The evening times., 1899-02-17
GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP.

NEWS AND GOSSIP.
Mr.. McKinley's Boston Speech
The Presidents speech delivered last night
before the Home Market Club in Boston
is generally regarded in political circles
as the greatest speech of his life. 1t is the
first time that Mr.. Mckinley has in clear
and unmistakable terms outlined the policy
of his Administration regarding the expan-
sion problem, and his presentation of the
matter will undoubtedly meet with the
enthusiastic approval of the great mass OF
the American people, irrespective of party.
Senators Hoar and Hale and the other anti
expansionists, in the opinion of impartial
observers, have not been left a leg to stand
upon by the President.
Mr.. McKinley's Boston speech was
simply unanswerable," said a prominent
politician today. "It entities him to rank
with any of our greatest Presidents. En-
vious people, who always take narrow
and contracted view of everything, may
only perceive in the Presidents speech a
bid for popularity; play to the galleries,
so to speak, but they are not deserving of
serious consideration. Mr.. Mckinley is
on the American side-the patriotic side,
and the great majority Of the people are
with him. heart and soul. Mr.. Mckinley
will be renominated by his party and in
all probability reelected next year. The
misguided and short-sighted Democrats,
who have been opposing the manifest des-
tiny of the country and our plain duty,
will be responsible for the disaster that
is likely to come to the Democratic party
in this connection. But for their actions
the outlook for Democratic success in the
Presidential campaign next year would
have been excellent"
1t was pointed out today that there was
a certain appropriateness in the Presi-
dent S selecting the Home Market Club
as the place in which to outline the new
policy of the Government. The Home Mar
ket Club has never been, strictly speaking,
partisan organization, although it con-
tains more Republicans than Democrats.
1t has been strong supporter of Mr.. Nc
Kinley for a good many years, and it was
at the Home Market Club that the first
serious Presidential boom for William
Mckinley was launched. However, Mr..
Cleveland and other eminent citizens OF
opposite political faith TO Mr.. Mckinley
have been the guests of the Home Market
Club in times past.
The Kissing of AIser.-The hostile
reception accorded Secretary Alger in Bos-
ton should not have surprised that individ-
iS q
in the United States where Mr.. Alger
could be dead sure OF receiving an enthu-
siastic welcome, but least of all Boston.
The people OF the Hub appeared to take
Mr.. Ayers measure somewhat in advance
of many of their esteemed contemporaries
in other localities. Some of the earliest
and sharpest criticisms of Mr.. Alger and
his management of the War Department
We're published in Boston. Mr.. Alger ap-
parently thought that he could safely visit
the Massachusetts metropolis under the
protecting wing of the President. But even
Mr.. McKinley's popularity was not suffi-
cient TO prevent Mr.. Alger from being hiss
ed. If Mr.. Alger, it is asserted, had been
gifted with the least bit of foresight he
would have made some excuse and refrain
ed from accompanying the President TO
Boston.
The incident, it is believed, is likely to
have the effect OF opening the eyes OF the
President TO the real estimation in which
his Secretary of War is held by the ma
jority of his ellow-citiZens. When the
truth actually dawns on Mr. Mckinley the
chances are that he Will not long defer
calling for Mr.. Ayers resignation from
| the Cabinet.
Proposed Change in House Plan
Speaker Reed il is understood, has beer
| giving some study to remodeling the floor
arrangements of the House of Representa-
| tives. During the past few years MIR. Reed
| has personally visited and inspected the
| parliamentary houses of the leading coun
tries of Europe with view of making
! some improvements in our own structure
! He is anxious, il is understood, to do ava!
| with the individual desks for members OF
! the floor of the House. He believes tha
| they are unnecessary and in a measure
| help add to the confusion that general!
prevails upon the floor No member ht
declares, thinks of doing any serious writ
| ing at his desk in the House; all work o
| this kind is done in the committee rooms
If the desks were eliminated it would be
great saving of space and there would b,
| no necessity for enlarging the hall of tht
! House of Representatives for generations
! to come. The House of Commons, ii il
| pointed out with a membership of owe
| 600 performs its public functions in a hal
| less than one-half the size of the chambe
occupied by our House of Representatives
Another argument advanced for abolishin.
| the individual desk arrangement is tha
| the members would be more apt to pa,
more attention to what was going ol
| around them and take part in the proceed
| ings if they had no desks on which t,
| scribble notes and spread out books ant
| newspapers. Mr.. Reed has, it is under
| stood got plan all thought out and in
tends TO submit il at the next session. H
! hopes TO see il adopted. il is said befor
the expiration of the Fifty-sixth Congress
| Senatorial Deadlock in California
Statesmen from the Pacific Coast ar
inclined to be skeptical over the repor
that the Senatorial deadlock at Sacramen
10 was likely to be terminated soon by tn
election of Mr.. Burns. They say tha
| the gain of one vote made by Burns YES
! terday was without particular significance
| 1t does not by any means, they assert
| warrant the belief that there will be
| general break in the direction of Burns
| Mr.. Burns is the general counsel of tn
Southern Pacific Railroad and is suppose
to have the backing of Coils P. Hunting
ton. The Senatorial fight in Californi
has been very largely up to date a contes
| between rural railway magnates Th
people of the State apparently have had NJ
| hand in it.