Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-04-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, April "a, 1899.

Major Lee, who hrs been the personal repre-
sentative of General Miles before the Court OF
Inquiry. made speech summing up the cyl
dence taken during the inquiry. that any lawyer
might have been proud of. He showed thai
every allegation made BY General Miles has been
fully sustained by good evidence. but IL the
Algerites are correct in their outline Of the
report, which the Court will make in a few days,
probably this week, the evidence is to be
ignored, Alger aud Esgan whitewashed, and
General Miles and the officers who dared TO tell
the truth about the beef furnished the army,
censured. If that sort of report is submitted,
wave Of indignation is likely to swe, over this
country that when compared with that which
followed the white washing of Alger by the War
Commission will be as a tornado to a summer
zephyr. The people OF this country have de-
cided this case on the evidence, aod If Mr.
Mckinley is UNIV Use enough TO allow his friend
snip for Algerism and his dislike for Gen. Miles
to cause him to use his official influence to get
report contrary to the evidence, so much the
worse for Mr.. Mckinley. The country has been
disposed, through all the dirty mess TO believe
in the personal integrity of Mr. Mckinley, and
that be was the victim of his political obliga-
tions TO Alger. but public opinion cannot be
made to stand too great strain.
The Repub iican managers are trying to get
Mr.. Hobart to announce that, owing TO his
health, he viii not be candidate for re-nomina-
tion, but he has so far declined TO do SO,
although his health is really in serious con-
dition. B SIS Platt and some other New York
Republicans think that "Teddy" Roosevelt
would be efectually shelyed if made the tail of
the Mckinley ticket, and Mr. Mckinley, who is a
little bit afraid of Teddy as rival for the first
place, is said not TO be averse to the idea, pro-
vided that Hobart, whom he really likes can be
persuaded to voluntarily take himself out OF the
way.
Politicians have no Difficult in reading the
p lay made by Governor Stone, of Pennsylvania.
when he appointed Quay Senator, Immediately
following his acquittsl by Philadelphia jury of
the charge Of conspiracy to rob the State That
appointment was not made with any expectation
that the accompanying credentials would ever be
used in Washington. Governor Stone and Mr..
Quay both know that the senateshss repeatedly,
within the last few years, denied the right of a
Governor TO fill vacancy In the Senate which
the legislature of the State has failed to fill.
after having had an opportunity to do SO. The
appointment was made for its moral effect upon
the Republicans of the Pennsylvania legislature,
which is likely TO be called in extra session.
nominally for other reasons, but in reality
solely for the purpose of giving Quay another
chance for getting himself reelected.
Admiral Schley is understood to contemplate
asking investigation of the implied charges
and inuendoes made against him by the Sampson
clique in the Navy Department If he does, he
will not ask it of the Navy Department, but will
go direct to Congress and ask that thorough
investigation DO made by partisan COM
mittee.
The Hanna Mckinley men are already begin
ming to see that the retirement of Gear Reed
doesn't call for as much rejoicing on their part,
as they thought 1t did when it was first made
public. It VIII remove q powerful enemy from
the pathway of the administration, but there is
danger that the scramble for the speakership.
which has already started, may create number
of smaller enemies who may be able to do mere
damage TO administration plans and policies
than one big eney like Mr.. Reed. Boss Hanna is
not in any doubt about his success naming the
next Speaker, but he is growing very much
afraid of the sore spots that viii be left among
the disappointed, when his choice becomes
known. A prominent Republican Senator, dis
cussing this matter with a friend said: II shall
miss my guess If Hanna and Mckinley do not
both bitterly regret the retirement of Reed
before the new Speaker has got fairly used to
the position" Mr.. Payne, of New York, not
withstanding the understanding that Mr. Sher-
man, of the same State was to be the Eastern
candidate for Speaker, has SHE'D his castor in
the ring and declared himself candidate.
There win be lots Of fun, and possibly some good
political capital for the Democrats in the coming
fight over the Speakership
Owing to a call of the German Ambassador at
the State Department, Captain, Coghlan. of the
Raleigh, has received strong official hint not
to repeat the story he told at New York ban
quet about the way in which Admiral Dewey
humbled the German Naval Commander in
Manila bay, last year, when the Germans tried
to get little uppish. 1t is denied that the
German Ambassador made any complaint about
CAPTAIN Coghlan.s story. but of course, every
body knows that it is part eff diplomacy to
deny anything and everything whenever it is
! deemed policy to do so.