The evening times., 1899-04-08
GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP.


Mr.. Mctinley's Western Trip-The
President has notified Senator Thomas H.
Carter. Of Montana, 1t is said. that he will
accept his invitation to visit the Yellow
stone Park some time this summer. 1t Is
the present intention to make the journey
some time In June. Mr.. Mckinley will
probably swing around the circle. take in
California. Washington, and Oregon and
other far Western States before he re-
turns to Washington. The President is
good traveller. and In fact he is as happy
as a schoolboy when he sets out on an ex-
cursiOn. His Western journey. however,
will, it is believed, have a political mo-
tive behind 1t. Senator Hanna and other
Republican leaders think that the battle
ground in the Presidential campaign next
year will be ip the States of the West and
the Middle West. They concede that the
chances are decidedly against their carry
ing Delaware, Maryland. or Kentucky next
year. These States are almost certain to
| swing back into the Democratic columns.
With these three States added to the Dem
ocratic side the contest next year will in
Mr.. Hanna's opinion be uncomfOrtably
close. unless gains can be made to Offset
their loss in some other direction. Mr..
Hanna believes that this can be done: that
the Republicans have good chance to cap
ture both Kansas and Nebraska and sew
eral other Western States that Mr.. Bryan
| carried in 1886. Mr.. McKinley's speeches
while on his Western trip will be framed
with this object in mind. At one time
| right after Mr.. McKinley's speech recon-
mending the caring for the graves of the
Confederate dead Mr.. Hanna and other
Republican managers thought that there
| might be some show of carrying number
| of Southern States for Mckinley in 1900.
but since then they have become convinc-
ed it is understood that it will be useless
| TO make the attempt. Mr.. Hanna's efforts
| in the political field next year will be
| confined largely to the North and West.
Extra Session GOnsip.-One hears
very little talk Of an extra session of the
Fifty-sixth Congress nowadays. The fact
that the situation in Cuba and in the Phil
| ippines is so much improved of late rem
| ders an extra session as highly improb-
| able. Il think that the programme is
said Senator today, ito perhaps call Ccn-
gress together some time in October SO
| that the important business that will come
| before it can be disposed OF before the
Presidential campaign OF 1900 opens. That
will be extremely desirable from political
point OF view. II always handicaps the
party in power to have Congress in ses-
sion during Presidential campaign.
Will Horace Porter Succeed AIger :
1t is reported today on apparently good
| authority that Ambassador Porter, at Paris.
has obtained leave of absence and Will
shortly sail for this country. Taken in
connection with the rumor that Porter was
| slated TO succeed Alger as Secretary of
| War. his home coming may be regarded as
| significant. That Alger is marked to go
| hardly admits OF any doubt. General Por-
| ter's appointment as Secretary OF War
| would be agreeable TO Senator Platt and
| the members of the Republican organiza-
| tion of New York. Editor Whitelaw Reid
| would probably hope to succeed Porter at
| Paris. 1t is suggested that he might util-
| ize the petition he filed for the post of
Peace Commission separated Mr.. Reid.
| with commendable enterprise. obtained the
| signature of each American Commissioner
| TO letter recommending his appointment
| to the English Embassy. One of the Com
! missioners. in commenting on the matter
| the other day. said: MIR. Reid played his
| cards very> well. He gave us all big
| dinner and when the coffee and cigars were
| being passed around he sprung his appli
| cation for the Enthusiastically upon us
| OF course under the circumstances. We
| could not refuse TO sign his paper, and we
| did so. Still / do not think that any OF us
| shed any tears when Mr.. Choate captured
| the prize instead Of Reid