a denomination. However, the anti-eX-
pansionists We're not able 10 extract any
comfort out of Mr.. McKinley's message.
Nothing short of a positive and emphatic
protest against expansion from the Chief
Magistrate would have satisfied them
They realize that the President is drift
ing with the tide; that he is practically
committed to the policy of expansion, and
that their only hope lies in preventing
the ratification of the treaty of peace in
the Senate.
The President has (perhaps unwittingly)
raised a question of veracity between
Gen. Shafter and himself. He states that
on June 5 the last cable connecting the
Island of Cuba with the outside world
was cut Gen. Shafter in July, wired the
War Department that Gen. Toral was
waiting to communicate with Madrid be-
fore answering his (Shafters) demand for
the surrender of Santiago. However. Mr..
Mckinley can place the responsibility on
Sampson. 1t was the latter VINO reported
1.-The cutting of the last cable line to
Cuba" to the President.
All attempts yesterday TO get Speaker
Reed to- make some comment for publica-
ton on the Presidents message We're un-
successful. Mr.. Reed. it is said, has
adopted a new rule of late in regard to
granting interviews. He does not talk
for publication, it is understood. except
at so much per column. In private con-
versation last night. however, he did not
grow enthusiastic over Mr.. Mckinley's
effort 1T did not rise above the COM
monplace in any particular, is the re-
mark attributed to him. In this .connec-
ton a story was in circulation around
the hotel lobbies which was attributed to
Mr.. Reed. new minister was invited to
deliver a sermon in certain church in
New England. The church was a promi-
nent one and the divine was anxious to
secure perrpanent engagement On the
appointed day the candidate delivered a
very long and carefully prepared exhor-
tation. He had been given to understand
that there were a great many deaf people
| in the congregation, and accordingly he
shouteds out every word of his discourse
at the top on MS lung capacity A1ter
the meeting being anxious to ascertain
what impression he had made, he sought
out one of the pillars of the church and
said:
Brother, how did you like my sermon?"
1T would have been better" was the
! frank answer, ''if it had contained less
sound and more ideas.
The minister was not called to preside
over that church.
Mr. Reed it is said, did not undertake
to make any application of this story to
the Presidents message. Apparently, he
thought it unnecessary.
Representative George W. Steele of In
diana has thrown himself into the sena-
| torial contest in his State. There are now
at least half a dozen leading aspirants for
Senator Turpie's shoes in the Hoosier
State, and some lively developments are
| looked for when the legislature meets
next month. The name of former Presi-
dent Harrison continues to be mentioned
! in connection with the senatorship in In