The times., 1898-12-20
GENERAL POLITICAL GOSSIP.


Washington from the South about noon
today. 1t is not likely that he will make
any important appointments before Con-
gress adjourns tomorrow for its CUSTOM
ary holiday recess. II any appointment
OF consequence is announced however 1t
Will probably be that of Joseph III.
Choate, of New York, to be ambassador
to London. The selection of a successor
to Secretary Bliss will be left open 1t is
said, until after the holidays.
Secretary Bliss's successor will proba-
bly, be Southern or Western man. 1t
Is pointed out that since the retirement of
Postmaster General Gary. of Maryland
twho by the way is a native of Connec-
ticuD, from the Cabinet, the South has
been without any representative in the
Presidents official household. In pre-
vious Republican administrations the
South has always been given at least one
place in the Cabinet The friends of H.
Clay Evans, of Tennessee. are urging
this point as a special reason why he
should be selected to succeed Mr.. Bliss.
Like Mr.. Gary, however Mr. Evans is
not Il native of the South He was born
In Pennsylvania, but has lived In Ten
Hessee Tor a good many yearS-lOng
enough to be acclimated at all events.
Several years ago Mr.. Evans was nomi-
mated by the Republicans of Tennessee
for governor. The result was very close,
and in fact on the face of the returns
Evans was elected. The matter was
thrown into the Legislature, however and
Evans was kept out of the gubernatorial
office. Mr.. Evans was prominently men
TONED for a Cabinet position at the be-
ginning of the Mckinley Administration
II the appointment goes to the South.
which is regarded as quite probable. the
chances are that Commissioner Evans
will be the lucky man.
The suggestion was made yesterday.
however, that Mr.. Mckinley might i'm
prove the present opportunity to demon
strate conclusively that the civil war is
over and that we are reunited country
by inviting a former Confederate officer
like Gen. Joe Wheeler into his Cabinet
The fact that Gen. Wheeler is a Democrat
does not make him Ineligible Lincoln
and Hayes both had Democrats In their
Cabinets. Whether Mr.. Mckinley VIII give
this suggestion serious consideration is
doubtful. but some of his friends believe
that ii would be a master stroke politi
cally for the President to ignore party
retary of the Interior TO Gen. Wheeler.
Senator Foraker. of Ohio. and Senator
Vest of Missouri met in the Senate cloak
room yesterday.
Il am sorry for you, Vest" said Fora
ker. with 4 dry chuckle. You have my
sympathy. You are now a man without
a party"
How so?" said Vest, inquiringly. II
was not conscious of having renounced
the Democratic faith
Why" said Foraker. did you not OBJ
serve that Mr.. Mckinley swallowed the
Democratic party down in Georgia the
other day?''
Senator Vest laughed. That's so.'' he
said ~ had overlooked that fact. But
l will tell you what it is. Foraker. ] will
bet you 100 to l that Mckinley has bad
case of indigestion inside OF a fortnight"
Tt was reported yesterday that White
law Reid. in the event of his failure TO
capture the British ambassadorship. would
become an applicant for the Interior port
folio. Mr. Reid is not easily discouraged.
He is said to be determined that the Nc
Kinley Administration shall have the ben
eft of his services in some capacity or
other whether it wishes them or not
Ii is expected that the treaty of peace
negotiated at Paris will be placed in the
Presidents hands on Christmas eve. As
Congress will not be in session until jan
uary l. Mr.. Mckinley will have ample
time to prepare his message to accom-
pany the treaty when he transmits il to
the Senate. The report that the treaty
was to be withheld until after March 1.
and submitted to the new Senate then is
too absurd to deserve serious attention.
1t can be said that the President is par
ticularly anxious to have the peace treaty
ratified promptly and before the expira-
ton of the present session II possible.
When the Senate meets after the holiday
recess there will be no delay in the trans
mission of the treaty from the White
House to the Capitol.
Col William ]. Bryan, of Nebraska,
spent some time in the marble room of
the Senate at the Capitol yesterday. He
sent his card in to number of Demo-
cratic Senators, among them being Mr..
Cockrell and Mr.. Vest of Missouri Mr.
Daniel of Virginia and Mr.. Allen of Ne
earnest conversation with Senator Cock
rell The late Democratic candidate for
President did not attract very much at
tention. AT no time was there a jam
around his chair.
Reports from Michigan indicate that the
senatorial fight in the Wolverine State is
getting red hot. According to the latest
advices Senator Burrows, who has been in
the lead all along. has been steadily los
ing ground. and some of his friends are
apprehensive that he may not be re-elect-
ed. Gov. Pingree is working night and
day to defeat Burrows. He is using, it is
said. the patronage of his office freely to
influence members of the legislature TO
vote against Burrows. Pingree's candi-
date is a millionaire lumberman named
Pack: Very little is known of Mr.. Pack.
and it is not likely that he can win in
any event.
If a dark horse captures the prize, it is
believed that Representative William AL
den Smith, Of Grand Rapids. will be the
lucky man. Mr.. Smith has kept discreet
ly in the background, but it is known that
his friends have been quietly at work in
his behalf for some time. Pingree is not
averse to Smith In fact, with Pingree 1t
is anything to beat Burrows. 1t is prac-
tically the field against Burrows, which