The evening times., 1899-03-18
GENERAL MAIsHINdT0N
NEWS AND GOSSIP.

The Gathefing at JekyI Island
The appearance of Mr.. Mckinley and Mr..
Reed at Jekyl Island at the same time IS
believed to be not without significance. 1t
is not likely to be mere coincidence.
Jekyl Island is one of the most exclusive
spots that could be found. 1t is owned by
club of rich men and no visitors are per-
mitted to land On the island unless invited
by member of the club. Newspaper Ie
porters and correspondents are strictly
tabooed by the Jekyl Island Club. AS the
island is six miles from the mainland it
will be impossible for the most enteTpris
ing yellow Journalist to overhear the con-
versations that take place there. The cir
cumstances surrounding the visit OF Mr.
Mckinley and Mr. Reed at Jekyi Island
point Enthusiastically to an important po It'll
cal conference. 1t was given out in New
York the other day that Mr.. Reed was 60
ing to Maine, but instead he turns up at
Brunswick, the nearest point to J5ky ISL
and. He is the guest CT john G. Moore, of
New York. Mr.. Moore occupies very close
relations with the Administration.
The stock brokers' firm of Moore &
Schley have, it is understood, made great
deal of money during the past year through
inside information from Washington.
Events have demonstrated that this firm
has had earlier and more accurate infor-
nation regarding the plans and purposes
of the Administration than any of its ri
walls in Wall Street.
The President and Senator Hanna will be
the guests of former Secretary Cornelius
n. Bliss. Senator Thomas C. Platt will al
so be present, it is said, Mr. Bliss
guest. Mr. Platt and Mr.. Bliss are both
warm personal friends of Mr. Reed. Last
fall, after the nomination of Theodore
Roosevelt for Governor of New York Sena-
tor Plat facetiously styled himself as the
boss political harmonizer in the country.
1t is not unlikely that the suggestion of a
personal conference between Mckinley and
Reed came from Senator Platt. "Harmo-
NY is now one of Mr.. Piatt's hobbies. He
has all the zeal and enthusiasm of d new
convert to the faith 1t was said today
that Senator Chauncey NJ Depew, who has
| been in Washington for several days os-
! tensibly househunting, had received a tele-
graphic request TO come to Jekyl Island.
! 1t will be practically impossible for Mr.
Mckinley and Mr.. Reed to avoid each 9TH
er while on Jekyl Island. They will be
guests under the same roof and will be
constantly thrown together.
The object OF the Jekyl Island conference
! will be TO smooth out the wrinkles in the
Republican situation. pave the way fol-
| Mr.. Mckinley's unanimous denomination
| next year. and Mr.. Reeds election as
! Speaker of the Fifty-sixth Congress. The
absolute necessity for better understand
| ing between the President and Speaker
! Reed has been pointed out by many emf
nent Republicans. There are very few Re
publican leaders whose opinions are worth
| anything who think now that the Presi-
! Dental battle CT 1900 is going 10 be a walk.
over for their side. They are convinced
! that ii Will be hot and close fight and
! that the Republicans can hardly hope tc
win unless they present perfectly united
| front to the enemy.