The times., 1899-12-15
POLITICAL NOTES AND GOSSIP.

us hepuoicdn leaders were enllV6nlng the
| corridors Of the Arlington Hotel. that
deal has been arranged whereby Gov.
Theodore Roosevelt will be forced upon the
ticket with President Mckinley next year.
All the rumors which preceded this dur
ing the day had given the second place on
the ticket TO the Hon Elihu Root. Sec
retary OF War. But that was before the
Hon. Timothy L. Woodruff. Lieutenant
Governor of New York, had held long
private conference with Senators Platt and
Depew After the news of this conference
became Eoised about the knowing ones i'm
mediately started the story. which they re-
lated in bated breath, but with convincing
elaboration Of detail, that Mr.. Roosevelt.
and not Mr.. Root would be Mr.. McKinley's
running mate in 1900.
Acceptance of this story presupposes
three conditions. First, that only a New
Yorker is to be considered in the running
for the Vice Presidency; second, that the
Republican organization of New York is
so completely in control of Platt that his
machine can defeat even the wish Of
Messrs Mckinley and Hanna; third that
the Hon. Timothy L. Woodruff has curbed
his own vaulting ambition for the Vice
Presidential nomination thus early in the
game in order 10 assure the defeat of Mr..
Root.
The wiseacres accepted every one of these
suppositions as facts. And thus did the
yapory rumor soon solidify into conviction
that the Rough Rider Of Albany is to be
forced on the ticket next year nolens
volens. Mr.. Roosevelt has been protesting
nightly against the report that he would
willingly accept the second place, the plain
inference being that he was quite content
to be reelected Governor, bide his time
until 1904, and then ride rough shod over
all opposition into the White House. But
at the same time it is known that he has
been enthusiastically cooperating with
the Platt machine in all Of his official and
unofficial acts bearing on politics; sc that
il is not beyond belief that he would lend
himself to this scheme to defeat Mr.. Root
To Lieutenant Governor Woodruff IS given
the credit of coneeiying the scheme since
bis arrival in Washington 1t is said that
after coming here and getting in touch with
the national leaders of his party be has be-
come convinced that his ambition to leap
at one bound from the second place at Al
bGny to the second place at Washington
was ill-timed; that Mr. Mckinley had ex-
pressed a preference for the Secretary of
War, as between RCCt and Woodruff Then,
Of course, it became Woodruff who. il is
reported, actually loses sleep in order to
work overtime in despising Mr.. Root, to
nip in the bud the Secretary's aspiration.
Root is known to belong to the kid glove
element Of the party in New York-the
element most hostile TO the Platt machine
1t did not, therefore, require much pleading
by Woodruff TO induce Platt TO so arrange
things as to dump Root. The only way this
could be done in order not to arouse the
active hostility of the Administration was
by including Roosevelt in the deal. Mr..
Root, according TO the terms OF the alleged
deal, viii be permitted to remain in the
Cabinet if Mr. Mckinley has another op-
portunity to form a Cabinet in 1901, and
desires TO retain him; but this privilege
will be granted only upon condition that
Root agrees to Hon. Timothy L. Woodruff
succeeding to the GOyernorship when
Roosevelt is moved up higher.
The trade, if It has really been made.
viii not be displeasing to the managers Of
the party now assembled in Washington.
1t is their earnest desire to put everything
through the convention next year uIani-
mously and by acclamation. 1t is .consid-
cred entirely probable that this can be
done better with war hero on the ticket
with war President than with somebody
without military renown.
Senator Hanna will entertain the Re-
publican National Committee tonight at d
dinner at the Arlington, when the alleged
deal will be carefully considered and
definite conclusion reached. AS unanimity
| at the next convention is the main thing
now hoped for, the platform of 1900 will
also be discussed at the dinner, particu-
larly with reference to the currency and
| expansion issues. In view of the report
that the Senate is likely to make some
! radical changes in the banking features
Of the Currency bill now being rushed
! through the House, it is regarded as not
| improbable that Senator Hanna's guests
! this evening will read a severe lesson to
| the contumacious Senators on their duty
! to the party and its pledges to the money
| interests-which means that the Senate
will be told bluntly to pass the House gold
| standard bill without a change.
For n Cheaper Telephone Service
Representative Wachter of Maryland be-
lieves that a cheaper telephone service
might be established in the District of Co
lumbia Like Representative Mudd and
Senator McComas he has introduced a bill
to permit the Washington Telephone and
| Telegraph Company TO install. maintain,
and operate a telephone and telegraph plant
and exchanges in the District of Columbia.
The bill will be pressed vigorously before
the House Committee on the District of
Columbia and it is thought that it will be
reported soon after the holiday recess. The
bill asks that the Commissioners of the
| District shall grant the necessary permits
to construct underground conduits and
provides that the rates to be charged shall
not exceed $50 a year for residence tele-
phones and not more than S4S for office
telephones.
The Arizona Forest Reserves
Delegate Wilson of Arizona is endeavoring
to keep a promise which he made to his
constituents that he would seek to open I'D
for grazing purposes the forest reserves of
Arizona. Next to the statehood question
this is said to be one OF the most interest
ing propositions, so far as the people of
Arizona are concerned, to come before the
first session of the Fifty-sixth Congress.
II viii be urged upon the Committee on
| Territories to report favorably bill grant
Ing equal privileges to cattle horse, and
sheep men to Craze stock in the forest re-
serves. 1t is provided, however, that these
stock men shall be held to a strict account
ability for any timber cut or destroyed II
is provided that stock shall not be grazed
nearer to the topmost walls of the Grand
Canyon of the Colorado than two miles
senator Quay's Scat.-J. NJ. Guffv
reputed to be one of Pennsylvania strong
men politically and an anti-Quay Repub-
lican, was at the Capitol yesterday. 1t is
known that Mr.. Gufy was in conference
with three Democratic Senators, who, it is
reported intend to vote to seat Quay.
These are Senators Daniel, Martin OF Vir-
ginia and Sullivan of Mississippi Mr..
Guffy, it is said, pleaded with these Sena-
tors not to vote for Mr.. Quay He urged
on them the fact that this was a ReDub-