The times., 1899-12-30
POLITICAL NOTES AND. GOSSIP.

! IN iiiinois.-The press despatch convey
ing the news of the withdrawal of Governor
Tanner from the gubernatoriaI contest says
the announcement had the effect OF a
! bOmbshel explosion at the annual "loye
feast of the Illinois Republicans at Spring
field Thursday. When Governor Tanner
was in Washington at the recent meeting
of the Republican National Committee he
told a friend at ChambeFlin's one night
| that unless his views should undergo radi-
cal revolution he would stand for re-eIec-
| tion. He said he was not in the least wor-
| rled over the matter of denomination, His
machine was strong enough to attend TO
that. Hence the conclusion is general here
that the influences which have been work
ing TO remove Tanner from the list OF gu
| bernatorial candidates because OF the fear
that his candidacy would lose the electoral
vote OF the State next year have triumphed
1 His withdrawal, say Democrats, indicates
beyond doubt a condition in the Illinois
Republican situation that is not " all re
assuring to MIR. McKinley's friends. It is
accepted as certain sign that Illinois will
be debatable ground in 1900 The Govern
or's immClatCn is not regarded as a good
thing for Senator Culom who is a candi-
date for reelection at the hands of the
Legislature to be elected next November
Tanner has a machine that is quite as well
organized and quite as effective in a way as
the Plat machine in New York. Now that
he has abandoned all intention TO again
run for Governor. they say that ne will i'm
mediately set his wonderful machine to
work for the Senst0rship. and that Senator
Cullom has the hardest fight of his career
ahead Of him. Tanner, il is thought will
be able to make a combination with who
dpVplHng str Tr
gubernatorial nomiuation-probably with
his friend Judge Hennessy, of Chicago
that viii give Senator Cullom cause TO be
absent from Washington a great deal from
now on. Only three other names are men
toned in this city as probable candidates
for the gubernatorial nomination. These
are Representative Reeves. Of the Eleventh
District, Judge Carter OF Chieago, and the
Hon. Richard Yates of Jacksonville. The
latter, IL is thought, viii be the candidate
of the national Administration though this
opinion may be based merely on the cir
cumstance that Mr.. Yates now holds office
at the favor of MIR. Mckinley. He is the
collector OF internal revenue for the south
ern district of Illinois.
he love feast at Springfield il is eX-
plained. undoubtedly would have been
much iivelier function had Senator Mason
been present Up to the last moment"
said the Senator yesterday, Il intended To
go, but sickness in my family made il nee
essary for me to forego the pleasure of
making the trip to Springfield
Trouble for RoosevcIt.-New York
ers in Washington of both parties are
watching with growing interest the strug-
gle Governor Roosevelt is now having with
the large and dangerous Lou Payn ques-
ton" 1t is said to be an issue that is
quite as we'll defined in Empire State Re
publican politics as are expansion and cur
rency in national politics. Payn, as is
well known, is Superintendent Of the In
suranCe Department lie is remnant OF
Governor Blacks administration and is
viewed with hystericaI horror By the ere
fern element" Of the party, to which eIe-
ment, by the way. Governor Roosevelt
owes much of the prestige that made him
inYincible in 1898. Payn's term will soon
expire, and the Governor has frequently
of late declared that nc will net reappoint
him. But Messrs. Platt, Odcll, and other
leaders of the State organization have laid
down the law that Payn must be re-
appointed. So strong IS their hold upon
the party that three or four prominent
Republicans TO whom the Governor has
offered the place have declined il in turn.
still the Rough Rider Governor as said
10 be persisting in his determination TO rid
his administration OF the obnoxious Mr.
Payn, and at a conference in New York
Thursday with Senator PIatt and State
Chairman Odell he reiterated TO them his
fixed purpose not to reappoint Payn-
Plart and Odell. is is stated, calmly in
formed the infuriated Governor that they
would cause him very aggFavating an
noyance at the forthcoming session OF the
Legislature at Albany unless he mean
time becomes reconeiIed to Payn. and that
il he sent to the Legislature the name Of
anybody else for Superintendent Of Insur-
ance they would see TO it that confirmation
is defeated. In this state the matter rests
at present. 1t is freely predicted in Wash
ington that Roosevelt will yield in the end
and thus come out of the scrimniage
tarred with the stick of the Platt machine
10 the unspeakable disgust of his erst-
while admirers, the reformers," not the
least among whom is the Hon EIihu Root
Favorable to- Senator CIark.-Tha
friends This cifv of Srp,fcy fsr,-I-