The times., 1898-10-01
GENERAL POLITICAL GOSSIP.

1t is to the effect that Col. Roosevelt
has been putEnp so be sacrificed; that he
is to be knitted al the polls by the Platt
combination FithS the hope of saving the
legislature and capturing the seat in the
United States Senate now held by the
Hon. Edward Murphy, of Troy. Accord
ing to this gossip, Mr.. Platt would pre-
fer to have an out and out Democrat In
the gubernatorial chair at Albany rather
than Roosevelt. Mr.. Platt is accused of
having deliberately laid a trap for Col.
Roosevelt and all OF fsthe mugwump con-
tingent which he represents
1t is not likely that there Is any real
foundation for the talk of this kind. but
it is really quite surprising to observe
how general 1T is and how many emf
nent Republicans appear to take stock
in it. However. 1t win not be wise for
the Democratic managers to bank TOO
much on rumors of alleged treachery to
Roosevelt within the ranks of his own
party. Old campaigners are not deceived
by such talk. 1t is generally classified by
them under the caption, important, II
True"
to have a meeting today and decide
upan a program. 1t is said that the
omission of the word silver in the
Syracuse platform. and any special refer
ence TO the Chicago platform OF 1896 war
rants them in taking independent action
and placing a straight out silver ticket
In the field. This carr only be done by Pc
tition under the election law of the En-
pire State. AT this distance the movement
does not look formidable. While there
are undoubtedly a great many Democrats
in New York who are in hearty sympathy
with the principles enunciated in the Chi-
cago platform, of 1896 the great mass OF
| the Democratic voters of the State are
firm believers in regularity. They are
| not prone to go off and join an independ-
ent movement without some strong provo
| cation. Justice Van Wyck states that he
| voted for Bryan in 1896. and that is about
| all the rank and file Of his party, 1t is
| said, will care to know.
The political contest this year in West
| Virginia is particularly interesting. The
| great prize to be fought for is the seat
! In the United States Senate now held by
the Hon. Charles J. Faulkner, of Martins
| burg. The two leading Republican can
| IOi lul5 plum are <AlhAHSOi
/ the present governor, and Nathan b.
Scott. the commissioner OF internal rev.
| enue. Both are wealthy men, although
| Mr.. Scott is understood 10 have the longer
! purse OF the two, and each is spending
! his money with a lavish hand. Gov At
| kinson is devoting his energies to elect
ing only Atkinson men 10 the Legislature
! while Mr.. Scott Is seeing TO II that only
| thick and thin Scott men are placed on
| ard Tba Rorbf is M,
and from the present indications no truly
| enterprising citizen OF West Virginia need
fear famine in his immediate neighbor-
hood next Winter
-.
| Mr. Scott is supposed TO have the back
ing of the Mckinley Administration. He
| is a member of the Republican national
committee and was one of Mr.. Hannas
chosen Iieutenants in the Presidential
campaign of 1896. Gov. Atkinson has pur-
| sued a rather Independent course in his
attitude toward the Mckinley Admins
| tration. He has catered more to local
sentiment and gaining popularity at home
| with the masses. after the manner of Pm
| gree, of Michigan, rather than cultivating
close relations with the President and the
leaders of his party at the National Capt.
| tai. Altogether It is very pretty fight,
and the result may be that Mr.. Faulkner
or some other Democrat may carry off
| the prize.
! The Democrats do not regard the out
| look in West Virginia as forlorn hope
by any means. They believe that West
| Virginia is naturally a Democratic State
and VIII reassert her loyalty to the Dem
| ocratic party in November next. There
| e-f- ,fnI, aoly
this opinion. The contest between Mr.
| Scott and Gov. Atkinson in itself is likely
| to lead to developments of an unexpected
nature which viii contribute to the sue
cess of the Democratic party in the State.
In the general scrimmage which is
scheduled to take place in West Virginia
there have been numerous inquiries as to
the attitude the Hon. Stephen B. Elkins
would take at the roundup. Mr. Ell
| kins's grip on the State is conceded to be
very tight and his support one way or
the other would probably decide the con-
| test in the event of a Republican triumph
| in favor of his man. Up TO date, however,
! Senator Elkins has kept well out of the
| wrangle. He has assumed the pose of an
| impartial observer who had no favorteS
| to advance. and only desired the success
anu NciIdTc VI party. All ndHUS VINO
| are acquainted with Senator Elkins will
at once recognize the fact that he has no
personal interest in the outcome of the
| West Virginia contest. Mr.. Elkins has of
| late years become philanthropist His
1 sole concern is the public veal so his
| friends assert and all matters of an out
| side nature are not supposed to give him
any concern. At the same time, Commits
! sioner Scott is laboring under the impress
sion. it is stated, that Senator Elkins
| wishes him to become his colleague in the
| Senate
| The situation in Maryland this year is
somewhat complicated. The element in
the Democratic party in the city of Bal
timore and vicinity which fought Cor
manism'' last year and brought about the
defeat of that gentleman for the Senate,
| is still active and may work mischief to
the Democratic party in the State this
Fall. But if the signs are not entirely
| misleading Maryland should go Demo-
| cratic in November and report gain OF
at least two Democratic congressman
| tsEs
Senator wellington and Judge McCo-
mas have patched up a kind of treaty
of peace but-its IS of very fiimsy tex
ture. wellington hates McComas and
the latter is not stuck on wellington
Coming from the, same section of the
State they are natural enemies. Judge
McComas's eKctio1 to the Senate meant
| the retirement of Wellington at the ex-
piraton of hi$ teffh, and Mr. Wellington
realizes that fact BIS keenly as anybody
His only chance to hold his grip is by