Evening star., 1899-03-10
New York Politics May Complicate
the Situation.
REEDS ATTITUDE TOWARD ROOSEVELT
Effect on the Presidential Contest
Next Year.
MIR. SHERMAN

It is still uncertain how Mr.. Sherman
will look upon the proposition to make him
a candidate against Mr.. Reed for the
speakership of the next House. Besides his
reluctance to assume an attitude of rivalry
toward Mr.. Reed, a question of New York
politics may complicate the situation. Gov
ernor Roosevelt is likely to be the man
around whom will rally those republic ans
who want to defeat President Mckinley for
denomination. 1t is a question whether
Senator Platt can bring himself to the
point of favoring the Roosevelt move. If
he should, it would be difficult thing for
Mr.. Sherman or any other New York man
| to lead the New York delegation for the
administration in a fight against Mr.. Reed.
On the Unpopular Side.
Mr.. Reed, in his antagonism of the ad-
m!nistration, it is pointed out, has taken
the unpopular side of the great questions
that are uppermost in the public mind. He
has, therefore, it is thought, eliminated
himself as a personal rival of the President
for the presidential nomination in 1900. He
and Roosevelt do not agree on national
policy with respect to expansion any more
than do he and the President, but it is be-
ing whispered about that he nay lend his
powerful support to Roosevelt in order to
defeat Mckinley for the nomina ton. So
much Is being done in secret that it is
hard to tell just what to expect. The situa-
ton is extremely complicated and the
closer one gets to the inner workings of it
the more complicated it appears.
Mr.. Sherman has not indicated to the
treasury officials that there is any doubt
about his accepting the general appraiser
snip OF New York, and they assume that
ne Is going to accept. Neither has he re-
signed his membership in the House He
is expected here in about week and then
1t Will probably be determined what his
course Will be. If he declines to remain in
congress and make the fight for Speaker
another man will be sought but il is felt
tnat the prospects for success will be dimin-
lShed II he declines to lead the fight The
1uii development of the plan depends upon
the selection of man who can probably
carry 1t through successfully. A failure to
ma such man will mean the abandonment
OF the idea, since there is no disposition TO
make slmply a demonstration and then to
leaVe MI Reed in power.
The Speakers Attitude.
1t is claimed that Mr.. Reeds attitude
during the Congress just expired has been
one, not only of opposition to most of the
great measures forming part of the policy
OF the administration, but that he has
sought IN every way to weaken the admin
lstration and to encourage opDositfon 70
Mr.. Mckinley. How far the secret onno-
sltlon to the President has gone can he
judged only by evidences that appear like
lashes OF light now and then. Evidences
nave been detected of an insidious Influence
at work
IT is said that certain men who had been
iooheu upon as stanch supporters of the
tresldent nave been found TO be fraterniz-
ing with those who are unfriendly with
the administration, and 1t is suspected that
an organized opposition looking to the con-
vention of 1890 exists
III cannot be truthfully said however
that the idea of overthrowing Mr.. Reed
Is based on considerations of what the re-
publican national convention may do next
year: The reasons for opposing the re-
electlon OF Mr.. Reed as Speaker are based
upon his opposition in the past to the DoIicv
OF the administration and the danger that
such opposition if continued through the
remainder of the Presidents term would
embarraSs the administration and prevent
the successful carrying out of policy cal
culated to give credit to the administra-
ton. As result of the Speakers opposi-
ton, it Is claimed, much that was COM
prised within the plans of the President,
and upon the success of which must to a
considerable extent depend McKinley's
CCeputatlon C As as President, failed in the last
Congress. Practically all that is to be done
to round out and complete the policy of the
administration must be done at the OPEN
ing of the Fffty-siXth Congress. The same
sort of insdious opposition which it is
said existed during the Fifty-ffth Congress
might be disastrous to the plans of the ad-
ministration and leave Mckinley to go out
of the White House with his work uncon-
pleted.
Opposition to the Administrations
1t is pointed out that Mr.. Reed was op-
posed to the annexation of Hawaii which
the administration favored; that he was at
no time sympathetic with the administra-
tion's Cuban policy; that he opposed the
acquisition of the Philippines and of Porto
Rico, and was unfriendly to the army re-
organization on a permanent basis. that
he opposed the Nicaragua canal. which is
regarded as essential to the development of
the expansion policy, and the Pacific cable,
being responsible for the defeat of both
II is suggested that his OppoSition thus