The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-05
Chat Of the Capital.
Washington Gossip, Political and
Otherwise, for the Readers
of the Globe.

WASHINGTON, Dec A. = (Special) =
There is opposition to the retirement of
Gen. Shafter as a major general. Just
what this opposition can do to prevent
his retirement with this grade is some
thing that cannot be foretold at this time.
1t is the evident disposition of President
Mckinley to shower upon Gen. Shafter
all the honors he can, but his reasons
for feeling toward him as he does are not
generally known to the public. 1t is
suggested that perhaps there might have
been a promise by Gen. Alger before he
left the department as secretary of war
regarding the presidents course in this
direction. People In the army cannot
discover why Gen. Shafter should be
given any more honors than ne already
has. A good many think that his retire
ment because of theEage limit, will be
greatly beneficial to the government. He
has many enemies, and has, it Is true,
certain staunch friends. Gen. Alger was
one OF these. Adjt. Gen. Corbin is an
other. and it now appears that the presi-
dent, either because he has made prom
Use or because he has great respect for
Gen Smarter, proposes to retire him, as
oefore stated with the grade Of major
general. The opponents Of Gen. Shafter
can see NO reason why he should thus be
nonored, and there is a possibility that
such vigorous fight will be waged
against any act of this kind upon the
| part OF President Mckinley that the plan
devised TO give the ponderous commander
| or the Preside at California the office
he seeks may fail, but it cannot be dis
covered at this writing that the men who
| are opposed to him will be successful in
MT In a.
may be stated, Gen. Shafter has shown
| h1mser to be friendly to the officers and
men under him, and in other instances
| winch might be cited he has proved him
| SELF to be very overbearing. There are
| Two sides to his nature. He is known as
| the DR.. Jekyl and Mr.. Hyde of the
army. His good points, however, do not
seem to meet the bad ones, and this is
one reason why he is not popular with
MS own associates That he has pull
| goes without saying, and the men who
| oppose the presidents desire to retire
INN as major generaf may be disap-
| pointed. The prospects at this time seem
! 10 Inolcate that they will be, but the op-
| position, which is very strong, may vet
dorce PRESIDENT Mckinley to permit Gen.
| smarter TO retire with his present grade.
CzAR REED MISSED.
Congress is again in session and Tom
| Reed, the vigorous gaveI WieIder for tbrae
| sessions, is greatly missed. In his place
| zen. henderson, Of Iowa, will do the best
! ne possibly can to control the members
| OF the house, but 1t Is not even presumed
| by his most intimate associates that he
Will De able to dominate the members
OF his own political faith and his control
OF the minority will never equal Reeds
methods In any way. Gen. Henderson
Is an able man, and Is so recognized bv
I ooth Democrats and Republicans, but he
| has certain weak points which not only
! the Democrats propose to seek to his
disadvantage, but Republicans who NAV
| not be able to get what they desire at
| his hands will pursue a similar course in
| order to make his office very burdensome.
AT, the best 1t is not desirable position
] and In view Of the fact that Gen. Hen
derson frequently loses his temper there
| Is fear upon the part of his friends and
| glee upon the part of his enemies that at
| some critical stage in the house, during
! the present session, the new, speaker will
| lose his head and thereby injure not
only legislation, (which the Republicans
desire to put through, but the party In
| the next national and congressional cam
paign. .19 ~ ~.
! When Henderson assumed his office to-
| day he probably had more friends in
| congress than any other man. A month
| hence there may be difference in his
|
not settle down to show certain Vigor
not expected of him, there will be trouble
| in future and he may be the sufferer by
| this result.
MIR. REED JUSTIFIED.
Mr.. Reeds retirement not only from the
speakership, but the house, is not entirely
favorable to everybody, though his
friends seem to justify his course in get
ting out of this official position. HIS
| sympathes were not with the admins
| tration many issues and some fear
that he will yet rise up in opposition
to give not only Maj. Mckinley, but the
Republican party everywhere, consider
able trouble. It is not believed that the
| ex-Maineite will desert his party and go
over to the Democrats, but being in the
| independent position he now ts there Is
desire on the part of a good many
who wish future government places to
have the present distinguished New York
| lawyer attend strictly to his legal bust
| ness. Whether Mr.. Reed will do this
or not is a question that will interest
| all the people, and If an outbreak should
come upon his part it will be one which
| will probably cause sensation, II 1t
| does not prove to be very detrimental
to his former associates in the Republi-
| can party. Mr.. Reed was much dtsap-
pointed because he could not reach the
|
come president of the United States, and
there is bitterness in his soul, and It
may come out if certain things develop
which may not meet his entire approba-
ton Six months hence Mr.. Reed will
have spoken or, If he does not, trembling
Republican congressman and govern
mental officials, not now necessary to
mention will be much happier than they
are at the present time.
C1O3TMEPCtET
TIE partial susp5 nsion of business activ-
ity in South Africa, due to the war, has
served to call attention to the rapid
growth of American commerce In that
part of the world during the past few
| years and the popularity of American
products and manufactures when brought
| into competition with those of nations
which had been formerly supplying those
markets. A recent number Of the British
| and South African Export Gazette receiV-
ed by the treasury bureau of statistics
contains a series of statements on this
! subject and quotes Mr.. j. Solomon, q
Cape Town, South Africa, merchant as
! saying:
TN some respects the British manufac-
turer is outdoing7 his American competi
tor, but 1 am afraid that in many cases
the latter is getting the decided avan-
| tage. The former cannot afford to lose
| this important market, which, in my
| view, he does not study sufficiently. On
| the other hand, the American manufac-
| turer goes out of his way to please his
| clients in order to grasp a probable or
| der. Take boots and shoes, for instance.
1t used to be asserted that American
boots would not fit English feet; but