The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-17

There is a great deal OF gossip respecting
ex-Speaker Reeds relations with the ad-
ministration The idea is being thrown
out that he is against the denomination
Of Mr. Mckinley, and that he is the
power that gives strength TO the talk that
Gov. Roosevelt will be a candidate for The
Republican nomination for President in
1900. 1t is asserted that the administra-
ton. recognizing Mr. Reed as a political
enemy. will endeavor to prevent him from
being reelected speaker Undoubtedly
there is not the best of feeling between
the President and Mr. Reed. The reason
for this has never been clearly stated.
Ii is fact, however. that Mr.. Reed goes
TO the White House only when it is. neces-
sary that he should do so, and that the
greetings which ne has exchanged with
the President, when their official duties
have brought them together, have been
far from cordial.
It is doubtfui, however, that Mr.. Reed is
pushing Gov. Roosevelt to the front as
Presidential candidate, and it is still more
doubtful that the administration has any
puippoN VI Iy4hS " RANftAAN. 49,
from being reelected speaker. II Mr..
Reed were trying to bring Gov. Roosevelt
out as a Presidential candidate he would,
If he followed mis- usual way of doing
things. announce the fact He is not in
the habit of working in the dark the
chief reason for thinking that the admin
istration has no intention Of making a
fight on Mr.. Reed, if he should seek the
speakership, is the doubt that there Is
any man in the Fifty-sixth Con
gress who can get the eau
Gus nomination over him. 1t
is true that he has enemies in Congress.
and a good many of them, but his party
regards him so highly as speaker that Re
publicans in all parts of the country are
in favor of his re-elections to that position
1t is very we'll understood that if it had
not been for him, the appropriations OFFS
the last Congress would have been a great
deal larger than they were. The Mica
ragua canal bill would have passed, the
Hawaiian cable scheme would have been
indorsed and the Hanna-Payne ship sub
sidy bill would have become a law. These
three measures would have taken many
millions out of the treasury. 1t is true,
of course, that the people want
canal between the Atlantic and
Pacific ocean, but they don't want the
building of the canal undertaken until a
practicable route is SECURED and the cost
of the work is quite definitely determined.
The ship subsidy bill and the Hawaiian
cable bill are measures upon which the
people look with suspicion. There
is no good reason why money of the gov
eminent should be put into either. If the
cable scheme had been approved by Con-
gress it would not have been long before
there would have been other schsmes pro-
posed which depended upon the assistance
of the government. The ship subsidy bill
is a shrewd scheme for getting about
$500 100000 out of the treasury. With the
cheapest raw materials in the world there
ships enough in this country TO do all of
our carrying trade.
No. it would not be an easy matter to
prevent Mr.. Reed from getting the speak
ership and it is pretty safe to assume
that the administration isn't going to OPP
pose min for that position. To try to beat
him and fail would be far worse for the
administration than to have him as speak
er. willing to do what he considered for
the best interest of his party. The Re-
publicans have but a narrow majority In
the House, and the speaker will have it in
his power to come pretty near control
ling legislation. Therefore the policy of
the administration will be to placate Mr..
Reed. with the view of having its policies
approved, rather than to fail in trying to
defeat him, thus making an enemy who
measure.