The times., 1899-04-01
GENERAL WAsHlNdToN
NEWS AND GOSSIP

-
Mr.. Bryan and 19OO.-It is generally
conceded that if the Democratic National
Convention shoulAr meet next week that
William Jennings Bryan would be almost
its unanimous choice for President. How
ever, nearly fifteen months will elapse be-
Tore the convention will actually assemble
to select a candidate for President and it
is well known that a great many things
can happen in politics in that length of
time. The elections next autumn are like
ly to bear an important influence on the
Presidential campaign in 1900. A State
ticket, including Governor, is to be elect
ed In Ohio next November, and il the Re
publicans should by any chance lose the
State 1t would almost take Mr.. Mckinley
out of the Presidential field. II would be
regarded as an unmistakable sign that the
President could not be reelected. ohio-is
| normally Republican State, although it
| occasionally breaks away from its ale
glance to that party. Mr.. McKinley's
friends are confident that it will not do so
this year. Out in Nebraska the election
VIII not be SO important in one sense, as
only minor offices are to be filed, includ-
ing a judge of the Supreme Court. But
the Nebraska election will have, 1t is be-
lieved, great deal to do with settling
comb or former Senator William Vincent
Allen will head the Democratic ticket in
/ Nebraska, and either one of them would
be regarded as strictly Bryan candidate.
Mr. Bryan carried the State ins1S96 by over
l3,0OO. Last autumn the Democratic ma
Jority in the State was cut down to two or
three thousand, while the Republicans
captured the Legislature and elected a sue
cessor TO Senator Allen. 1t is argued that
] ha -srs- - esl.x
the State election the Bryan Presidential
boom would encounter severe frost. The
claim would instantly be made that Mr..
Bryan, having lost his popularity in his
own State, he could not hope to retain his
following throughout the country. 1t is
just possible that the Republican National
Committee, under the direction of Mr..
Hanna, will take hand in the Nebraska
campaign. Senator Hanna, It is said, be-
iieves that it would be good politics to kill
off Mr.. Bryan in advance of the meeting
of the national convention next year, If
possible.
Can Reed BE Curbedf-According TO
the inside gossip in Administration circles
the Administration is likely to abandon its
plan to bring out candidate to make
fight against Thomas B. Reed for Speaker
of the next House. The present idea, 1t is
stated, is to take steps to curtail Mr..
Reeds power in the Speakers chair. If
this can be accomplished, it is thought that
1t will be better for the Administration
| than to keep him out of the Speakership
Mr.. Reed would be less troublesome to the
Administration in the chair with curb bit
between his teeth than he would be on the
floor of the House
''The scheme to change the rules and
deprive the Speaker of his arbitrary pow
er, said member of the House yesterday,
is all right and is deserving of encourage
ment. but with Tom Reed in the chair it
will be almost impossible to accomplish
anything in that direction. We have had
a practical demonstration on that point for
| the past four years. Probably there has
not been a moment during the last four
years that a straight majority of Mr..
Reeds own party were in sympathy with
him. During the last session nearly three
fourths of the Republican members were
absolutely hostile to Reeds programme
And yet they were practically powerIess to
accomplish anything; they were helpless.
Mr.. Reed dominated the situation com
pletely. and he viii continue to do so if he
is permitted to resume the Speakers gavel.
The Administration ought TO realize that
the only way to curtail Mr.. Reeds power
will be by electing some other man Speak
er. If Reed is elected Speaker again he
Will continue TO control the situation at
his end of the Capitol"
Another Phase of EaHnnism-When
the President commuted Commissary Cen
eral Eagan's sentence of dismissal from the
service to a suspension for six years he
indirectly punished innocent officers. Mr.
Eagan continues TO draw full pay while
under suspension without rendering any
service. The office of Commissary General
does not become vacant however; that
is, the President cannot promote an officer
to the grade of Commissary General as
long as Eagan remains under suspension"
The law provides that during the absence
or suspension of the Commissary General
the officer next in rank shall become acting
Commissary General. While acting"
however. the incumbent of the office only
draws the pay of his actual rank.
This is the situation: For the next six
years. unless Eagan should in the mean
time die or be kicked out of the service
as the result of another courtmartial, the
duties of Commissary General will be per-
formed by a lieutenant colonel, who will
only receive the pay OF his rank. All pro-
motions will be stopped In Furnishing
Eagan by suspending him for six years
with full pay the President has ir effect
fined every officer in the Commissary De-
partment of the Army.