The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-03-19
ALL TONGUES
ARE NOW A-WAG
Is JekyI Island the Political
Trysting Place?
MCKINLEY SAYS NAY
AND HANNA DIDN'T KNOW
REED WAS COMING.
BUT THEY MAY MEET HIM BY CHANCE
And the President and The Car of the House
May Become Reconced. Hanna De.
cares Talk of Political Pow wow
at Jekyl loIIipiop.

at JekyI lolliplop.
Thomasville, Ga, March 1S.-ThOm-
asville for the first time since the Pres
ident's visit, was rife with political Cos
sip today. Jekyl Island, speculation
ran, was to be the scene Of an important
political gathering, where the future
course of the Republican party would
be gone over and settled far from the
public and The press, ana shielded from
intrusion by strict enforcement of the
no-trespassing regulations of the rich
club which controls its deStinieS. The
sudden appearance of Speaker Reed at
Jekyl Island the authoritative an
nouncement that President Mckinley
Vice President Hobart and Senator
Hanna would make their trip there on
Monday and the visit of Judge Day,
formerly Secretary of Stat, to Thorn
asville, though absolutely mere coin
cidences, according to those gentlemen
named, who are here. rtEIved at once
recollections of the important part IA
national history born of the Thomas
vile conferences four years ago The
to be transferred to yeky Island, the
scene chosen was suggestive of the
times when kings met on the craft in
midstream to settle the destinies of
empires. 1t is fair to say at the out
set that Senator Hanna, Vice-Presi-
dent Hobart and President Mckinley
himself say positively that there is no
politics whatever in their present visit
South and that it is undertaken solely
for rest and recuperation. As to
Speaker Reeds presence at Jekyl both
Senator Hanna and Vice-President Ho-
bart said that thev did not know the
Speaker was til re until they saw the
papers. The latter, before the arrival
of the papers was so positive the
Speaker was not to be at Jekyl Island.
that when a newspaper man told him
Mr. Reed was to be there he promptly
bet him a suit OF clothes that Speaker
Reed was not ut Jekyl Island, and
would not be at Jekyl Island. The
news, it was evident, was also surpris-
ing to others in the Presidents party,
who ordinarily would have heard of it
had there been any anticipatory com
ment about the house on the subject AS
regards Judge Day, he is not going
to Jekyl, and probably viii lie oat OIL
Thomasville on the way home by the
time the President retur u.s. There is
nevertheless Il pos.s;h Inv tt at the Jcsyl
Island trip, though not 50 intended rer-
haps by its principals, may have an im
portant political bearing. 1t may prove
to be the reconciliation ground of Pres
ident Mckinley and Speaker Reed.
That their relations are strained and
development of party policy in legis-
lation hindered thereby, is a matter of
common report. Judge Moore. whose
guest Speaker Reed is, and Cornelius
II. Bliss, who asked President McKin- |
ley and party to visit him, are common
friends of all parties personally and po-
litically and through them harmonious |
fellowship may again prevail between !
the two foremost Republicans. If the |
jekyl Island trip has any political out |
come it will be this. Should this con |
summation come it is quite likely that |
neither the Speaker nor the President |
would have been privy TO its inception |
for knowledge by them of such an ul |
terror hope by their hosts would have |
prevented its accomplishment. This |
view is entirely consistent with the |
statements of the principal persons who |
will be there, for they declare absolutely |
politics cut no figure i'll the trip, and |
their denials were in no sense technical, |
but broad and comprehensive. Judge |
Day arrived in Thomasville at 2:40 this
afternoon. He went at once to the |
Piney Woods Hotel and he and Mrs.
Day being tired, retired for an hour or
so. His cheeks were tanned and he
seemed to have gained a little flesh.
Late in the afternoon to an Associated |
Press correspondent he said:
I'VE are working our way North from
Palm Beach and hearing Thomasville
was a fine place we decided 10 stop here
and pay our respects to the President. |
wanted to see him and Mrs. Day wanted
to see Mrs Mckinley. Yes you will be
safe in saying positively that neither poll
ties nor international affairs are in any
way connected with our visit We are
only here to pay our respects to the
President and enjoy ourselves"
Judge Day said that he was not going
to Jekyl Island and would leave here for
the North the early part of next week.
Senator Hanna had learned of his ar
rival and called as the Associated Press
correspondent was talking to Judge Day.
The Senator when told of the reports
that there was to be Il big political pow
WOW at Jekyl Island with Speaker Reed
and others. said:
1T is silly business talking about po-
ltical conferences on this trip. II is for
rest and nothing else. | wish they would