The times., 1898-12-24
GENERAL POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Return Of FeAee EnvOys.-The
members of the Paris Peace Commission
Will probat ~ reach Washington some
time today. Arrangements. it is said.
have been riade to bring them over to the
Capital from New York by special train.
so that no time may be lost in bringing
the disting uished party to its destination
There is said to be no pressing reason
why the high commissioners should Oh
serve any undue haste in getting to
Washington aside from the fact that each
ore is probably anxious to celebrate
Christmas in the bosom OF his family.
Mr.. Mckinley, it is understood, is pre-
pairing to give the commissioners a warm
welcome. He will congratulate each one
individually on having successfully car
ried out his instructions. Judge Day will
naturally come in for the lions share
OF the glory and felicitations as he was
at the head OF the commission. Some
time next week, or in the near future, the
President, 1t is said, will give banquet
at the White House in honor of the COM
missioners. The invited guests will.
doubtless, include practically all of the
leading lights IN official and diplomatic
circles.
Judge Days Future. = There has
been a great deal of talk of late linking
Judge Days name with the Republican
nomination for governor of Ohio next
year. The Buckeye State convention will
not meet for six months or more, but
the matter is already being canvassed in
Ohio and combinations are being formed
The contest is likely to narrow down to
I.ntrx .s..s. H..
and anti-Administration forces. Senator
Foraker is looked upon as the leader of
the anti administration cohorts, while
Senator Hanna, of course, will represent
the President. Foraker's reelection TO
the Senate, IL is said. will depend largely
upon the outcome OF the gubernatorial
fight. The Foraker or anti-Administra-
ton Republicans. seem TO be in the lead
AT The present writing. Among the candi-
dates they are grooming FOR the race are
John Sherman, II. \. Dausherty and Maj
G.. h. Nash. On Senator Hanna's list are
Representative Charles ii. Grosvenor, ].
NJ Hoyt. of Cleveland, and Judge Day
Close friends of the latter say positively
that he has no ambition TO be governor
of Ohio: his tastes do not run that way
His ambition. 1t is said, is to go on the
Federal bench. But Day is too much at
tached to Mckinley personally to refuse
TO make any sacrifice that he may be
called upon to make. If 1t should de-
velop, for instance, that Judge Day is the
only man that can lead the Administra-
ton forces TO victory in the State conven-
ton it is safe to say that he will be NOM
mated and that he will accept, Certain
timid friends of the President, however,
do not believe that it would be good poll
tics to push the Foraker people too hard.
defeat in Ohio next Fall, they
say, would be very costly. 1t might en-
danger Mr.. McKinley's prospects for a
second term.
spnin's s2O,OOO.OOO IndemnIty.-
1t was pointed out at the White House
yesterday that the $1,000. 600 purse which
is TO be presented TO Spain for relinquish-
ing her sovereignty over the Philippine
Islands must be paid under the terms of
the Paris treaty within six months after
the interchange of ratification of the
treaty between the two governments
Another stipulation in the treaty is that
IL must be ratified within six months. II
the treaty should fail of ratification at
the present session an extra session of
the Fifty-sixth Congress will become a
necessity-not merely a special session of
the Senate. but full session of both
houses If the $40 0O9 600 indemnity is to b.
appropriated with in the six months,
the limit fixed by the treaty. On the
other hand II the treaty is ratified at
the present session and the House should
refuse to appropriate the $4,000 90 called
for it will still be necessary in the judg-
ment OF many officials for the President
to convene Congress in extra session after
March 4. Speaker Thomas B. Reed will
play an important part in the latter
phase of the matter. The Administration
is extremely confident that the treaty will
be ratified before the expiration of the
present session. but II is not so certain
of Mr. Reed. The latter is known TO be
opposed to the general policy of expan-
sion. but whether he will carry his opposl-
tion to the extent of preventing the pass
age of the $50, 900. .oc0 appropriation through
the House is as Yet an open question. II he
does the supporters of the President
openly assert that Mr.. Reed will not be
the Speaker of the Fifty-sixth Congress.
1t is not unlikely that Mr.. Reeds atti-
tude on this question after Congress re-
assemblies in January may be made the
test Of his eligibility for future support by
the members of the Administrator. Mr..
Reed is lively fighter. but it is not
thought that he will be able ID sue ess-
fully cope with the combined forces of
the Administration, backed up and sup
ported as they will be by the almost un-
iversal sentiment of the country.
Prof. Wilson and Old Elf.-Some
jealous friends of former Postmaster Gen.
eral Wilson are kindly trottins him out as