The age-herald., 1899-01-10
GOSSIP ABOUT
 WHEELER'S FUTURE His Friends Say He Prefers Army to
 Civil Life. M'KlNLEYS PLAN FOR 1900 Fighting Joe Will Not Consent to Run
Fighting Joe Will Not Consent to Run
 for YiCe-PreSident.
THE PRESIDENT LOVES THE HERO
But Even McKinley's Affection and Es- teem Would Not Induce Wheeler to Make the Race on Re
 publican Platform.

Washington January 9.-(Special.)-T future of General Wheeler forms the sub stance of much interesting gossip and speculation around the capital. There are those who confidently believe and predict that the president, intent on his mission of bringing about an era of good feeling, will demand MT. Wheeler as a running mate in 1890. His friends and those in pub lant little cavalry leader, say that he has no ambition to make the race for vice. president, and that he would never con- sent to run on republican ticket, even with Mckinley and minus a conventional republican platform.
 There is no doubt that the president has love for Wheeler that is almost Damon like in it's sincerity, and that the general returns this affection with gratitude and true admiration, but it is not believed that he would be willing to merge his person. ality so far in this administration as to be- come it's trailer on presidential ticket.
 sPrefers Army Life
 Those who are best able to speak for General Wheeler say that his ambition lies office They assert that he wants to end his life, as he began it, in the army of his country. How to manage this forms diff cult problem to solve. There is no way by which he can be transferred to the regu- lar army from the volunteer forces.
 He might be appointed to the staff, but there is no provision for any transfer from the staff to the line in our army, which is one of the faults of the organization.
 l heard a close friend of General Wheeler and a personal adviser of the president predict yesterday that as soon as the Hull bill passed, if it does pass, that General Wheeler would be appointed a second lieu tenant in the army of the United States, and the day after the nomination was con- firmed he would be promoted to be a major- general. This would be the most rapid pro- motion known in history, but it is con- sidered better than asking congress for the permission to appoint major-general from civil life The army is prejudiced in favor Ol iSeCniHS tHe up 1IOlH lHS bottom.
 There is no doubt whatever that the judiciary committee of the house will re- port favorably on the Bailey resolution, as l so stated in these dispatches the other day.
 Chenk's Case Precedent
 But the action of this congress will in no way affect his seat in the Fifty-sixth con- gross and if there be no extra session, Gen. eral Wheeler will be able to keep his com mand during the next summer and resign just the day before congress convenes The precedent for this lies in the case of Colonel Chenk, of Ohio, who enlisted in the volun- teer forces of the federal army in 1861. He was elected to congress in November of that year and resigned his commission in the army the day before congress met. Congress did not question his right to oc- cupy his seat.
 But the case of General Blair, of Missouri. who was elected to the same congress- was different in this respect, namely that Blair did not resign from the army until January, month after congress had been sitting.
 So that when he resigned, congress re- fused to seat him and instead declared the seat vacant. As soon as congress took this action President Lincoln allowed General Blair to recall his resignation from the army and so retain his commission.
 This case is almost identical to that of General Wheeler. It was President Lincoln then who was Blair's personal friend and who wanted him in congress. It is Me Kinley now.
 No Effort in Next Congress
 Both officers had served in the army during the session of congress and there is very little doubt that if the case of General Wheeler comes before the house he will be treated in exactly the same way as was General Blair even should Wheeler re- sign his commission as General Blair had done. There seems no way by which General Wheeler can retain his seat during the remainder of this con- gress, but the action proposed now will have no effect in the next congress, and there is no reason why General Wheeler may not resign from the Fifty-ifth con- gross and still enter the Fifty-sixth con- gress which will convene in regular session next December, to which he has been elected.
 While nearly every one deplores the fact that Representative Bailey should have raised the question and thinks that objec- ton to General Wheeler should have come from any one else rather than the young democratic leader. still there is no doubt that Bailey will be sustained if the matter comes before the house and Speaker Reed is determined that 1t shall and that almost imnldiately. A. W. BUTT.
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