The evening times., 1899-04-13
GENERAL. WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP.


thousand "a Ilhful members Of Tammany
Hall will sN down this evening in the
Metropolitan Opera House. New York, to
the Belmont Croker $40 feast gotten up os-
tensibly to honor the memory Of Thomas
Jefferson. The boxes and galleries will be
filled with spectators. and altogether prob
ably fully 5000 people will be present. The
dinner is likely to be success in point OF
numbers. but 1t will have no national sig
nificance. None of the speakers on the
list Of orators has more than local repu-
tation. When Mr. Bryan declined MIR. Bel
mont's invitation to be present at the
dinner all of the other prominent Demo-
Gratis who had been invited promptly. de-
clined also. BY perusing the following list
of things ordered for the Tammany dinner
Mr.. Bryan can ascertain just how much he
missed by declining Mr.. Belmonts invi-
tation:
Ten thousand oysters.
Sixty gallons green turtle soup.
One hundred and fifty pounds fresh mushrooms.
Three hundred and fifty pounds brook trout.
Three hundred loksters-
Twenty -four sprink lambs.
Ninety-two dozen sweetbreads.
Ninety-two dozen squads.
-Four hundred heads Of lettuce.
-Four hundred tomatoes.
Fifteen hundred picked Bermuda potatoes.
Fifteen hundred forms ice cream.
Eleven hundred Democratic Club tiger mold
punches.
Three thousand quarts champagne.
Thirty-six hundred quarts other wines
Twelve hundred quarts apollinaris.
Twelve hundred quarts White Rock
Twelve bushels each Of potatoes, onions, car
rots, and turnips, for kitchen use
Mr.. CrOker's amInatiOn.-Whiie
Mr.. Croker is partaking of his dinner to-
night and trying to dodge the bouquets
that will be thrown at him by the speakers
of the evening. his mind will probably be
not altogether at ease. as he has been sum-
moned to appear before the MaZet inves-
tigating Committee tomorrow morning at
10 O'Clock He will hardly be able to keep
from thinking Of his coming ordeal. How
ever Mr. Croker has shown himself IN tne
past to be a man Of iron nerve. and MS
supporters are confident that he will come
of with flying colors. He has never been
before an investigating committee and put
through a sharp cross examination II 1t
is true as reported, that some OF Mr.. Cro-
ker's former lieutenants in Tammany have
been supplying Mr.. Moss. the counsel OF
the Mazet Committee. with Information
the chances are that the report OF Mr..
Croker's examination will make mighty IN
teresting reading.
II is understood that the Bryan Demo-
Gratis are planning to start a new Demo.
cratic organization in New York: one that
NAV eventually crowd out Tammany. II
Mr.. Croker should happen TO get the worst
of his encounter with the Mazet Commit
tee IL would greatly facilitate the move
ment for a new Democratic organization In
New York.
Mr.. Alger's misunderstanding AL
ger is expected back in Washington by sat
urday. There is no great excitement
around the War Department over the pros
pectiye home coming of its chief. There
is a feeling that Mr.. Alger's days are num-
bered and that he will be out OF the Cabi-
net by the list of May. 1t is rumored that
Gen. Horace Porter will succeed him, but
the friends Of Assistant Secretary George
d. Meiklejohn seem to think that ne sun
has a chance Of getting the place himseiI.
Mr.. Meiklelohn has been looking forward
10 succeeding Senator John NJ. Thurston OF
Nebraska in the Senate at the expiration
of his term two years hence. The latter
has announced that he will not be can
didate himself for a second term In the
Senate.
II General, Porter should succeed Alger
EditSr Whitelaw Reid of New York would,
| 1t is stated. probably get forter present
position as Ambassador at Paris. Mr..
Reid at the present time. however is en-
gagged in throwing bricks at the Admins
| tration. and if he keeps 1t up he may be
declared out.
Nr. Hobart's IeaIth.-The friends
of Vice President Hobart are becoming
seriously alarmed over his condition. 1t
is no longer possible to conceal the fact
that it is quite eritical~ Mr.. Hobart has
led very active life and has rarely in
dulged in the luxury of a vacation. He
has never known what ii was to be i'll be-
fore his present attack. His friends are
afraid that he is suffering from general
collapse and that he can scarcely expect to
take an active part in the affairs of life
again. II is conceded that his health will
not permit him to accept the nomination
for Vice President next year.
Mr.. Hobart is very popular with the
Senators of both parties. In fact. 1t is
said that he has made one of the most
satisfactory presiding officers the Senate
has ever had.