The evening times., 1899-03-28
GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP.

NEWS AND GOSSIP.
Is HObart to Retire :-Men close to
vice President Hobart insist that he will
not be candidate for a denomination at
4 the hands of his party next year, and that
he will not consent to let his name go be-
fore the Republican National Convention.
/ The same people admit that Mr.. Mckinley
is anxious to have Mr.. Hobart for his
! running mate again, but they say that
! Mr.. Hobart s health and business interests
are such as to almost preclude his accept
ing the nomination for Vice President next
Isyear. However, it is known that Mr.. Ho-
bart is devoted to Mr. Mckinley, and if,
when the National Convention assemblies
IN 1900, 1t seems best to renominate the
old ticket Mr.. Hobart would doubtless be
willing to subordinate his personal inclina-
tions for the good of his party and to serve
his chief. In this connection, 1t is SAID
that Mr.. Hobart would not object to sue
ceeding Senator William J. Sewell in the
/ Senate.
If Hobart is dropped for any reason Mr..
McKinley's running mate next year would
probably be a Spanish war hero. Roose-
velt's name is the one most generally sug-
gested as a possible successor TO Mr.. Ho-
bart. But it can be stated on the highest
authority that the Hanna slate is Nc
hluley anu f1ODdTI, anu ludt IL VIII Hot
be broken if the Junior Ohio Senator can
prevent it.
/ Richard Olney's PrOspects.-The
suggestion of Richard Olney, of Massa-
chusetts, as a Presidential possibility is
received with favor in certain quarters.
Mr. Olney possesses many elements of
strength, but the fact that he bolted the
regular Democratic ticket in 1896, would
probably prevent his being seriously con-
sidered by the Democratic National Con-
vention next year. One thing can be set
down for certain, and that is that Mr. OIL
ney would never consent to accept the
nomination of an Independent party. If
J. Sterling Morton's new party, which he
is trying to organize tender the Presiden-
tial nomination to Richard Olney, it is
safe to say that the honor will be declined
with thanks. Mr.. Olney is a red-hot ex-
pansionist, but his record as a corporation
lawyer would render his running on an
antitrust platform somewhat ridiculous.
1t is not believed that Mr. Oney is seri-
ously perturbed over the mention of his
name in connection with the Presidency.
His income from his private practice is
said to be greater than that of the Presi-
dent of the United States.
MIR. Quay's Henlth.-Mr. QUAY is in
Florida and the alarming reports concern
ing his health that have been received here
recently are regarded with more or less
suspicion in political circles. There is an
| impression that the rumorS of his failing
| health have been put in circulation for the
! purpose of paving the way for MIR. Quay 5
| graceful withdrawal from the Senatorial
contest at Harrisburg. AS the story goes.
Mr.. Quay will announce in letter ad
! dressed to some one of his lieutenants that
owing to feeble condition physically he
feels that he should withdraw from Ele
! Senatorial contest" He will thank his
! friends for their loyal support and score
! the Wanamaker contingent c. L. Magee
| of Pittsburg, hopes TO be made Quay's resi-
duary legatee. but it probably will be just
as we'll to wait until Mr.. Quay's letter of
withdrawal appears before indulging in
! any speculation upon that point
! Rural Delivery Experimenf.-Jn
! the first day of July an appropriation OF
! 100000 will become available for extend
ing the free rural postal delivery system
throughout the country. The matter is
only in its experimental stage at present
but it is said TO be working well in the
| thickly settled districts of the East where
1t has been put in operation. The Post
Office officials have discretion under the
law passed by the last Congress 10 discon-
tinue the free rural delivery in any Con-
gressional district where it is found lot
TO be self-sustaining or nearly so.
Il am satisfied" said an official of The
Postofiice Department today, that free
rural delivery can be successfully main
tanned in over one-third of the Congress
| sional districts of the country-that is. the
service can be kept up in that number OF
districts without particular loss to the
Government. This is true OF nearly all of
New England outside of Maine; most of
New York, Pennsylvania. and New Jersey;
part of Maryland. West Virginia Ohio. In
diana, and Illinois. We have also been
experimenting in the South (aS the DEPART
ment does not discriminate against a dis
trict because il happens to be represented
by Democrat), but our reports from that
section are not very encouraging thus far
The biggest handicap to the establishment
of rural postal delivery We have found is
the condition of the roads. Particularly
in the South and West, and even in Ohio.
the. country roads are in a frghtful con-
dition. 1t is the exception to find a gray-
eled or pked road, and at this season of
the year the mud is all the way from one
TO three feet in depth. If good roads were
the rule instad of the exception throughout
the country We could establish and success
fully maintain free rural delivery service
in all except the only sparsely SETTLED sec
tionS OF the country. The advantages of
the rural delivery service to the farmers
are obvious; not the least of them is that
the farmer by it is enabled to get dailv
paper the same as the resident of a town
oE city. The establishing of rural deliy-
cry will do more to bring about an i'm
provement in the roads of the country than
anything that could have been invented
When the residents of a district learn that
tl,n,-
until their roads are placed in better con-
dition the chances are that they will be-
stir themselves to secure the needed i'm
proyement.