The times., 1898-09-29
GENERAL POLITICAL GOSSIP.

N'-i"io'ee LOT Governor or the Empire
state may be tested in the courts. The
Democratic State committee of New York
may possibly take Aeps to have the ques-
ton passed uphpIby the highest legal
tribunal of that State-the court of ap-
peals. Under the-ordinary routine the
case would never reach the court of APP
peals until long hitter the election in
November. but it is believed that the
Republican leaders themselves will con-
sent to have the Roosevelt case expedit-
ed so that decision may be rendered
forthwith, as otherwise the people
would be asked to vote for man who
might subsequently be disqualified from
holding the Office to which he might be
elected.
1t will be to the interest of the Repub-
lieans TO have the dispute over Col
Roosevelt's eligibility officially disposed
of as speedily as possible. AS long as
any doubt exists upon this point Coz
Roosevelt will be weak candidate The
court of appeals, which viii have to pass
upon the question finally, contains four
Republicans and three Democrats me
members of the court, however, are all
men of the highest standing and their de-
cision will not be likely to be formulated
upon partisan lines.
Frederick r. Coudert, who is recognize
ed as one of the leading Democratic mem
| bers of the bar in New York, gives it as
his judgment that Col. Roosevelt is elig-
| ible for the office of governor. Upon the
other hand Judge Countryman who has
been a member of the supreme court OF
New York for many years. and has been
| classed as one of the abiest Republican
judges on the bench, states emphatically
that Col Roosevelt in his opinion, cannot
under the law and the constitution OF the
State hold the Office of governor, even II
he should be elected. You pay your
money and you. takes your choice.
Col. Roosevelt will unquestionably be
under a handicap throughout the cam
paign, however, no matter what the decl-
| sion of the Court of Appeals may be In
| his case He cannot escape the charge
| of being a tax dodger," which has never
been a very popular slogan In any cam
| paign. Col. Roosevelt has always posed
| as a model citizen He has written books
| and magazine articles galore on the du-
| ties of citizenship, and consequently he
| finds himself in a most ridiculous posi-
| ton when he is forced 20 contemplate
| himself as a self-conyicted tax dodSer.
The attitude of the Mugwump press of
| New York toward Col. Roosevelt will be
watched with more or less of melancholy
| interest. Roosevelt has for years been
| its ideal statesman. The Times and
| Evening Post have never failed TO say a
good word for him in the past, and each
! paper has referred to him IN the present
! instance as the kind OF man who
| ought to be noplinated by the Republic
| ans but of course. he never would be,
as the bosses Would not permit 1t, etc
| But now that the Bosses, or the boss, to
state the case more correctly, have actu-
ally nominated their man, the Mugwumps
/ are beginning to regard him with suspi-
cion They are apparently between the
devil and the deep sea, condition so
often and so feerngly referred to by poll
| ticians.
The friends of Col. William J. Bryan
will be glad to know that the sensational
| reports regarding This illness have been
/ grossly exaggerateds The fact that Col.
Bryan's wife was FteleGraphed for doubt
| less accounts for the starting Of the false
| alarm concerning his condition. Col. Bry
! an has some little fever, but is in no dam
| ger. He is stopping at the house OF
| friend and Is keeping as quiet as possi-
| BILE He, however. receives few personal
| friends, and seems TO take very cheer
| full view of the future. What Col. Bryan
| needs most. his close friends say, is
| little nursing and good rest. He is
| in a fair way TO obtain both. as Mrs.
Bryan Is expected to arrive here by FRI
| day or Saturday
Governor Lon. V. Stevens. of Missouri.
| is in New York comforting with leading
| Democratic chieftains and experimenting
his wife's FAN shopping. In an interview
| after conference with Mr.. Croker, Gov
ernor Stevens had this to say;
II told Mr.. Croker said Stevens, that
! the Democratic party in Missouri was
| united for William, Jennings Bryan for
! President in 1900 and that We believe that
the free silver platform would be of ad-
| vantage TO the party
What did MIR. Croker say In reply?'
| We'll you know, he doesn't talk very
much; he let us do most of the talking.
| He is a good Democrat. you know, and he
remarked that perhaps, what was for
| the best interest of the party in one State
would not be for its best interest in an
| other That was all he said.
| Governor Stevens said that Missouri
! would show strong Democratic gains in
| Congressman in November.
| II regret to see the extreme confidence
which is apparently prevalent at Demo-
cratic headquarters regarding the outlook
| over the congressional situation said
| Representative Livingston of Georgia yes
| terday "Our people seem to take it for
| granted that we are going 10 win hands
! down. That is wrong. While 1 believe
| that the chances may be decidedly in our
| favor at the present moment, it is never
| safe TO take things for granted. You no.
| tfy the boys that we have a sure thing
| for instance, and they Immediately begin
/ TO relax their efforts; they say to them
| selves, well, we have got ii, what's the
use of our working any more? The
| only safe plan is to work up to the last
| moment as if you believed that the oppo-
sition were going 10 win Once it gets
| abroad that we have cinch on the next
! House, it will be extremely difficult for
| our people to raise the money actually
| needed to pay running expenses. 1t is
| a great mistake in politics to indulge in
the luxury of over c6nfidence.'
Senator Francis E. Warren, of Wyo-
ming, has been in town for several days
| looking after matters in the departments
| concerning his own State. Since the ad-
journment of Congress last Summer Sen
ator Warren has shaved off his NOUS
tache and the change made in his appear
|