The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-17
POLITICAL NOTES AND GOSSIP.


VIII set the Pace.-Next Monday the
Hoosier Republicans will hold their State
convention at indianapolis to nominate
Governor land other state officers. \ few
erish interest is felt in Washington in he
outcome Of the convention for the reason
that Indiana has been the storm centre
of the partly protest against the forto
Rican iniquity. The race fer Governor is
very close between the Hon. John i. Grit
fifth and the Hon. Winfield T. Durbin, with
the chances apparently in favor OF the
former. 1t is strenuously denied that the
Administration at Washington IS com
mitted to either candidate, despite the
fact that COlonl Durbin is member OF
the Republican National Committee ana
long has been on close terms with both
Messrs Hanna and Mckinley. Naturally
the chief interest of the Administration
centres in the platform to be adopted.
State Chairman Charles Hernly spent sew
eral days in Washington last week, ana
left here Friday night with a draft OF the
platform in his pocket This draft is sald
TO have been drawn by Senator Fairbanks
after numerous conferences he and Chair
man Hernly had with the President ana
Mr. Hanna. OF course it very heartily
endorses the Mckinley Administrator
but its chief feature is its tender treat
ment of the Porto -Rican question. II Will
be recalled that Mr. Hernly rushed to
Washington while the storm OF protest
against the Oxnard bill was at its height
in Hoosierdom and earnestly begged That
the bill be so materially modified as to
quell the threatening disturbance IN bis
State. 1t will also be recalled that MI.
Hernly went back to Indiana and assured
the HOLSTERS that he had learned at the
White House that there was no harm IN
the bill. At the same time the draft oil
the platform which Mr. Hernly carried
away from Washington Friday contains no
endorsement of that measure in specihc
terms. The document merely approves the
Administration colonial policy in gen
eral without singing out any special
phase Of it. In view OF the parlous condl-
tions in Indiana even this must be con-
sidered a victory for the Administration,
for had the HOLSTERS held their State con-
vention a few weeks ago undoubtedly the
pressure of public opinion would have
forced them to anmadvert very severely
upon a measure which even so ulsJlh-
guished a HoO5ier as the Hon. benJamln
Harrison characterized as "a serious de-
parture from right principles However
it is considered possible that the delegates
may take the convention away from the
managers when they assemble at India
napols next week and do a little resolut-
ing Of their own. ignoring the platform
which Chairman Hernly Travelled all the
way to Washington to get for them
The scheme AbnudOncd.-At . o'clock
yesterday afternoon Col. Charles Dick,
Secretary of the Republican National Com
mittee. told a Times representative that
there was no foundation for the reports
that the. Hon. Mark Hanna had gone to
Old Pointi Comfort either for his health or
to meet IN conference various party man
ayers. including even President Mckin-
ley. for the purpose Of deciding on the
Vice Presidential candidate Mr.. Hanna
will return TO Washington tonight said
Colonel Dick. land you will see that he is
in as good health as he has enjoyed Tor
a long while" Colonel Dicks statements
were verified By the arrival in Washing
ton last night of Mr. Hanna and his ram
lily party who accompanied him to Old
Point The interesting question now IS,
What caused such sudden abandonment OF
the plan to hold a conference a Old Point
Comfort That il was intended to hold
the conference there is no room for doubt
That the President and Mrs Mckinney
expected to go there today is well known,
as the Presidential suite in the Chamber
lin Hotel had been engaged for them and
was put in readiness for their reception.
Obviously something entirely unlocked for
has interviewed between the formation OF
the conference plan and its execution. The
most probable theory advanced in eXplana-
ton Of it is that Secretary Longs return
10 the city from the West and his eN-
| pressed Willingness to be made Mr. Me
Kinley's running mate removed all cause
of Worry to the party managers over the
tail of the ticket. Presumably, thea. Mr.
Longs candidacy meets with the hearty
approval Of everybody close to Mr.. Mckin-
ley. and there is no longer need Of getting
the machine managers together in some
sequestered place where the Vice Presi-
Dental problem can be freely discussed