The times., 1899-03-01
GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP.


Concerning 1900. THE Republican
leaders make no attempt to conceal their
satisfaction over the action of the Demo-
! cratic House caucus on Monday night in
passing resolution declaring against the
permanent retention of the Philippines by
this country and pronouncing against the
| expansion policy of the present Admins
tration. In their judgment this nullihes
| Algerism, Eaganism, embalmed beef, and
| all of the scandals that have developed
| since Mr. Mckinley became President The
| Democratic party is now committed as
much as it can be by its official represen-
| tatives to a policy that Will make Aiser-
| ism and Eaganism respectable by compari-
son. General Grant once said that the
| Democratic party could be counted ON 10
| always do the wrong thing at the right
| time. There are a good many people VINO
| believe that General Grant was right When
| he made this observation, especially IN the
| light of the developments of the last twelve
months. If the Republicans could have
had the direction of the movements of the
| Democratic leaders they could not have
| outlined programme for their Democratic
| friends of more satisfactory character
| from a Republican point of view than the
| one that the Democrats have adopted
| What the Democratic National Convention
| may W HLti II iilttto hSAt 'Nei 80 70
| course, an open question, but if it follows
| the lead of the Democratic minority of the
| present House of Representatives 1t might
| Just as well go out of business. 1t will
| be a waste of time to go through the form
of holding a convention and nominating
a ticket
mo one need tell me-" said Republic
can Senator yesterday, that Mr.. Mckin-
| ley was not born under lucky star. I
| know better. Every day brings fresh proof
of 1t. The scandals that have developed
under the Mckinley Administration have
| been enough to swamp dozen Presidents,
! everything else being equal but just as
we were beginning to doubt the wisdom
of nominating Mr. Mckinley for second
| term and were casting about for an avail
able candidate to take his place in the
| Presidential campaign next year, our
| Democratic friends come manfuily to the
rescue. They have, by their action in
| Congress and elsewhere, relieved us of all
| anxiety regarding 1900. Mr.. Mckinley or
| any man nominated by the Republican
party for President next year will be
| elected. Nothing is more certain that has
not already happened. Mr.. Mckinley cen
| even carry the load of Algerism through
| the next campaign and win, thanks to our
| good Democratic friends. Mr.. Mckinley
| and Mr.. Alger and others owe debt of
| gratitude to the present leaders OF the
| Democratic party. They are not likely
l L
why they should. Still they ought to be
| grateful and have no doubt that they are.
Army Bill in the HOuse.-Chairman
Hull and other Republican leaders in the
House are plainly disgusted with the COM
promise Army bill that has passed the Sem
! ate, and if they were permitted to follow
their own judgment they would kill it. But
in spite of all the sputtering and kicking
that may be INDUCED in, it is believed that
| the compromise measure will go through
the House. The smallest delay at this
| stage might be fatal to the measure. In
complete and bungling as the compromise
bill is, it is still considered by the repre-
sentatiyes of the Administration as great
| Improvement over nothing. which was the
| only alternative offered At the next ses-
sion the Administration hopes to have
bill passed that will more nearly meet the
requirements of the service.
Senator Gorman,' said prominent man
yesterday, probably is taking great deal
of credit to himself for forcing the major
ity in the Senate to accept his amendment
| to the Army bill limiting the existence OF
the increase to the regular army TO July.
1901. ANY member of the Senate could
have done the same thing by holding out.
Mr. German had the majority in his power
and he knew it. But at the same time his
| next Congress can amend the law TO suit
itself and the German feature can be elimi-
mated without any trouble. In the mean
time. however, Mr., German will no doubt
endeayor to make all Of the capital out OF
his alleged achievement possible Some
people may be taken in by his pretensions.
but it will be their own fault if they are.
|
Governor FIetchcr's Story.-Former
Gov. Thomas C. Fletcher, of Missouri, who
was recently stricken with apoplexy, but Is
now on the road to recovery. has been
quite a familiar figure in Washington for
a good many years. Governor Fletcher Is
one of the very few surviving war gov
ernors" In his day he has been a living
force in the politics of the country. a
short time before he met with his present
misfortune he was seated with a party of
friends up at Chamberlin's. The talk be-
came reminiscent, and finally, after Mark
Smith, of Arizona. related remarkable
tale about an adventure he and 10 Black
burn, Of Kentucky. had with bear. Gov
ernor Fletcher cleared his throat and said:
Gentlemen, what | am going to tell you Is
true story" Mr.. Smith moved uneasily
| in his chair, but all of the others were in
stantly on the alert. A true story was
apparently quite novelty in that COM
| pany. When | was a young man" Gov
of skating and became something of an eX-
pert in that line. One day think that I
was about eighteen years old at the time
went out with a young lady for a spin on
the Mississippi. The weather had been
extremely cold for several days and the ice
l was seven or eight inches thick. My COM
panion not being skater, | provided her
with a sled and drew her along over the
ice The river was covered with skaters
and others out enjoying the sport. All Of
a sudden. as l was going along at some
thing less than rate of q mile minute.
: made descent through an air hole. Ny
companion, as ! learned subsequently. con-
tinued on down the river. In winter when
the Mississippi freezes the water becomes
clear When | opened my eyes and looked
around | could see the sun shining through
the ice and the skaters overhead. | must
: have been fully fifty feet from the air hole
where | had gone through the ice. and it
: looked to me to be more than mile. The
current was swift and | almost gave my
self up for lost. But l did not lose my
head and being a strong swimmer finally
succeeded in getting back to the opening
and pulling myself out. 1t was two miles
to the nearest house and when / got to it
8 my clothing was frozen stiff. 1t happened
to be the home of an old friend of my fa-
ther. He took in the situation instantly
t and proceeded to prescribe for me. After
q / had swallowed two or three good mix
lures / concluded 1t was good thing to go
down under the ice of the Mississippi. still
. it was an experience that | shall never for
u get and never tried to repeat. Probably
could not have done ii again once in II
thousand times and got back alive All of
which goes TO show that no man ever dies
before his time