The times., 1898-12-22
GENERAL POLITICAL GOSSIP.

President Mckinley treated the poll
ticians to a genW9e surprise yesterday
when he sent the nomination to the Sen
ate of Ethan Allen Hitchcock of Missouri.
to be the successorlof Secretary Bliss. The
appointment was entirely unexpected. Mr..
Hitchcock's name had not been mentioned
in connection with the office. The first
question asked by nine out of ten sena-
tors and public men when they heard of
Mr.. Hitchcock's selection was. Who In
the devil is Hitchcock" However. it was
soon ascertained that Mr.. Hitchcock was
our present ambassador at ST. Petersburg,
and that he enjoyed the additional dis
tinction Of being a personal friend OF Mr..
Mckinley. 1t is customary for the Sem
ate to confirm Cabinet appointments
promptly, as they are regarded as being
purely personal to the Executive. and no
exception was made In the case of Mr..
Hitchcock. The latter will not become
Secretary of the Interior in fact until he
formally takes the oath OF office, which
cannot take place probably for several
weeks yet. II Mr.. Hitchcock winds up his
affairs at st. Petersburg so as to start
for home on the first of the month ne
ought to be Installed in his new post by
the middle of January. In the meantime
Mr.. Bliss has, 1t Is understood, consented
to continue TO perform the duties OF Sec
retary until the arrival of his successor.
The appointment Of Mr.. Hitchcock leaves
the Empire State of New York without a
representative in the Cabinet for the hrst
time in great many years. In fact,
l,,Ni, ,fef raf
the present moment has had the services
of a New York man In its official house
hold. Mr.. Cleveland found IL necessary
to have two men from New YORK In ms
Cabinet during both of his adminlstra-
tons. Some curiosity is manifested ps
politicians as to the consequences that
may ensue by the elimination OF New
York from the Presidents family council.
The impression which New Workers have
endeavored TO create in the past mas peen
that an Administration that tried 10 get
along without the assistance of repre-
sentative of their State in the CABINET
would be sure to go to the demnltion DOW
vows or some other place equahy uh-
pleasant. II IL should turn out that Mr.
Mckinley is able 20 manage his ADMINS
tration successfully without New YORK
man in his Cabinet 1t will be sad oiow
to the prestige of the Empire state Win
future Administrations.
Mr. Hitchcock is set down as per-
sonal selection OF the President lie
first met Mr.. Mckinley. il is said. wheh
the latter was Chairman Of the Ways
and Means Committee and engaged on
the work of framing his famous tariff
Ii hDpn inter-
ested In the manufacture of plate ana
cut glass for a number of years, and Is
perhaps at the head of that industry Ia
this country. He came to Washington
during the pendency of the Mckinney Dill
tc see that his particular industry was
not left out in the cold. The friendship
between Mckinley and Hitchcock, 1t Is
understood, dated from that period MT
Hitchcocks industry was not overlooked,
and he is now rated as several times i
millionaire. So far as is known he has
never been prominently identified with
politics in the past. However, II is said
that his selection as ambassador to st.
Petersburg was favorably regarded by
the Hon. Richard c. Kerens, the Mis-
souri, member OF the Republican Nation
al Committee.
The fight between Chauncey l. Fiiley
and Mr. Kerens for supremacy in the
control of the Republican party In Mis-
souri, has been one OF the interesting in.
cidents in national politics for almost
generation Each one has alternated in
the leadership from time TO time, but
shortly after the Inauguration of Mr..
Mckinley Mr. Kerens obtained the upper
hand and since that time Mr. Fiiley has
been side-traeked. Filley. however be-
longs to what is known as the old guard.
He prides himself on being a member OF
the "3o6'' who voted for Grant at Chi
cago in 1880 and wearing a sugar loaf
hat There are some people who profess
TO believe that FflIey is dead politically.
in Missouri. Mr.. Filiey himself does not
agree with this diagnosis Of the situa-
ton He claims that he will be in evil
dence if he lives at the next Republican
national convention.
The senatorial contest in Montana over
the election of a successor to Senator Lee
Mantle is attracting considerable atten-
tion. The legislature will meet on jan
uary 2.
On Joint ballot the Democrats have
a large majority. and the contest between
Marcus DAILY the copper king and race
millionaire banker and mining man of
Butte is one of the hardest fought politi-
cal battles ever witnessed in the West.
DAILY and Clark were formerly the best of
friends and are largely responsible for the
States development. but they quarreled
over some trivial water rights, and this
extending to litigation in the courts, they
became bitter enemies. Six years ago
Clark was the Democratic nominee for
senator, and although that party was in
the majority Daily refused to allow his
personal friends to vote for Clark, result
ing in deadlock that was never broken,
although Clark lacked but one vote. Two
years later Clark supported Helenas cam
didacy for the State capitalship with both
funds and speeches, as against Anaconda,
Daly's home city, and in whose behalf he
made a most vigorous but fruitless effort.
The two are both leaders of powerful
factions In their party, and 1t is believed
either would rather have the State go un-
represented in the upper branch than the
other be elected, and the predictions are
many that such will prove the final end
ing of the contest.
While each side claims sufficient strength
to elect. it is believed the DAILY has a
shade the stronger following. but not
enough to land him. Every Democratic
politician in the State Is either a Clark
or a Daily man. and for this reason a COM
promise candidate is almost out of the
question, although Gov Smith Congress-
man Hartman and W. G.. Conrad have
been mentioned in this connection.
The Problem 0f the Dav