The times., 1898-11-12
GENERAL POLITICAL GOSSIP.

ASSAoShl 1uChiulCy Hdo SOh6A dtdiatSa
Governor -Elect RBosevelt and in his very
friendly message1ie makes a delicate ref
erence to Col. Roosevelt's services at San
tiago. These area the Presidents words,
addressed to Coln Roosevelt:
'"rhe year has igiven you two notable
campaigns, both ending In victory. for
which l am gratifed, and congratulate
you" 1s
Apparently Mr. Mckinley, gives Col.
Roosevelt the credit for the management
of the Santiago campaign. Gen. Shafter.
Richard Harding Davis and James Creel-
man will probably file a protest with the
President, as each one has laid claim to
that distinction, However, as the Presi-
dent is commander In chief of the army
and Navy his decision ought to be final;
besides. Mr.. Mckinley has had the advan-
tage of persuing Col. Roosevelt's' sup
pressed report and he Is, therefore, In
possession OF facts not known to the gen.
eral public. After Mr. McKinley's hand
some tribute to Col. Roosevelt, the latter
can hardly be so unfeeling as to become
rival aspirant for Presidential honors
against the President in 1900. II he does
he certainly will be ungrateful. 1t was
Col. Roosevelt to go down to Santiago
and cover himself with the glory which
led to his subsequent nomination and
election as governor of New York. Those
who ought to know Roosevelt best, say
that he has never made the ACQUAINTANCE
of the word gratitude. He is, they assert,
thoroughly taken up with Roosevelt, be-
iieves in him and his star of destiny and
would not hesitate to bowl over any man
l Ill. .aR1t in
the way of his progress.
1t is perfectly apparent to the most
superficial observer that the friends of
Mr.. Mckinley are quite nervous over
Roosevelt's entrance into the field of ma
tional politics. They realize that Roose-
Welt has got his mind set on the Presiden-
cy and that he will not be happy until
he gets 1t. The friends of the President
do not object to encouraging Roosevelt
Presidential aspirations, but they insist
that he must wait until 1901 before he at
tempts to crafty his ambition. They will.
it is understood, try TO keep Roosevelt
quiet by assuring him of their support at
the expiration of McKinley's second term.
Col Roosevelt, however, Is not OF the
waiting kind. He knows that there Is
nothing quite so uncertain as the great
game of politics. and that the man VINO
would succeed In politics must seize every
opportunity that presents itself The turn
ing down of Black for Roosevelt in New
York was about as cold-blooded trans
action as could be imagined. and yet Col.
Roosevelt went about II deliberately and
with malice aforethought.
President Mckinley does not intend to
il he. gaFa hall
and all of the energies of the Administra-
ton will be devoted from this time to the
meeting of the Republican national con-
vention two years hence TO paving the
way for Mr.. ,McKasiey's denomination.
Experience has demonstrated that 1t is a
very difficult contract 10 prevent the re-
nomination of President If he Is serious
Iy bent on having II. 1t was intimated
Yesterday that the President had given or
ders TO have Col Roosevelt's suppressed
Santiago report kept in a safe place, with
the view. presumably. Of producing it
later on If the situation should seem to de-
mand 1t. 44,
ictEss
Coy. Black. of New York, has decided
to enter the senatorial race. and he may
succeed in complaining the situation
somewhat 1t r is related that Senator
Platt offered Black the senatorial prize
last Summer. when he notified him that
he would have to turn him down on the
governorship. Mr.. Platt said In effect:
Get out of the way gracefully decline a
denomination for governor and we will
support you for Senator 10 succeed Muir
ply Gov. Black is reported to have re-
piled:
II would not retire for thousand sena-
torships.'
Probably now he regrets his hasty de-
cision; at any rate he is full-fedged
candidate for Senator Murphy's shoes, and
he must be reckoned with as a factor
However. If Piatt and Roosevelt both
unite on Depew the latter will probably
be elected.
Richard Croker denies the report that
Tammany Hall contemplated testing Col.
Roosevelt's eligibility to hold the office
of governor. I'VE made our fight against
Col. Roosevelt said Mr.. Croker, dur
ing the campaign. and we lost. We do
not intend to carry our fight any further" I"
Mr.. Croker has always enjoyed the repu-
tation of being good loser.
Speaker of the next House among the
supporters of the Administration seems to
be taking definite form. The indications
point to the selection of Gen. Henderson
of Iowa. to make the fight against Mr.
Reed for the Administration. Gen. Hem
derson Is aSman of ability and Is just
about as aggressive and forceful as the
gentleman from Maine. Henderson was
keenly disappointed in not being made
chairman of the Committee on Appropria-
tions in the present House and he has no
great love for Mr.. Reed in consequence.
Gen. Henderson Is understood to be will
ling to undertake the contract to reduce
the Maine autocrat to the ranks, and the
fight between them, If It comes off, will
probably be one that will become mem
orable in political annals.
The enthusiasm of the goldites over the
alleged collapse of the silver issue is ex-
tremely premature, to say the least 1t is
by no means certain that the gold adyo-
Gates will even be able to control the next
House A counting of noses in the next
House this question, even conceding
the majority of thirteen that Col. Babcock
claims. will disclose. 1t is asserted, a ma
jority in favor of the white metal. The
Republican managers in the East seem to
have overlooked the fact that their scant
majority of the next House is made up of
representatives. from States where the
sentiment of the people is overwhelming
ly in favor of silver. A majority of these
Republicans made their canvass as quasi
friends of silver az least, and many of
them are silverImen at heart They owe
their election to the war issue. but they