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

Has Mckinney n RivaI!-Accord-
ing to the best information obtainable IN
Republican political circles. William Nc
Kinley has practically sure thing upon
the Republican nomination for a second
term. II he has any rival in his own party
for the Presidential nomination next year,
the individual has been very successful in
keeping out of sight Apparently Mr.. Nc
Kinley has clear field and yet frontiers
men say that the time TO look out for In
dians is when there are no signs of them
anywhere upon the horizon. However, Mr.
McKinley's friends believe that he is a man
of destiny. and that it is written some
where in the book of fate that he is to
nave q second term in the White House. No
serious attention is paid to the gossip con-
Meeting the name OF Theodore Roosevelt
with the Presidential Office at this time.
Mr.. Roosevelt has undoubtedly got his
gaze fixed on Presidency, and his friends
believe that he will not be satisfied or
happy until he gets il. AT the same time
it is quite apparent that neither Roosevelt
nor his friends are disposed to make
fight against Mckinley at this juncturc
They are apparently satisfied to let the
matter rest for the time being and to be
governed by the course of events. II II
should transpire later that public sentiment
was turning against the President on ac-
count of embalmed beef, Algerism, and
other scandals connected with the present
Administration, they will. il is stated, at
once take steps to inject Governor Roose-
welt into the race. In the mean time, how
ever Roosevelt and all of the other sub
rosa aspirants for the Republican nomina-
ton for the Presidency will continue to
remain in the background. They will make
H.. tt,1
tion changes materially from what it is at
the present time. Neither Roosevelt nor
any of the prospective candidates for the
Presidency among the Republicans is in
Clined to enter upon what appears TO be
losing fight. Mr.. Roosevelt would undoubt-
edly accept the Republican nomination for
the Presidency if it should come to him at
| any time, but he is not as yet worked up
to the point where he believes that he can
successfully antagonize Mr.. Mckinley. Be
fore the Republican National Convention
| meets next year everything may undergo
change. The entire political situation may
be altered, but at the present time the re-
nomination of William Mckinley by the
Republican party next year would seem to
be assured. The magic name of Dewey
would. of course upset all the calculations
of the politicians if it should be introduced
seriously into the Presidential arena, but
it is believed that the hero of Manila Bay
is averse to engaging in politics, and that
he Will be perfectly satisfied to end his
days in the naval service. When his ap
| pointment as Admiral is confirmed he will
| continue on the active list at the head of
| the navy, unless he voluntarily resigns, as
| long as he lives. 1t is pointed out how
| ever, that the position of President of the
| United States has never been declined. and
! it is assumed that the nomination of Dewe
| by any party would be almost equivalent
| to an election. What Admiral Dewey might
| do in the event of his nomination by either
| one of the great political parties for the
| highest office in the gift of the people is,
of course, merely matter of conjecture.
Senator Lee NnntIe.-Among the men
| whose term of service will expire on Sat
urday next is Senator Lee Mantle of Mon
tana. Senator Mantle is one-term Sena-
| tor, but he has made a very favorable i'm
| preston in Washington and there are a
| great many people who will sincerely re-
| gret his departure. He had had no pre-
| yious legislative experience of any couse-
| quence when he was elected to the Senate,
| but he caught on to the Legislative routine
| quickly and has served his State well.
| He is likely to be heard from again and
| it is believed at no distant day. Senator
Mantle is a typical representative of the
Western man. He is frank and outsp0ken
| on public questions, and does not appar-
entity know how to dissemble. The mem
bers of the Senate and House are as a rule,
sized up pretty accurately by the public
before they have been very long in Wash
| ington. 1t can be said of Senator Mantle
that he has never done anything since he
| became a member of the Senate to bring
| discredit on his State.
Il have been struck" said Senator Man
tie yesterday. with the remarkably good
| showing made by the Western volunteer
soldiers in the Philippines. They have,
TO all intents and purposes. been as eff
cient and capable as regulars. Our West
ern boys have had the advantage OF being
accustomed to the use of firearms. Most
OF them are sharpshoOters and are Injured
to the hardships that are incident TO a
soldiers life. | think that the low death
rate among the volunteers in the Philip
pines from sickness is due largely to the
fact that the majority of them were Ie-
cruted from the West. The people of the
West are naturally very proud Of the rec
ord made By their representatives in The
volunteer army. Mistakes have been made.
of course, in the handling of our troops,
and in other matters connected with the
management Of the war with Spain, but
after all has been said it must be con-
ceded that the Administration has cen
Quoted a remarkably short and successful
war History will | believe. yindicate the
Administration OF Mr.. Mckinley TO that
extent at least. however it may deal with
some of the individual members of it
This war has taught the country a whole
some lesson Ii has shown for one thing
the Importance of being prepared for wal
or anything that may happen. The State
militia forces should be placed practically
upon the same basis and kept in the same
degree of efficiency as the soldiers of the
regular army. They should at least have
the same arms and equipments as the regu-
lars. We shall probably need a standing
army of at least 200 men from this
time on. Considering our population and
the new conditions that confront us,
! do not see how we can possibly get
along with a regular army in the future
of less than 100000. 1t is more likely &c
be increased rather than diminished by
succeeding Congresses"
American Capital Abroad.
| CFrorn the New YORK Commercial Adyrfti.erl