The evening times., 1899-03-27
GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP

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NEWS AND GOSSIP
Representative Sherman and Ezar
Heed.-It is unofficially announced from \
Utica, the home of Representative James .
S. Sherman, of the Empire State, that he
is coming to Washington to, decline, Inc
office of general appraiser at the port OF
New York, position to which he was
nominated and confirmed just before the
adjournment of the Fifty-fifth Congress
The Office which Mr. Sherman has decided
to decline carries salary of $500 year
and expenses, and is practically for lie
Mr.. Sherman has been mentioned as the
Administrations choice for Speaker OF the
Fifty sixth Congress- provided Mr.. Reed
could not be brought to terms and induced
to pledge himself to cooperate with the
President in carrying out an American pol
icy. While Mr.. Sherman is personally
very friendly to Mr. Reed. and has been
one of his stanch supporters on the fioor
Of the House in the past, he also enjoys
confidential relations with the occupant OF
the White House He is very ambitious,
and the tefppta4on to enter the arena
against Mr. Reed for the Speakership II
promised the active II not open support
of the Administration would undoubtedly
be very strong. Some close friends OF Mr..
Sherman bowever, say that he has not
considered the Speakership matter in ar
irving at decision to decline the apprais-
ership. They think that he has been in
fiuenced by the wishes OF his constituents
and the leaders of the Republican organi-
cation in New York. The New York dele
CATION in the next House will not be Iar-
ticularly strong and if II should lose an
old and experienced member like Mr.. Sher-
| man it would still further reduce the
States influence in the popular branch OF
Congress. However, it Is pointed out that
most politicians. even OF the statesmen
| class, are apt to consult their own indiyid-
ual interests first and the States or the
nations second. In turning down the ap-
praisership Mr.. Sherman probably believes
| that the future has something better In
| store for him than a permanent berth at
| the comfortable salary of $500 year.
! The question is, What has he got in his
| minds eye? No one except Mr.. Sherman
can answer this question accurately.
.
Mary Ellen Lease@The views Of Mrs.
Mary Ellen Lease are of no great conse-
Quence. They are not likely to change
the destiny of the country. The fact that
she has dropped Mr.. Bryan and predicts
1 the nomination of Mr.. German for Presi-
| dent by the Democratic National Conyen-
| IlDn next year VIII uot s'i , Sh
| to get nervous OR MIR. German to become
unduly eiated. Mrs. Lease has for some
| time been regarded as ''hoodoo' Il take
| 1t as a good omen that Mrs. Lease has
! declared against Bryan" said a supporter
of the Nebraska gentleman today. i hops
that she will not later on avail herself OF
woman's privilege and change her
mind"
|
faS
| Mayor Masters apparently easy victory
in the Republican primaries in Baltimore
last week is explained by his opponents
| by the assertion that he received Demo
cratic votes. The primary election law in
Baltimore" said resident of that city
| today "are very loosely drawn. There Is
no way Of preventing members of one par
ty participating in the primaries OF an
other if they feel so inclined. / am salts
fed that nearly one half Of the MalsteI
vote at the primaries last Friday came
from Democratic sources. The Democrati
leaders believing Malster TO be the weakest
candidate that could be put up by the Re
publicans kindly took hand in helping
him to win at the primaries. The truth
is that Malster will be knitted unmerc fully
by a very large element among the Repub-
Hcans on the day of the election, May 2
think it is practically foregont
conclusion that the next mayor OF Baiu'
more will be a Democrat. The loss o
Baltimore city to the Republicans this yea
will make it next to impossible for then
to carry the State in the Presidential bat
tie of le00.'
Hot5 -
Vest and Fietcher.-Former Cover
nor Thomas c. Fletcher, of Missouri, wht
died in this city on Saturday. was warn
personal friend of Senator George G. Vest
They had grown up together and although
of opposite political faith their persona
) relations were never broken. A few months
ago Fletcher and Vest lunched together a
the Capitol They talked of old times
calling each other famiiiarly by thei
Christian names. Coming down to thi
present, Senator Vest said: Tom, | DON
suppose that you have read my speech
against expansion.
Yes, George; I have read it," sait
, Fletcher Il always read your speeches
you know, just TO find out what to op
pose.
Senator Vest smiled He said:
Tom we have had good many tilt
together in the courtroom. But l don
believe that we will ever have any more
| am getting old | am not the man
! uSeQ TO De twenty years ago aNo", So'
have not changed much You seem to b.
just as strong and vigorous as ever"
Il don't know about that Fletcher an
, swered Il sometimes feel that l an
growing old myself. Our bodies are wear
ing out, perhaps, but SO long as We cal
hold on to our mental faculties. | don
: suppose that it matters SO much
Il envy you Tom, your vigorous consti
, tuition" said Senator Vest as they parted
That was their last meeting. The mex
time Senator Vest heard from his oil
| friend it was to learn that he had beel
stricken down with paralysis.