The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-20
POLITICAL NOTES AND GOSSIP.

the line by the Republicans since the con
vention OF anti. imperiaiists at Indiana
polls endorsed Bryan and Stevenson and
condemned Mckinley and Roosevelt. Evil
dences of this are found in the plain ut
terances of Senator Beveridge of Indiana
and of the hurried return home from 2u-
| rope of Senator fNcCOmas of Maryland TO
take charge OF the campaign in that State.
| II is true that Gen. Charles II. Grosyenor
the Administrations ready mouthpiece.
declared on landing at New York yester-
day from England that free silver is the
paramount issue but as this was the
Generals cue before he left home mcnth
ago and as he had not seen Mr.. Hanna
when he talked to the reporters the
Ohioan. of course is to be excused. 1t
can be safely predicted that before the
week is out General Grosvcnor will change
his tune. Senator Beverage has tod the
party managers in Indiana very plainly
that when he takes the stump he is going
to devoSc himself mainly TO effort to
| disprove the Democratic contention that
the Administrs tons colonial policy aid
| intention is one of imperialism. AT the
! present moment the Senator's party folks
| in Hoosierdom are opposed TO his taking
this shoot in his campaign oratory, bur
he announces firmly his purpose to ignore
this advice. Senator McComas will not
meet with a similar opposition from his
party associates in Maryland The reason
of this is that his colleague. Senator Well
lington. has stirred up his followers on
! the question OF imperialism, and this has
| put Maryland in the doubtful column.
! Because of this Mr.. Hanna reluctantly was
| impelled to cut short the trip of Senator
! McComas to Europe. The Marylander
| scarcely had landed on the other side of
| the Atlantic when he received a peremp-
| tory demand from MIR. Hanna to come back
| Immediately and take charge of the cant
paign in Maryland Senator McComas is
both Chairman of the State Committee
and the Maryland member of the Repub-
lican National Committee. He will have
full direction of the campaign in his
State. and Will be held to very strict ac-
count for results by Mr. Hanna and Mr..
Mckinley. It Is remarked that the sud
den awakening of the Republican man
ayers 10 the Importance of the imperial
ism issue is q counterpart of their per-
Torrance with regard TO the currency
question in the last campaign. twill be
recalled that Mr.. Hanna and his asso-
ciates attemated to ignore this issue in
1896, and to substitute for it the tariff
question. The Democrats then persistent
ly hammered away on the silver question
rs the paramount issue as they are row
doing with Imperialism, until finally the
Republican managers were compelled to
accept il. But the Hannaites did not ac-
cept that issue as paramount until the
gold Democrats had held 4 national con-
ventlon at Indianapolis and repudiated
Bryan. What the gold Democrats did in
1886 the anti-imperialist Republicans have
done this year This is what has stirred
mp the Hannaites and is now making them
hump themselves for all they are worth.
"
Powers PrOsecutOr.-Ali accounts of
the closing events ia the trial at George
town. KY, of Caleb Powers for conspiracy |
in the assassination of Governor Goebel |
agree that the sreech of the Common
wealth's Attorney the Hon. Robert Frank |
lin. was one of the most eloquent and i
dramatic appeals ever listened to in a !
Kentucky court room. MIR. Franklin's |
power of mimicry was especially comment |
ed upon, and the Newspaper correspondents |
remark upon the fact that in this regard
Mr.. Franklin displayed the versatility of /
an actor. In point of fact. Mr.. Franklin
at one time was an actor. though this |
does not appear to be known to the news
paper correspondents who have been writ
ing so much about him during the past
month About twenty years ago Bob
Franklin. as he is called by men, women.
and children in his home town of Frank
fort, was one Of the most promising actors
in America. His family firmly opposed his
stage career and eventually persuaded him
TO give it up and turn to the law. At one
time he brayed parental opposition and
Joined. under an assumed or stage name |
the famous minstrel company headed by |
Barlow, Wilson. Primrose and West, and
for one season was their principal baritone
soloist. In this role he won a reputation
which would have been worth thousands OF
dollars a year to him If he had not quit
the stage. His wonderful voice has been
heard in two or three Democratic national
conventions in the topical song made IA
nous by Cot" Jack Chinn, entitled
There's Trouble in the Land
Fierce Fight on Pettigrew-Ope of
the closest and most vicious fights in the
country is that being made on the Hon
Richard Franklin Pettigrew in South D..-
kota. The Senator is struggling for his
political life against tremendous odds. Mr.
Hanna makes no attempt 10 conceal his
personal hatred OF Pettigrew nor the fact
that he is doing everything in his power
TO defeat the return OF Pettigrew to the
Senate. The South Dakota statesman used
to be the Republican boss of his State
until he could stand Hannaism no longer
and then he quit the party. In the Sem
ate he is classed as silver Republican"
but IL reality he Is Demo Populist hav-
ing co-operated with the Democrats ana
Populists in that body alternately upon all
important questions during the last two
sessions. While he was one of the Repuh-
lican bosses he learned great ceal about
the methods of the Republican party,
which he is now turning to good account
for the Democrats For example in the
Senate last winter he bodily announced
that the Cramp shipbuilding firm had con-
trbuted four hundred thousand dollars TO
the Harrison campaign fund, with the dis-
tinct understanding that 1t was to be re-
turned with interest in the form of Gov
eminent contracts. Senator Pettigrew was |
not in the confidence Of Mr.. McKinley's
managers. but the inference Il
plain that if the Cramps put up four hun
dred thousand for General Harrison in ,
1892, they gave en- equal or a larger amount |
to Mr. Hanna for Mr.. McKir,ey's election
four years ago on the same terms as those
on which the Harrison contribution was |
put up. II is said that Mr.. Hanna already
has sent a large amount Of money to South | ,
Dakota for use against P,,ttigreH and that |
he will send many thous lds more before
the fight is over. Senator f'ettigrew how. | ,
ever. is reported to be well supplied with ;
funds himself so that he Is able to meet |
Mr. Hanna's. Lavish expenditures. II is ;
considered not AT all improbable that Sen .
aiOr PettigIew will win his fight, in view
CT the strength OF the Bryan sentiment in ,
South Dakota II the Hannaites should
defeat him and get control of the Legisla-
ture 1t is generally thought that he will !
be succeeded in the Senate by the Hon. !
Robert Jackson Gamble. who now repre- /
sents the First district in the House and c
who is handling the campaign fund being ,
sent to South Dakota by Mr.. Hanna. 7
|