The evening times., 1899-12-25
POLITICAL NOTES AND GOSSIP.

POLITICAL NUTES AND GUSSlP.
Who Wrote the Plank:-The fierce
war Of determination started about year
ago on Senator Foraker by Editor Kohl
saat Of Chicago has dwindled down to
contention as to who wrote the financial
plank in the st. Louis platform. It is re-
called by newspaper men who reported the
st. Louis convention that at that time Sen
| ators Lodge, Platt and Depew-the latter
was not then Senator-were given credit
for inserting the words existing gold
standard" in the party creed. 1t is also,
recalled that several months prior to the.
convention Editor kohlsaat, while guest
with Mr.. Mckinley at Mark Hanna's win
ter residence at Thomasville. Ca. made the
announcement that Mr.. Mckinley had been
| converted to the gold standard after years
| of oratorical devotion to bimetallism. This
announcement was the political sensation
of the day and the Forakerites made the
best possible use of it against Mr.. McKin
ley In Ohio. Mr.. Hanna, It is remembered,
kept discreetly quiet on the subject until
the meeting of the Ohio State convention
which formally launched the Mckinley
boom, and then he had that convention
adopt platform which was Interpreted as
favoring bimetallism.
At st. Louis. in 1896, 1t was pointed out
| that the only possible chance of dangerous
opposition to Mr.. McKinfcy's Triumphant
victory hinged upon his somewhat dub;ou,
attitude toward the financial que.tion. 1t
is known that the Chicago editor acted IS
the go-between between Mr.. Hanna. and
the leaders of the strong Eastern contin-
gent, that, under the leade; ship Of Messrs
Lodge, Depew. and Platt. was stubbornly
contendng for a definite declaration on tie
currency issue in the platform. Watcher
or not Mr.. Kohlsaat actually wrote e
plank that is noH such bone of contention
between him and Senator Foraker is no.
known, OF course, but it is well known tiat
he alone of all of Mr.. McKinley's urcom-
promising Western supporters at the ST.
Louis convention fought early AMI late for
the insertion of the words god standard
in the platform.
Mr.. Roberts Mileage.-The mileage
account of Brigham H. Roberts is being
held up by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the
House. at the direction of Judge Barham
of California. chairman of the special COM
mittee to whom all of these claims were
referred by Speaker Henderson. Mr. Rob-
erts told a Times reporter that when he
applied for his mileage several days ago
the Sergeant-at-Arms very politely in
formed him why he could not pay il. Soon
afterward he was called at his hotel by
Judge Barham. who assured him that there
was nothing personal in it," and that
the committee was only following what it
regarded as the safe course in Withholding
from the Utah Representative-elect the
amount of mileage claimed in view of the
contest being made against him. Mr.. Rob-
erts takes the matter very good -naturedly,
and. though about 81, 600 is involved, he says
he realizes that the committee is only do |
ing what il considers its duty in keeping
him out of his mileage 1t Is understood
that if he is deprived of his seat on the |
report of the Tayler committeeman there
is no doubt that he will be-the Houses
decree of expulsion Will carry an allow |
ance for the mileage as well as the salary |
due Mr. Roberts to the date of expulsion. |
Mr.. Roberts drew his salary regularly ey- |
cry month like all the other members-elect |
up TO the meeting of Congress. This salary |
was drawn on the warrants issued ly the |
Sergeant-at-Arms. When Congress is in |
session all salary warrants and other al
lowances issued TO members and employees |
of the House must be signed by the Speak |
er. As the first salary under this rule will |
not be due until January 1, Mr.. Roberts |
is unable to judge what steps he will have |
TO take to draw the amount he will then /
claim If Speaker Henderson, as is expect |
ed, refuses to sign the warrant.
Colonel Bright 10 GO.-For a week or |
more Democratic Senators have been aware |
that the Republicans were desiIous of su- |
perseding Sergeant at-Arms Richard ]. |
Bright with Republican. The Demo |
cratic minority for months have been max |
ing quiet but determined fight for Co,olel |
Bright, but several days before the holiday |
recess was taken, they realized that the |
case was hopeless, and SO announced TO all |
of their constituents who wera clamoring /
for positions on the staff of the Sergeant
alarms. The Republicans. under the |
leadership of Senator Lodge, intend, 1t is /
said to make practically a clean sweep
OF the Democratic employees OF the Senate.
rot even allowing the Democrats the usual |
quota of appointments which the customs
of the Senate have made the peEquisites of
the minority
Bliss Out of 1.-THE fact that the Hon.
Cornelius y. Bliss has been slated by the
Platt machine as one of New York's dele
gates at-large to the Philadelphia Conven-
ton is accepted as conclusive proof by we'll
informed politicians that he is not in any
sense an active candidate for the second
place on the ticket with Mr.. Mckinley.
|
evidence of his hostility to the Root move
ment and of his support of the Platt- Wood
ruff scheme to defeat Mr. Root at all haz-
ards short of the event of keeping Governor
Roosevelt off of. the ticket, which, OF
course, would make impossible the con-
summation of the deal which has for one
of its principal objects the elevation OF
Woodruff to the governship when Roose-
welt is removed from Albany to Washing
ton. II is. of course, regarded as possible
that the convention might consider it the
part of wisdom to select Bliss as the COM
promise candidate between the warning
New York factions, and thereby partially
upset the Platt- Woodruff scheme; but 1t is
not believed that Mr.. Bliss would willing
ly contribute to this copsummation, for
lear of engendering such hostility at home
as would endanger the State.
Making Chocolate In .innila.
From the Chicago Record)