The times., 1899-03-24
GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP.

GENERAL WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP.
william Jennings Bryan.-Politici-
ans of all kinds were discussing yesterday
the Belmont Bryan incident in New York.
While all hands seemed to agree that Mr..
Bryan was justified In declining Mr. Bel
monts invitation to attend Mr.. Croker's
democratic Club dinner in honor of Thomas
Jenerson. certain number expressed the
opinion that If Mr.. Bryan had accepted the
Belmont invitation he would have insured
! Democratic harmony in the East. From
: purely political point of view they think
that Mr.. Bryan has made a mistake. 1t is
/ claimed that good many Democrats who
! bolted the Democratic ticket in 1896 are
anxious to get back into the ranks. and
that it would be good politics for Mr.. Bryan
to try and bring back the men who have
strayed from the fold. Their votes will
count in the, Presidential election next
year, and they may determine the result
of the election, as the boilers claim to have
done in 1895. By turning down Belmont
and Croker and accepting the invitation OF
the Chicago platform Democrats to JEFF
| fersonian banquet in New York Mr.. Bryan
has practically served notice on the Bel
mont-Croker contingent that they will
not be recognized at the Democratic Ma
tional Convention next year. II he can pre-
vent it. In word, the regular Democrats
propose to make open war on the Palmer
and Buckner contingent.
1t MEANS. said leading Croker Demo-
crat last night. IAN open split in the Demo-
cratic party in the East. / admire Mr.
| Bryan's courage but have not got very
! high opinion OF his discretion. The rule
has been in the past for politicians to con-
ciiiate their enemies and ignore their
friends Mr.. Bryan has reversed the order.
| He seems to be more anxious to keep his
friends than to dicker with his enemies.
| Perhaps he may be taking the wiser
course but old politicians will hardly agree
1 with him. But 1t must be plain to any
| obseryant citizen that the nomination and
election of Mr.. Bryan next year will mean
| the practical elimination of Tammany Hall
| from the field of national politics. 1t can
be said in addition that Mr.. Bryan is not
counting on the electoral votes of New
| York in the coming Presidential contest.
He realizes that if he is elected that it must
be by votes outside of the Empire State"
Plots Against McTNinIey.-During
every Administration threatening letters
| from cranks are almost daily occurrence.
Most of them are incoherent and bear on
their face unmistakable evidence of the in
sanity of the writer's; but during the past
| few weeks number of letters have
reached the White House threatening the
| life of the President that hardly be
classified as ''cranks' epistles.' They are.
well written. albeit they are mostly in
| Spanish, and seem to come from persons
of more or less education. One letter re-
ceived recently at the Executive Mansion
told of a plot to take the life of the Presi-
dent provided he did not forthwith give the
| Cubans their liberty. 1t has been thought
advisable to take extra precautions to
guard the President against assassination,
! in view of the threatening eommunica ions
that have been received.
Porter and AIger.-The report that
Gen. Horace Porter, our Ambassador at
Paris, was slated to succeed Mr.. Alger at
the head OF the War Department is ap-
parently gaining headway. General Porter
when approached by reporter in Paris
declined to discuss tne subject. II it had
been without any foundation there would
have been no reason apparently why he
could not have frankly made a statement
to that effect. The fact that he was ret
icent" to the reporter lends color to the
report. 1t has been the conviction of the
insiders for some time back that Mr.. AL
ger was destined to retirement, and that
he would be dropped from the Cabinet at
I >
appointment as Secretary of War would
give New York a representative in the
Cabinet-something the State has not been
without until Mr.. Bliss resigned, for over
half century. Mr.. Alger is not French
scholar, but it is said that he would be
willing to exchange places with Porter.
He would have an opportunity to gain some
celebrity at the Paris Exposition of 1900.
AS Ambassador Mr.. Alger could not make
contracts to supply the soldiers with en-
balmed beef.s II General Porter comes to
| Washington as member of the Cabinet
he will probably divide the honors with
Senator Depew as an after dinner speaker
and so-called humorist. Porter and De-
pew have been rivals in this particular
field for some time back. General Porter's
stories are not quite as venerable as De-
pew's and his manner of delivery is pro-
nounced by good Judges to be equal if not
superior to that of Our Chauncey."
senator ChandIer's Fight.-Sepator
William E Chandler of New Hamphire
is encountering considerable opposition in
his canvass for re-election to the United
States Senate. Chandler and his col
league Gallinger. have been sworn enc
mics for many years, but they patched up
a truce two years ago and Chandler turned
| in and gave Gallinger boost for a second
senatorial term, but it was with the dis
tinct understanding that Gallinger would
reciprocate when it came Chandler's turn
to try for reelection. Mr.. Gallinger is
not apparently living up to this under
standing. Representative Sulloway of
New Hampshire, who has had the distinc-
ton of being the tallest man in the House
for several years, has announced himself
as candidate against Chandler and Gal
linger is said to be backing him New
Hampshire people say that Senator Chan
dler has got the fight of his life on his
hands to secure a reelection to the SEN
ate.