The times., 1898-10-03
GENERAL POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Copying after Silas Wegg and Roscoe
Conkling, the Roosevelt boomers in New
York are dropping into verse, which, it
will be observed. is not rhyme. Here is
their latest attempt in that direction:
Where does he hail frcm?
We don't give n d-n;
lie led the Yankee forces
And captured Gan Juan.
The first public reading of this poem
aroused tremendous enthusiasm" ac-
cording to the Roosevelt organs. The
audience they assert fairly went wild.
This Is not so surprising after all. But
Gen. Shafter certainly ought to be heard
from in this competition. His friends
claim to have seen an affidavit from
Shafter to the effect that he (Shafter)
was in full command at San Juan and all
the adjacent territory. 3
Upon memorable OCCASION in 1889. Mr.,
Conkiing, In presenting Gen. Grants 5
name to the Republican, national conven-
tion for a third term, made use of this
stirring couplet: 81
When asked whence comes our candidate,
Our sole reply shall be,
He comes from Apponiattox
And It's famous apple tree"
And, yet Grant was defeated in spite of
Conkling's eloquence. Col Roosevelt
should take warning. History has dis
agreeable habit of repeating itself.
The early betting in New York city ap-
pears to favor Col. Roosevelt. Consider
able money has been placed upon him at
odds of to L; little at to 8. This is
not regarded as significant Bettors as
class, as experience shows. are very
poor judges of elections. In 1884 the
sporting fraternity in New York staked
almost their last dollar on Blaine and
lost. In 1883 they picked Cleveland for a
winner and again lost. In 1892 their
money was pretty evenly divided between
Cleveland and Harrison In 1896 the ma
Jority of the gamblers backed Bryan
They have had about equal success in
State campaigns. The so-caled sporting
men have no better sources of informa-
tion than the average citizen. They are
like sheep. and stampede in this or that
direction upon the slightest provocation
The chances are more than one hundred
to one that not single man In the entire
outfit could give any more intelligent rea-
son why he was putting up his money on
Col Roosevelt than that he had kicked
dog In dark alley and its howls had
sounded like Bet Roosevelt"
The betting, however. has become
quite feature of all important political
campaigns. Each side has sought TO
capture the class who are supposed to
be only waiting to be sure which way
the cat is going to jump to go that way,
by putting out their money on bets If
they can create the impression, they
argue, that their particular side is bound
TO win, IL will be worth thousands of
votes to them. Senator Quay was the
first man to adopt this style of cam
paigning, when he was In charge of the
Harrison campaign in 1883. Since then
it has been adopted generally. although
conservative men regard IL as of doubt
ful expediency. In Quays case he did
not take many chances, as II is under
stood that he only put up the campaign
funds. The money for betting was set
aside as part of the legitimate eX-
penses of the campaign. If it had been
lost there would have been no account
ing. and right there 1t may be added
that there was no accounting, although
Mr.. Quay won practically every bet that
ne made for the Republican National
Committee that year. But after all, that
is quite another story, as campaign eX-
penditures are never scrutiniZed very
carefully. The rule is to burn all docu-
ments and vouchers relating 10 a cam
paign on the night of the election. This
course saves a great deal of trouble and
subsequent unpleasant nQtoriety
The nomination of the son of Henry
George, the distinguished single tax
..r
silver Democrats Of New York on Fri
day night, does not bid fair to seriously
disturb the political atmosphere in the
Empire State. After the tragic death
of Henry George, sr., on the eve of the
mayoralty election in New York last
FAIL young Henry George was substi-
tuted on the ticket in his fathers place
The original George men had confidently
predicted at least 100000 votes for their
favorite, but the son polled less than
20, 600. There is nothing 10 indicate that
he will do even as, we'll this year. In
less the contest between Roosevelt and
Van Wyck should be very close, the
George vote is not likely to cut any
figure in the returns in November
Some of Col Roosevelt's friends, how
ever. recall the fact that Henry Georges
iaIueT was AOOStNcil.S bStS III liic
campaign he made for mayor of New
York in 1886. The three leading candi-
dates in the field that year were Hewitt
Roosevelt and George. Roosevelt had the
cordial support of the mugwumps and he
conducted an active campaign from start
to finish But when the votes were count
ed it was found that Roosevelt was third
In the race. Hewitt had about 5000 votes,
George 5000 and Roosevelt $1,000. The
name of George may prove TO be hoodoo
to Col. Roosevelt once more.
Out in Michigan the political situation is
decidedly mixed. Pingree, the Republican
nominee for governor. has denounced
nearly every prominent Republican in his
party by name. Some of the terms of en-
dearment which he always has at the end
of his tongue in referring to these gen.
tlemen are: "Scoundrel, thief moncp-
olistfi dirty dog, bastard" etc. He has
been particularly frank in his references
to Alger. Many of his observations in
that connection have been simply imprint
able, and yet the last time Gov. Pingree
was in Washington he was entertained as
a guest at Senator Alger's house, all of
which shows that Secretary Alger has
truly forgiving nature. However, in spite
of his TRADES against the leading men,
bers of his own party. Gov. Pingree was
unanimously renominated the other day.
The plain truth is that Republicans in
Michigan of the McMillan-Alger type are
afraid of Pingree. They know that he is