The evening times., 1899-01-02

GENERAL POLITICAL GOSSIP.s

Walter Evans and His Contest
Among the notices of contests filed with
the clerk of the House is one by Walter
Evans of Kentucky, who was Commission
er of Internal Revenue under President
Arthur. Mr.. Evans represents the Louis
Vile district in the present House. The
grounds upon which Mr.. Evans bases his
contest for a seat in, the Fifty-siXth Con-
gress is somewhat novel and If II should
be sustained by the House an entirely new
precedent would be established Mr..
Evans does not claim that his opponent
oscar Turner, jr, did not receive more
votes than he did; neither does he assert
that any of the votes cast and counted for
Turner were fraudulent. Evens' conten-
tion is that rival Republican faction pre-
vented his vote from coming out He does
not charge Mr.. Turner with having a hand
IN the matter but he appears TO think that
the fact that Republican voters were kept
away from the polls in his district on
election day is sufficient TO justify a Re-
publican House in awarding him his seat.
A Republican House will stand for great
zeal, as mas been amply demonstrated i'm
the past but ii is not believed that il
VIII give serious heed to Mr.. Evans con-
tention. According to the Evans logic the
stay home voters must be counted
wiily-nilly, and in that event what would
become of our old friend General Apathy,
VINO mas figured in so many hard-fought
campaigns in the past? II would be a
pity to lose him after he has been with
us so long.
Is the Holiday Season Fatal to
Stntesmen:-The death of Senator Nor
rill and Senior Romero, the Mexican ambas-
Will An,
critical illness of the Hon Nelson Dingley
OF Maine, recalls the fact that great
many statesmen in the past have passed
away during the holiday period. 1t has
been Strikingly demonstrated in this colln-
try. at least The holidays rarely ever
pass without leaving record of casualties
among the ranks OF the prominent men of
the country.
The death of Mr.. Dingley would leave an
important vacancy TO be filed that of
chairman of the Ways and Means Com
mittee and leader on the floor of the
House The choice would probably lie
between John DalZell of Pittsburg and
Serene f. Payne of Auburn n Y. with
the chances in favor of the Pittsburg Rep
resentative. Mr.. Dalzell is a better speak
er than Mr.. Payne, and besides. he is be-
lieved to be a little more in the confidence
OF Mr. Reed than the New Yorker from the
fact that he is a member of the Speakers
Committee on Rules. Even if Dalzell
should defeat Quay for Senator at Harris
burg this week. which is not likely. he
would still serve out his term in the pres
ent Congress.
What of 19o":-Politicians on both
sides are already looking ahead TO the com
ing Presidential battle next year and spec
ulating on what will be the issues and who
will be the candidates. The Republican
leaders are almost unanimous in expressing
the opinion for publication that Nc. Nc
Kinley will be renominated by his party
without serious opposition. Now and then
there is an occasional discordant note in
the Mckinley symphony, but it is not very
loud and does not seriously disturb the
harmony OF the piece. The contest among
the Republicans will probably be over the
second place on the ticket. 1t has not been
customary with the; Republicans to@lenomi-
nate Vice Presidents but it is said that
the rule may be broken next year in favor
of Vice President Garret A. Hobart Mr.
Hobart and Mr.. Mckinley are close per-
sonal friends and II is believed that MIR
Mckinley would prefer TO have Mr. Hobart
for mis- running mate again. However the
political eXigencies OF the times will doubt
less govern the Republican managers. If
IL SuOulu De tnOuRHt necessary 10 nave q
soldier hero of the Spanish war on the tick
ct. Mr.. Hobart would be showed aside With
little ceremony. Gov. Roosevelt will be
within hailing distance. ii is understood. if
such a contingency should arise next year
The Democratic leaders are talking Bry-
an. but down in their boots they are hunt
ing around for an available substitute to
take his place. Until they can locate him
to their satisfaction they will continue TO
say solemnly that Bryan is the only logi-
cal candidate of the Democracy fer 1900. -
of in the distance there is a small cloud
in the sky that may make trouble for both
Mckinley and Bryan. The political as
tronomers are focusing their glasses on it
and studying its formation and general
characteristics. 1t is not-very much OF
cloud at present, but it is believed by the
sharps TO possess iliimitable possibilities
The name that has been given to this cloud
is Dewey" In 1900 it may envelop the
whole country and blot out Mckinley
Bryan and all the leading statesmen that
are in evidence at the present moment