The times., 1899-05-12
GENERAL POLITICAL
NEWS AND GOSSIP.
The Eir.t Pr..,aentIal Gun.-It Is


The First Presidential Gun.-It Is
little early to discuss the election OF
delegates to the national conventions next
year. but an active canvass is In progress
in the Ninth Pennsylvania district, COM
prising the counties of Berks and Lehigh,
over the selection of delegates to the Re-
publican National Convention OF 1900.
This district has had the distinction of be-
ing the first district to elect delegates to
Republican National Conventions for
good many years. Ii will elect delegates
within the next few weeks, nearly year
in advance of the meeting of the National
Convention. 1t is certain that the two del
egates who will be selected will be favor
/ able TO the denomination of Mr.. Mckinley,
as both Of the leading candidates are Fed
eral officeholders. The delegates, at their
own request, it is understood. will be In
| structed to vote for Mr.. Mckinley, and
when they are chosen the chances are that
| the friends of the Administration VIII
make an attempt TO make political capital
out of the fact. 1t will be pointed out as
straw showing that the drift OF public
sentiment is in favor of Mr.. Mckinley.
! However, there will be more than two del
egates in the next Republican National
Convention, and the man who captures the
nomination will be compelled to obtain a
majority of all the delegates elected to the
convention. 1t will be well, it is sugge sted,
for the friends of Mr.. Mckinley not to lose
| sight of that fact
Platt and RoOseveIt-The reports
from New York would indicate that Sena-
tor Thomas C. Platt and Governor Roose-
welt had reached the parting of the ways,
and that henceforth their relations would
not be cordial, to put it mildly. The rock
on which Platt and Roosevelt are said TO
have split is over the approval of bill
passed by the late New York Legislature,
| imposing special tax on corporations and
| franchises. Mr.. Plat is said to be strenu-
| ously opposed to the measure, and Gov
ernor Roosevelt is understood to be deter
mined to give it his approval. He will
| probably sign the bill today, but 1t is hard
ly likely that Mr.. Platt is seriously opposed
to the approval of any bill that has been
passed by his Legislature. For reasons OF
his own he may wish to have it appear that
| the Objectionable measure is signed against
his earnest protest; but those who are ac-
| quainted with all the facts relating to the
| situation are positive that Plat and
| Roosevelt have not actually parted COM
pany. Mr.. Roosevelt has a great deal
more to gain by sticking by Platt at the
! present juncture than to lose. and he has
| manifested quite strong disposition TO
| take care of his own interests of late in
matters political. The impression obtains
in New York that Plat and Roosevelt un-
| derstand each other thoroughly and that
| subsequent events will confirm this view
| or the matter. Certain wise men have been
predicting from the day that Roosevelt was
| nominated for Governor of New York that
he would eventually split with Mr. Platt
The expected in this instance may have
| taken place, but no one would be justified
IN asserting it as d fact upon the evidence
that has been adduced. Mr. Platt, it IS
pointed out, is too shrewd a citizen to
quarrel with Theodore Roosevelt at this
time, and Roosevelt is too ambitious to
| risk an open fight with the acknowledged
boss OF the Republican organization OF the
State of New York Selfish interests will
probably prevent either gentleman from
doing anything to precipitate a crisis and
bring on public fracas, which would in
evitably result in creating serious breach
in the ranks of the Republican party in
the Empire State,
Simpson and Sulzer.-Jerry Simpsop
and William Sulzer, Of New York, were
at one time friends. They exchanged con-
|
which the country might be saved from
going to the demnition bow-wows, SO to
speak. One day General Henderson, OF
| Iowa, who is now a candidate for the
Speakership of the next House, approached
Representative Amos Cummings, of New
York.
What kind Of a man is Sulzer OF New
| York; he asked.
What does he want?" said Cummings
by way of reply.
Why, / have got an hour on such d
measure and Sulzer wants me 10 give him
half of my time said Henderson.
"Well,'' said Cummings, Sulzer is my
colleague and it would be better for you
think, to get an unbiased opinion oi
him. Go over and ask Simpson what he
thinks of Sulzer; they have been as thick
as thieves
Henderson acted on this suggestion, and
presently returned with a broad smile oil
his face Simpson says" he said, thai
SulZer is an all-around - -
The explanation Of Simpsons hostility
TO Sulzer came later. 1t seems that wheI
certain matter was pending before the
House Sulzer sought out Simpson and
asked his views regarding it. Mr.. Simp-
son said that he expected TO speak on the
subject and outlined his sentiments. Mr.
Sulzer the next day got the floor ahead OF
Simpson and delivered the latter's speech
OF course Simpson was nonplussed ant
naturally indignant. He did not speak or
the measure himself. and from that time
on his opinion of Mr.. Sulzer was much
more forcible than polite. 1T was a dirty
mean trick" said Simpson in referring
TO the matter" II thought that Suzel
was my friend, but he has played me
false He is a first class chump.
| The Cuhan ProhIem