The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-10

Debs' MfssfOn.-It is learned since his
departure that the real object of the Hon.
Eugene Violence Debs' recent visit to
Washington was to confer with. Samuel
Gompers and other labor leaders at the
national headquarters of the American
Federation of Labor on political matters.
Debs is the nominee for President of an
organization called the Social Democrats
He claims that his party. more thoroughly
than any other political organization, rep
resents the interests of labor. Based upon
this claim he is demanding that all of
the organized labor elements of the eoun-
try support his candidacy. What effect.
this appeal has had at American Fedora
ticn of Labor headquarters Is not known.
II so happened that Gompers, the head of
that organization, was away from Wash
ington when Debs arrived, and. of course.
did not see him. Gompers is directing a
strike in New York at present, and
doubtless would be too busy to talk poll
tics with Debs even if the Social Democrat
leader should pursue him to the metropo-
lis Various members of Gompers' staff
who saw Debs while he was here refuse
to discuss the purpose of his visit. One
of them, however. asserted yesterday with
great positiveness the belief that DebS
would be nominated for President by the
Mid Road Populists, who are now holding
a National Convention at Cincinnati. If
this should prove to be true it would in
dictate that there is strong effort being
made to unite all of the disaffectea ele-
ments of the country under Debs' banner
as the surest way of preventing them
from supporting Bryan in ANY considerable
numbers. Still. as nobody is ever able TO
tell what the Mid Readers are going to do
this theory may be utterly without founda-
ton. All that is known about them is
that at the present moment they are bit
terly hostile to Bryan and Democrats gen.
orally, and as Debs and his avowed fol-
lowers also seem to be in the same atti-
tude toward the Democracy it would ap-
pear that there is at least one point of
agreement between the Debsites and the
Mid Readers. This one point may be suf-
ficiently strong to bind them together in
a common cause for the campaign.
DIR. NcKeIway Here.-The Hon. ST.
Clair McKelway, who as editor of the
Brooklyn Eagle" is apparently getting
more fun out Of the forthcoming Presiden-
tial campaign than any other half dozen
men in the country, has been in Washing
ton several days enjoying himself I'M
mensely He has visited the White House
three or four times, and it is said on each
occasion has experienced no didlcuity IN
having a long private talk with the Prest-
dent Mr. Mckinley was always fond OF
newspaper editors, and it is rare that he is
too busy to receive the men OF this class
when they call at the White House. DR..
McKelway has started so many Presiden-
tial Blooms since the season opened that
It is hard to guess which one of these va
rious booms pleases him most. His last
one was for Grover Cleveland. Just be-
fore he launched the Cleveland boom he
was doing a lively business with the
Dewey boom. It Is expected that the next
boom to attract his facetiOus and tickle
fancy will be the Mckinley boom. Wheth-
er he has given the President to under
stand that this will be the case is not
known, though It is asserted by those who
claim to understand the McKelway eecen-
tricities that he will support the Repub
lican ticket this year from ~ TO bottom