The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-10-26
Reid's Revenge.


dent Of the Baltimore Sun says
Ole of the most interesting features
Of the New York political situation,
which is attracting general attention.
is the part taken by the New ork
Tribune. of which Whiielaw Reid Is
proprietor. The Tribune, with the
solitary interval of the few months
when Horace Greeley was running
for the Presidency, has been looked
upon az the chief Republican news
paper Of the United States, ard of
the city and State whore printed.
Mr.. Reid, who succeeded Mr. Greeley
in its control. has for maLy years
cherished political aud social ambl
tious of an exalted character He
was Minister to France during the
II Arrison Administration, and with
his enormous wealth made = great
display at that gay capital lie Sc
cured the nomination for Nice'Pr
dent in 1892, but not the election.
Wnen NJ. Nick nley came in Mr..
Reid. who was one OF the largest cou
trlbutors TO Mr. Hanna's couupt
election fund, wanted dearly 10 be
Ambassador to England. The most
tremendous pressure was brought IN
his behalf. but all the President would
do was to appoint him Special Am
bsssador to the Qdeen's jubilee. This
lasted only a few weeks and cost him
great many thousand dollars.
Subssq quently, Mr.. Mckinley sent him
TO Paris as = member OF the Spanish
American Commission, although
turning a deaf ear to his renewed
sppl cation for the E1gllsh mission
after the resignation of Mr.. Hay. l.
is, of course. well known that the
most implacable hostility exists be
tween Mr.. Reid and Senator Tom
Platt. The latter is charged, and
Justly, with having seriously inter
fered at Washington with Mr.. Reds
ambitions, aud it is generally under
stood he more than once gently limited
to the President that favOrs to Mr..
Reid would be vinegar to him.
Further than this, however, tie
most intimate friends of the Tribune
proprietor, while sssailing Mr.. Plat
in no choice language, openly charge
the President with duplicity and
gross iugra,ltude, aud suomlt written
proofs in support Of the same. Mr.
Reid himself, so far as surface indl
cations 90, keeps ia with the Pfesl'
dent, but it is an open secret he feels
most dissgreesbly toward him and
entertalns deep spirit of revenge
Mr.. Reid, in his Princeton address,
upheld the policy of expansion and
imperialism. OF course, It IS to be
presumed be is sincere 10 this, but,at
the same time, it would not break his
heart did Mr.. Mckinley fail to receive
any personal benefit from it.
Experienced politicians have no
difficulty in perceiving the intended
feet of the Tribune's course In the
present campaign, although the OBJ
iect is skillfully and adroitly veled
under cover OF the purest motives
The election 10 New York this year
is practically only for members OF the
lower house of the Legislature, but
the control of that body is q great
stake, both for purposes of this year
and with respect to its bearing on the
fortunes of the Presidential year. II
the Republicans lose it, 1t will be q
tremendous disaster if the Demo
Gratis gain it, it puts Tammsny firmly
in the saddle, booted and spurred, for
the race over the Presidential course
of 1900 The Tribune, while pro-
Tossing the utmost anxiety for Repub-
can success. is printing almost daily
able and iDsldIous editorials which
mu appeal powerfully to the exten.
slve body of eminenily honest and
respectable Republican leaders who
look upon what it says as gospel.
Itis impressng upon these readers
that Republican Legislature Will
be Plstt's Legislature, and undoubt-
ly it will be that it will pass his
corrupt m measures, be absolutely under
his fnger, and neither 1t nor the Gov'
ernor, or both combined, can do any.
thing unless with his consent. The
text of all these uttersnces is based
on the refusal Of the Mazet Committee
to summon Plstt, or any of his asso-
ciates, although the trail OF inyestl-
CATION has led right up against them
1t was not doubted by any one, except
the hopelessly innocent, that the sole
object of the MLzst investigation was
to discredit and disgrace Tammany,
and care would be taken TO avoid
Republican rings and ring doings.
The Trbune's exposure of it, t,howeverr
has been of more effect than all the
Democratic denunciations, and it is
not-too much to say anxiety has been
aroused in administration circles.
The darling hope of Mr.. Mckinley
is for victory all along the line. He
wants no break at any point. To lose
the New York Assembly would be
very unpleasant. Platt assures hin
there is no danger OF it, yet Platt auc
all of them are cursing the Tribune
under their breath.