The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-20
A CRISIS AT HAND
President Mckinley and Speaker
Reed Meet
In Conference on Jekyl Island
This Week.
FUTURE THE PARTY
Is Believed by Many to Hang on
the Result.
Meeting Has Been Arranged by
Party Managers.
ALGER TO BE THERE,
And His Retirement Will Be
Under Consideration.
Newspaper Men Are Excluded
From the Island.
Is Believed by Many to Hang on
the Result.
Meeting Has Been Arranged by
Party Managers.
ALGER TO BE THERE,
And His Retirement Will Be
Under Consideration.
Newspaper Men Are Excluded
From the Island.

washington, March zO-FreSiueAAI
Mckinley, Speaker Reed, Senator Han
ma. ex-Secretary Cornelius n. Bliss and
Judge William R Day will be on Jekyl
island this week. The president and his
party will be the guests of Mr.. Bliss
Speaker Reed is already on the island,
being entertained by John G. Moore,
of Moore & Schley, the New York
bankers and brokers. That Mr.. Bliss
and some Of the other distinguished
Republicans may have regarded the op-
portunity for an understanding about
certain legislation too good to be lost is
thought quite probable
The president now, for the first time,
finds his administration supported by
a Republican senate and a Republican
house What is done in the new con-
gress will rebound to the credit of the
Republican party. There is more reason
now than there was in the first half
of the administration why perfect mar
mony and a complete party agreement
on policies and subjects of legislation
should exist. Nothing could be more
mt than that the president and the
speaker could talk over the prospective
work of the new congress together with
the eminent Republicans who Will be
gathered on Jekyl island Legislation
for the Philippines and Porto Rico, an
isthmian canal, currency reform, army
reorganization and the Cuban policy
are all subjects upon which Republicans
will have to make q record the coming
the Republicans differed in the last
congress. Upon the record now to be
made the party will go to the country
next year.
in view of the meeting on the island
If the opportunity for good talk
passes with no more than the exchange
of ordinary civilities between the pres1-
dent and the speaker there will be
much disappointment here. And it is
said by his friends the fault will not
be the presidents
SPEAKER REED RETICENT.
Brunswick, Ga, March 20.-Speaker
Thomas B. Reed spent a quiet day at
Jekyl island, indulging in long walks
about the desert He still absolutely
refused to discuss politics in any man
ner or form or to admit that there is
special significance in the fact that he
and President Mckinley are to meet.
The president, Vice President Hobart.
Senator Hanna and the other members
of the party now at ThomaSvflle will
arrive here at p. IN. on a special train
and be met by Cornelius n. Bliss, whose
guest the president will be. There will
be no demonstration of any sort here,
an accordance with the presidents ex-
pressed wishes. The party will leave
Immediately by the steamer Governor
Stafford for Jekyl, where they will have
quarters in the cottage of Frederic
Baker of New York.
The strictest secresy has been main
tanned as to the length of the presidents
stay at the island. Inquiry from the
club officials today brought the inform
alton that Speaker Reed will remain at
the resort over today. This insures the
fact that the presidential party and
the speaker will be on the island to-
gether. The speaker is stopping at the
Sans Souci club house, the guest of
John e. Moore OF New York The
president will occupy the Baker cottage
Just across the lawn.
The developments today strengthen
the rumOrs that the meeting of Reed,
Jekyl was prearranged. While the pres
1dential party has denied that there
would be any political conferences at
Thomesviile, nothing has been said
about such conference at Jekyl.
Jekyl is an ideal place for such meet
ing as the one predicted. 1t is isolated,
entirely free from the intrusion of the
public and the press and a state secret
could be kept perfectly safe within such
environments These special advantages
are not afforded by Thomasville.
The unexpected arrival in the neigh
bOrhOOd of Speaker Reed, who had been
chrOnicled at Washington as en- route
to Maine, and the immediate announce
ment that the McKinley-Hanna party
would leave Thomasville and repair to
the speakers stopping place, indicate
something more than natural, whether
or not it can be found out. On Tuesday,
the second day of the presidents stay
at Jekyl ex-Secretary Bliss will give
his party a reception and a dinner at
the club house. Speaker Reed was
asked today if he would be a guest of
the reception. He replied with a smile:
That is a matter entirely with Mr..
Bliss"
1t is very certain that the president
and the speaker will get together social
" if not politically at Jekyl, with Sen
ator Hanna, Vice President Hobart and
Mr.. Bliss as interested witnesses. Such
a conference can not be without great
Importance to the Republican party.
Meantime it is further significant that
the officials of the Jekyl Island club re-
fused the usual courtesy of admission
cards to the club grounds to three news
paper correspondents, two of whom
were sent here especially for this meet
ing, and announced that all newspaper
passes would be revoked and none is
sued for one week.
ALGER MAY RETIRE
Jekyl Island (via Brunswick Ga0.
March 20-On the surface yesterday was
a dreamy, palmy, southern coast Sun
day in this ideal resort of millionaires
But there is an undercurrent of prepara-
tton for the ensuing week. and of DO
1tica1 speculation to what the week
win bring forth, that serves to put
those closely interested upon the ten
Gerhooks.
Speaker Reeds presence. his smiling