The times., 1898-12-23
GENERAL POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Elihu Root, of New York, was in Wash
ington yesterday and had an interview
with the President. 1t is said that he
called on the President to urge the ap-
pointment of Joseph II. Choate as am
bassador to London. Mr.. Roots indorse-
ment will probably carry great weight
with Mr.. Mckinley. Mr. Root and Seth
Low are supposed to be closer TO Col.
Theodore Roosevelt than any other Re-
publicans in the Empire State. 1t is un-
derstood that Roosevelt has placed him
self in their hands and that these two
gentlemen will be the real power behind
the governors chair at Albany after the
1st of January. Mr.. Root is credited
with an ambition to displace Senator II.
c. Platt in the management of the Re
publican organization of the Empire
State. If he commands the support of
the Roosevelt administration the chances
are that he will be able to make things
interesting for Mr.. Platt. 1t is not likely,
however, that Mr.. Root will receive any
material assistance from the Mckinley
! Administration at this juncture in any
movement to overthrow Mr.. Platt While
the President might secretly rejoice over
the turning down of the New York SEN
ator, his policy has been to treat with
only the recognized leaders of the regu-
lar organizations. However, as Col.
Roosevelt's personal representative. Mr..
Root will have a certain official standing
at the White House. Roosevelt may be
a factor in the Presidential contest of
1900 and Mr.. Mckinley Is too good a pol
itician to give him any unnecessary Of
fence.
Certain friends of the President have, it
is said, already sounded Roosevelt on the
subject of the coming Presidential cleo
/ tion. They have made the suggestion
that MCKINLEY and Roosevelt would
look well bracketed together on the same
| ticket. Col. Roosevelt, it is stated was
quite pleased with the idea. The
/ second place on the Presidential
ticket satisfies Roosevelt today. but
| by the time the national convention
meets in 1850 he may take different view
| of the situation. Roosevelt has never
| been guilty of undertaking his own inn
| portance.
| The persistency with which the rumor
that Secretary Long was contemplating
! retiring from the Cabinet is denied in
high official quarters would ordinarily
convince the average citizen that they
had some foundation. AS rule high Off
cials do not take the trouble to deny re-
ports that have no truth in them 1t Is
| known that Secretary Longs appoint
ment in the first instance originated with
Mr.. Mckinley. His name was not sug-
gested by any member of the New Eng
land delegation and the announcement OF
his selection created almost as much sur
prise among the politicians as the APP
pointment of Mr.. Hitchcock as Mr.. Bliss
! successor Mr.. Long had been out of pol.
tiles for number of years, and few peo-
pie In Massachusetts had any idea that he
would ever reappear upon the political
surface again. year or so before his
appointment as Secretary of the Navy
Mr. Long had a serious Illness For Z
time it was feared that his mental pow.
ers were impaired but fortunately, suct
did not prove TO be the case. However
he is not as strong physically as he wa:
ten years ago. and his close persona
friends do not believe that 1t would b'
wise for him to try to serve out his term
And the reason which probably lies be
hind Secretary Longs decision to with
draw from the Cabinet is said to be hi:
opposition to the Presidents policy o.
expansion. Mr. Long is prominent
member of peace society in Massa
chusetts He was opposed to the war
and II Is charged that he has never beer
in full sympathy with the Administration
on that subject. On the question Of III,
acquisition of the Philippine islands Mr.
Long is understood to believe with Sen
otor Hoar that we ought not to hole
them. Mr.. Mckinley has become pro
nounced expansh1nist; hence Mr., Long!
tenure in the tsabinet can hardly remain
tenable for any length of-time unless hi
views undergos.a radical change.
-
|
likely to be a general shaking up of tt,
Cabinet before the Presidential campaign
of 1859 opens :. Thei original Mckinley
Cabinet was acknowledged TO be extreme
ly weak from political standpoint
Scarcely one of its members had any
thing like a strong organization bahint
him. This is not so important at tbs
beginning of an Administration, but a.
the time approaches for a President Il
make arrangements for a second tern
he naturally turns to his Cabinet aiviserl
for counsel and assistance. II is theI
that he feels the necessity of having prac
teal politicians at his elbow.
OF what earthly assistance, practical poll
ticians ask, could the majority of Mr.
McKinley's Cabinet be to him in helping
| MN ~ 5ttuEt Il tOi-
halls from the District of Columbia, whicl
has only two votes in the national conven
tion and no representation in the electora
college. Mr.. Alger has no voice in Mich
igan except by grace of Gov. Pingree, VIII
| is altogether too erratic 10 be relied upon
and besides. he is prospective candidat
for the Presidency himself. Senate
Lodge dominates the Republican organiza
ton of Massachusetts absolutely. Senate
Quay still has control in Pennsylvania
Secretary Gage is not a politician an,
never pretended TO be. Mr.. Hitchcock
the new member, belongs in the sam
classification. Secretary Wilson is over
shadowed in Iowa by Senator Allison
Out of the entire list Attorney Genera
Griggs could probably come nearer be
ing able to deliver something to the Presi
dent in the event of an emergency. TIL
other gentlemen in Mr. McKinley's of
fetal household, with all due respect t
their personal qualifications, would b
about as useful 10 the President if h
should be compelled to fight for a re
nomination as so many wooden Indians.
|
The report that Mr.. Bryan met Mr.. Car
negie in New York by appointment tn
other day is being commented on. Ac
cording to the talk that is going tn
| rounds Mr. Carnegie pledged himself I
support Mr.. Bryan for President in 1906
In other words, Mr.. Carnegie is willin
to swallow free silver and all of tn
other dangerous and anarchistic heresie
of the Chicago platform, from the Repuh
lican point of view, in order to defeat ex
pansion. Many OF Mr.. Bryan's SINGER
friends believe that he has made gre:.
blunder by entering into an alliance wit
Mr.. Carnegie. The support of Carnegie
they say, will do Mr. Bryan much NOR
harm than good. Carnegie stands fo