The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-02-01
GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP.

| y
| Is Mr.. AlEcr Preparing to Stick p
| There is an uncomfortable rumor abroad
| that Secretary Alger has reconsidered his
| determination to resign and intends to hold
| on TO his place until he is actually kicked
out. This report lacks official confirmation
and seems almost incredible in the light
| of recent developments, but close friends
| of Mr.. Alger assert that it is true. Mr..
| Alger. they say. has succeeded in con-
| vinctng the President that he is a greatly
| abused man and that it is his (the Presi-
| dentsl duty to stand by him. What would
seem TO confirm the report that Mr. Alger
| has no present intention of leaving the
! Cabinet is the unofficial announcement
! that Mr.. Alger has extended an invitation
1 TO the members of the Cabinet and their
( families and number of prominent Repre-
/ sontatiyes and Senators to be his guests
on an official trip to Cuba and Porto Rico
some time in March. The expense of the
| journey Will be borne by Mr.. Alger ii is
| said. 1t was the original plan to have the
| President and Mrs. Mckinley go with the
! party, but Mr.. Mckinley, ii Is understood.
/ has decided that it would be impractieable
| for him TO make the trip at this time.
/ Vice-PTesident Hobart, however, has ac-
| cepted an invitation to go along and he
ostensible object of the pilgrimage is to
! gather information regarding our new
! possessions in the West Indies that will
! be useful in determining our new colonial
! policy. The fact that Mr.. Alger is going
I ahead making arrangements for this eXpe-
dition would ordinarily be accepted as
prima facie evidence that he expected to
remain member of Mr.. McKinley's Off
cial household. However, it was suggested
last night that Mr.. Alger was making this
play on his own responsibility and with
the hope of making himself solid with the
Administration. That Mr.. Mckinley has
! given MIR. Alger a respite seems to be GER
tain. Just how long the respite will last
will probably depend a great deal upon
subsequent events. If Ayers popularity
should take boom he will probably be
/ that Senator Hanna, the custodian of
Mr. McKinley's political future, has classi-
fed Alger as a Jonah and marked him
for dismissal. He does not believe that it
will be good politics for Mr.. Mckinley to
undertake to carry the Alger load through
the Presidential campaign next year.
Planning for 13G0.-Senstor Hanna, it
is understood, has decided views on the
subject of the Presidential campaign next
year. Senator Hanna is a practical pol
itician II has never been his policy TO
take anything for granted or TO deceive
himself in casting a political horoscope.
His disposition is TO take pessimistic
view of a political situation and to dis
count rosy predictions of victory. In the
campaign of 1896 Mr.. Hanna at no time
allowed himself 10 think that Mckinley
had sure thing. He insisted that Bryan
was much stronger with the masses than
most people imagined and that he could
only be defeated by hard work
DO not get the idea, gentlemen said
Mr.. Hanna to his associates on the Repub-
lcan National Committee In 1896. that we
are going to have a walkover. If you do,
and our campaign should be conducted
on that theory Mr.. Mckinley will be de-
feated as certain as fate. We have got
fight ahead of US and hard one.
believe that we can win, but it Is going
to be tight squeeze. Do not relax
your efforts at any stage of the game.
This fight viii not be won until the votes
are in the ballot boxes, and perhaps not
even then" The wisdom of Mr. Hanna's
counsel was demonstrated later. II the
New York idea that Mckinley had cinch
had been followed Mr.. Bryan would today
be occupying the White House.
Senator Hanna 1t is said does not
share the opinion OF a good many Repub-
licans, that the campaign next year will
be easy for the Repuhli ms. He recog-
nizes. 1t is understood that the battle
will probably be closer and more holly
contested than that of 1896 He is re-
ported to have said to the President re-
Gently:
Your denomination, Mr. President. is
assured. There is no Republican of any
prominence who will seriously oppose It.
But | am not so sure of your reelection.
1t is going to be a hard fight. and pro-
pose TO get ready for it now
The Open Door.-One of the first
questions that will engage the serious at
ten'ion of the President and the members
of his Administration after the ratification
OF the Peace Treaty next week will be the
outlining OF just what the so-called open
door policy means. Whether this is mere
ly an empty phrase or tangible substance
and reality remains to be demonstrated.
Men who are supposed TO be close to the
President differ radically as TO what is
meant by the term open door" Some
claim that the President has never intend
ed to have the open door policy applied in
the Philippines in its broadcast sense: that
the final construction that will be placed
upon it by the Administration will not
meet the expectations OF the nations OF
Europe. The President does not think 1t
commercial nations OF the world should
be permitted IN enjoy free trade relations
in the Philippines without granting some
concession to this country. In other words
the trade of the Philippines. according TO
this version, is to be made the basis for
extending the reciprocity idea. Nations
that are not willing to give an equivalent
in some way cannot, 1t is said expect 10
do business in the Philippines on even
terms with the countries that meet US
half way.
On the other hand, however it is as
serted by friends Of the President that he
intends TO open the Philippine ports to al
countries alike without any discrimination
what>~er; that England Germany, France.
Russia, and every nation, in fact will be
Oh the same footing commercially in the
Philippines as the United States This
programme is pronounced by statesmen Of
the Hanna type to be Utopian and imprac-
ticable. They do not believe that ii will
work. even II 1t should be attempted
The Gray and the Hue
From the Boston ,Jounal)
Yesterday In the civ Of Boston member Of
Gen. Robert +. Lees bodyeuaId wa, laid To rest
by Massa' husetts veterans Of tho Grand Amy Of
the Republic