Gardnerville record. (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1898-1902, 1899-05-09
Current Topics.
Call for Peace a Trick.
(From our regular correspondent.)

(from our regular correspondent
Washington. May l, 1899.
LonR-headed men ara not doing any
premature hurrahing because Aguinaldc
asked General Otis to agree to euspen
sion of hostilities until he could call the
Philippine Congress together and have il
decide whether the war should be con.
tinued. 1t may mean an end of the war
and it may be only trick of Aguinaldo
to gain little needed time to put him in
better condition to enable him to con.
tlnue the war, but it is just a. well to
wait and see whether Aguinaldo accepts
the terms of peace offered by General
Otis as an ultimatum-uncon
surrender and amnesty for the Fillipinos
before rejoicing. OF course, every
body, the supporters as well as the oppo-
nents Of the Administration policy in the
Philippines, wishes to see the fighting,
OF which the country has become very
tired, cease over there. 1t is admitted
that Aguinaldo is no fool. In fact his
proposition itself would prove that. II
General Otis had recognized the Philip
pine Congress, he would have officially
admitted the existence of the Philippine
government, and that admission would
have queered the administration policy.
Perhaps that may have been all that Ag-
uinaldo was after. A little patience and
we shall know.
The hint has been passed around
among the Western members of the
House that the Hanna Mckinley candi-
date for Speaker will be Western man.
There is much curiosity manifested
to know why that was done, especially
so early in the game. There is only
one Eastern candidate Sherman of
New York-who is thought to have any
chance at all, and he is understood to be
Mr.. Reeds choice. Perhaps that explains
it. Hanna may have thought it necessary
to drop that hint to head off any Demo-
cratic members who might be inclined to
place their votes for Sherman, or it may
have been put out as bluff to try to
make Sherman pledge himself to stand
by the Hanna Mckinley programme, if
given their support. Henderson OF Iowa
and Hopkins of Illinois are the most ac-
lively pushed of the Western candidates.
but many doubt whether either of them
will get the Hanna Mckinley support.
One somewhat disgusted Republican
said: "The trusts will name the next
Speaker. Quite number of gentlemen
imagine that they are making canvass
for the place, but they will find that they
are mistaken. Sometime this Summer
the representatives of the trusts will get
together in New York or some other con-
vcnient place and settle the matter.
After the meeting is called to order the
chairman will ask what is the business
before the meeting. "The naming of a
Speaker of the House of Representatives
will be the response. Different names
will be considered and finally, after due
deliberation, the gentlemen will take a
vote. Some one will be selected, and he
may not be any one whose name has been
previously mentioned for the place. His
election, however, will be assured. See
if my prediction il not fulfilled" That
isn't a picture to be proud of, but such
things have been done before by the
same crowd.
Mr. Mckinley's friends are alarmed at
reports of defections among Western
Republicans, which have reached Wash
ington. That these reports are not with
out foundation is shown by the state
ment of Mr.. w. G. Newman, lifelong
Republican, who is the agent of the Cat
tlemen's Pro ective Association OF Mon
tana, and who has been sent East to see
if something cannot be done to revive
the once prosperous foreign cattle trade.
He said: IF the administration had
come out boldly and allowed an open
and honest investigation of the meat
scandals, it would have created the i'm
preston abroad that this country was
sincere in its efforts to furnish the best
of meat to the domestic and foreign con-
sumner. As it is, it will require years to
overcome the prejudice the administra-
tons unwise action has caused. A great
revulsion of feeling has taken place in
the West within the past few weeks. l
recently attended semi-political meet
ing OF ranchmen and farmers in South
ern Montana, and, unless something un-
foreseen takes place, the administration
attitude will imperil Mr.. McKinley's sup
port by the Western States at the next
National Convention. The backbone and
sinew of the Republican party in the
West is thoroughly disgusted with its
present national leaders"
Mioht Have Reen WOrSe.