Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-09-29
PARTY MEN PUZZLED
Waiting to Hear from McKin-
ley and Hanna.
The HEFoemEes HAPPY
They Express Themselves az BEING Conf
den, of Victory. The EFT. ct OF Yes
tertlay's Wnshing,on News.
los. Other Matters. .-.

To borrow an expression common In
the rural sections of Old Virginia il,
the days before the war, the now dis
united Republicans of Elizabeth city
county are in 4 stew and basing the
opinion upon present Indications, they
Will be i'll the soup before the end OF
the second week in next November.
To say that the party. heretofore prac-
tIcally of one mind With respeca to the
right and wrong of the row between
ded. is To state the case in terms of
exceeding mildneSS. The leaders do
not attempt to deny that SO far as
harmony is concerned they are stand
ing on the dizzy heights of political
despair.
And yet. despite the fact that they
are sorely puzzled as TO the course to
pursue. they are hopeful. Like the il
lustrious Alicawber, they are waiting
with all the patience they are able to
gardless of the fact that day by day
the prospects of happy consumma-
ton of their hopes is suffering more and
more from the same woes that threat
ened TO annihilatc the Micawberian
wardrobe. When, however it is said
that they are hopeful, the reader must
understand that each side is nursing
the cheerful delusion that one of these
days Major Mckinley will turn the
national foolkiller loose with the dou-
ble-leaded admonition to demolish the
other crowd ins;anter. The lines be-
tween the two factions here are now
clearly drawn. AT the head Of one of
them is the Hon. Harry Libbey, who
no matter what others may say, might
nave had the Congressional nomination
BY simply crooking his little finger.
But that is neither here nor there. Mr.
l.rhbey is leading the Wise contingent,
wn,,G NJ Il. g. Darden, also u politi-
clan OF more than average 90 = .scon plish-
mcnts. is furnishing the current for the
trolley on the Bowden line. The Lib
beyites claim upon what appears to be
fairly good authority. that the action
recently taken by the National Con-
Eressional Committee has already re-
ceived Presidential endorsement and in
due time Mr. Hanna Will surprise the
Dardenites by making an acquiescent
DOW. On the other hand, however, the
,Dardenites pooh-pooh this assertion as
absurd and maintain that Senator
Hanna has more weight in the presence
OF Mr.. Mckinley than Mr.. Hull or any
other man of his committee. They
believe that he is with them, and as it
is commonly reported that he has
pull of amazing dimensions, they look
for an order from the White House,
addressed to the Congressional Com
mittee. to reverse the proceedings Of a
few weeks ago.
Yesterday, however, news came from
Washington. via the Richmond Dis
patch. which had the effect Of some
what depressing the Wise men, while it
produced an agreeable shortening UP of
faces in the ranks of the Dardenites.
The Dispatch's alert and sagacious cor
respondent furnished the interesting in
forma ton that a poll of the Congress
sional Committee had disclosed the
fact that Colonel Bowden has safe
majority OF its members. This means
or course. II the statement may be re-
lied upon, that When the whole commit
tee is called together the action taken
by the executive committee, of which
Mr., Hull is chairman, will be turned
lopsy- turvy. and Mr.. Holland, the
Bowden candidate. will be authorized
to proclaim the party shibboleth
This news. as above remarked, had a
depressing effect upon the Wise men.
IT was but temporary, hoNever. A
marked regeneration acknowledgement
during the afternoon, and as the
shades of night drew on the doughty
doctors followers appeared to have re-
gained their normal condition of con-
tident joviality. An assuring message
came from Mr.. Hull announcing that
Mark and William are all right and
that any report to The contrary is all
wrong. With this information before
them it did not take the Wise men long
70 explain the story in the Dispatch
II was promptly declared to be OF
spanish origin. The Congressional
committee going back on Wise! Not
much! 1t was plain to be seen that the
report had been ha!ched and started
out to brighten some one. but it didn't
work. And thus it is that each side is
sure that it is right and the other is
wrong.
Hul. now, kind reader, let the Repub-
licans rest for moment or two and
turn to the other camp The Demo-
cratlc party is not divided in the sense
Of having dual organization on hand.
moreover, it's members are still able
and willing to give the Jackso-Je fferso-
Man yell on short notice But scores
OF them who have stood in the ranks
in the thickest of the fights of other
years have taken a. tack In q new di-
recelon within the past six weeks
inelr war-cry is for better local gov
eminent, and open and square admin
ton of public affairs and a new
police force. all Of which. when care
Iuliy analysed, means a good deal
They hold that disordered local condi-
tons require for the moment an aban-
Comment OF party obligations and they
declare themselves ready to make the
sacrifice unless the candidates named
Tor next spring are men who can be
depended upon to stand up for faith
ful enforcement OF the law. 1t was
this spirit of determined independence
.i1". saw iiSe " the independent
movement which began to attract at
tention a month ago. and which, al
though quietly conducted. is daily
growing in Importance It is the earn
est desire Of those who are at the head
OF it that both the old parties will put
up faultless tickets. In the event, howev-
er. that this is not done. the reform
erS Will nominate a ticket OF their own,
endorsing such men on me Democrat
lc and Republican tickets as, in their
Judgment, are worthy OF the support of
law and order-loying citizens. Within
a fortnight they will issue an address,
clearly setting forth their position and
their principles.
MIR. LOSHE EXPLAINS.
Mr.. Reese VIII be Called Upon to Do
So Later.
Mr.. George Loshe. OF Newport News,