The evening times., 1899-03-16
GENERAL. WASHINGTON
NEWS AND GOSSIP.

The Political SituatiOn.-The Presi-
Dental campaign of 1900 is opening nearly
year ahead OF the usual time. While NC,
Kinley and Bryan are strong favorites Tor
the Republican and Democratic nomina-
tions, there is a strong minority in each
organization that is working against them.
However, IL the national conventions
should be held within the next few months
both Mckinley and Bryan would probably
be nominated without serious opposition.
But the events of the next twelve or four
teen months may change the situation ma
terialiy.
Mr.. Bryan's friends, said Bryan man
today, will certainly control the Demo-
cratic National Convention next year.
They will organize the convention and ap-
point the committee on contested seats IL
is safe to say that there will be contesting
delegations from New York and every
State where the men in control CT the par
ty machinery refuse to indoTse the chi
cago platform of 1896. We viii not aunt
| delegates that do not stand squarely upon
| the Chicago platform, as the point will b.
| made thatthey are not Democrats. ma
| jority of the convention will have abso-
| lutte control Of this matter and can act as
| they see fit. Unless the anti-Bryan peo-
| pie can capture a clear majority OF the
! delegates to the Democratic National Con-
! vention they will not be able to defeat Mr..
Bryans nomination. two-thirds rule or
no two-thirds rule. We do not propose
| to let the tail wag the dog"
The sentiment against the denomination
of William Mckinley has been gaining
| some headway of late. Mr.. Hanna has
doubtless observed this and it probably ex-
| plains why he has summoned council OF
the friends OF the President TO take imme
! date steps to head il off and prevent 1t
| from becoming dangerous. AS soon as
| Senator Hanna returns from Thomasville,
| which will be about the 1st of April, il is
understood he will call meeting of the
| Executive Committee of the Republican
| National Committee. The meeting will
take place in Washington and the machin-
| cry of the party will be set in motion TO
grind out Mckinley delegates. In this way
| Senator Hanna hopes to forestall any OPP
position to Mr.. Mckinley that may be de-
| veloped growing out OF the army and other
scandals connected with the present Ad-
| ministration.
John Sherman's Iuness.-The news
that former Secretary of State and Senator
John Sherman, had been stricken with
pneumonia down in the West Indies. caus-
ed the greatest anxiety among his friends
in Washington. Mr.. Shermans advanced
age and poor health make an attack of this
kind especially dangerous. His death al
this time would not probably affect the
political situation as Mr.. Shermans po-
litical career closed when he left the State
Department However. there are said tc
be a good many friends Of Mr.. Sherman
out in Ohio who deply resent the treat
ment he received st the hands of President
Mckinley and they may be heard from in
the gubernatorial campaign in Ohio neXt
fall. John SheTman's public career has
been long and eGentful one. but it is toe
soon TO attempt TO fix his place in history
Journal Clerks ResponsiI;iIity.-
Members of the House" said Jourul Clerk
Mckee yesterday do not seem to realize
the importnce OF leaving bills alone after
they reach my desk. A good many bills are
lost by their heedIessness in this matter
Two pension bills that passed both houses
would be laws today If they had not
disappeared at the last moment. During
the closing hours of the session there was 4
swarm of members around my desk nearly
all the time paving over the bills. | beg
ged them not TO disturb the bills: that
some would surely get lost If they did: but
they paid no heed 10 my request. After
the Session was over we IounI tnat TWO
pension bills were missing. They were
traced TO my desk. but there ali trace OF
them was lost. The presumption is that
some member in grabbing up a bill in
which he was personally interested got
hold of more than one and carried ii of.
The chances are that If he discovered his
mistake he threw away the extra measure
without much thought. OF course, there is
no way of proving it, but the chances are
that these two bills found their way into
the waste basket in this way. In the
meantime the two persons who ought 10
be on the pension rolls by right today will
have to wait al least another year before
they can obtain any money. II is certainly
hard on them. rule ought TO be adopted
preventing members from fumbling over
bills after they have reached the Journal
Clerk S desk. II is hard enough 10 get a
bill through Congress as il is, ard il eeems
pretty tough 10 have a bill lost after il has
passed both houses. So long as members
are permitted to paw over the bills on the
Journal Clerks desk, however, this is
bound TO happen now and then"