The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-05-24
REPUBLICAN lMISRULE
POLITICAL GOSSIP IN
WASHINGTON.
Some Of the Things That are Being
Said of Mckinley and His
Garg.

the additional beauty given by ma
ture furnishes another argument in
favor of changing inauguration day
from March to about this season of
the year, when Washington is at it's
best, both for looks and for the COM
fort of visitors
Mr.. Mckinley is finding the hot
water in which he has been ever
since he has got back to Washington
much more uncomfortable than that
in which he bathed at the hot
springs The mess in Cuba, where
the Cuban army is almost on the
verge of open revolt, is not conducive
to his peace of mind, but it is no
more than might have bsen expected
from the policy that he has allowed
Alger to attempt 10 carry out over
there. Some go so far as to charge
that Alger is trying to drive the
Cuban army into revolving for put
poses of his own. although it is
difficult to imagine what purposes he
could have that would be served by
such misfortune as that would nee.
essarily prove to be.
When Mr.. Mckinley went away
he expressed the opinion that Agui-
naldo would surrender and peace be
established in the Philippines before
his return, but be found things very
much they were when he left
Washington Aguinaldo is still try
ing to negotiate and is still being
refused by Gen Otis.
Friends of the several candidates
for speaker are trying to force Mr..
Mckinley to declare himself and
there is sort of understanding that
in order to square himself in both
the east and west. he has said that
either Sherman or Henderson would
be perfectly acceptable to him. This
understanding has resulted in the
formation of combine of Hender-
son ana Sherman supporters for the
purpose of shutting out all other
candidates, but that is not satisfac
tory to the other candidates. Payne
is in Washington kicking hard
against being left out in the cold.
and declaring that be intends to
remain in the field until the last,
regardless of orders from Boss
PIatt, Mr. Mckinley or anybody
else The friends Of Hopkins also
declare that he will not allow him.
self to be frozen out. 1t is all very
we'll Tor these gentlemen to talk. but
the question is how can they help
themselves As soon as it becomes
generally known that neither is
wanted by the administration, neither
will have any supporters left.
The most amusing feature of the
Speakership campaign is the frantic
efforts Of what may be slangly called
the Reed organization. Their latest
was az appeal TO the ex.Czar to defer
his resignation after he is elected
Speaker and has named the commit
tees Whatever else be may be, Mr..
Reed is not fool. he knows that
at best his election to be speaker
again wonld have been doubtful
not few believe that to have been
bis real reason for retiring; and that
neither he nor any other man would
stand q ghost of a show to be elected
Speaker when it would be known
that his only object was to put the
organization of the Committees into
the hands of his friends and then get
out.
Although everybody knew that
Senator Keap, of N j. was railroad
and corporation lawyer, and therefore
naturally inclined to favor trusts Of
all sorts, he surprised many By pub.
licly declaring, while be was in
Washington day or two ago,
that the people OF New Jersey
would not support any party that
condemned trusts, because the trusts
organized under their state laws
paid so much money into their
Treasury. Surely it is time to do
some hard thinking when . Senator
publicly states his belief that his
srate has been bought by the trusts
to be exact, Mr.. Kean's words were !:
The annual revenue from the tax on
the capital OF all corporations Great
ed under our laws now amounts to
between. $Soo,000 and 100000.
You can already see that the people
who benefit from this influx of wealth
are not apt to be antagonistic to the
corporations that contribute it"
According to current gossip, Sec.
retary AIger is ungrateful along with
his numerous other faults He has
announced himself a candidate for
Senator McMillan's seat, and the
latter has announced his candidacy
to succeed himself, it is said at the re.
o,eek &c NJ A{oV;,I.- g. a..