The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-05-19
capital Chat.
Washington Gossip, Political and
Otherwise, for the Readers
Of the Globe.

IoWne, OF Minnesota, will be nominated
for vice president at Kansas City, or that
within the near future, if it is discovered
that his selection would not be the wisest
one to be made, Admiral Schley will be
the choice of the Democrats at Kansas
City.
As is well known, Mr.. Towne who was
nominated for this office at Sioux Falls
will not stand in the way Of any other
man at Kansas City considered a stronger
vote getter than he by Col Bryan and
other Democratic leaders. If they are Of
the opinion, when the convention takes
up the vice presidential question, that
Schley or some other man would add
more strength to the ticket than Mr.
Towne, the latter will gracefully with
draw from the contest Mr.. Towne has
no disposition to handicap the Democrats
and Populists, and if, as before stated
Bryan prefers Schley to him he will get
out of the way and do his best, so his
friends here state, TO bring about the cleo
ton of Col. Bryan and his associate on
the presidential ticket at Kansas City.
Admiral Schley, however, has many
friends in Washington and elsewhere who
are of the opinion that, while he might
not consent in advance OF the Kansas City
deliberations to become a candidate for
the vice presidency, If nominated he
would consent to run, and it is conceded
he could be selected for Bryan's running
mate in this campaign.
1t is not possible to reach Admiral
Schley, 1t is now thought here, before
the Kansas City convention completes its
work, and if therefore Schley is nomi-
mated he will not be able to decline until
some weeks after he is put upon the ticket
with Col. Bryan. All this would add to
his desirability for the Democrats who
ming mate for Bryan than Towne or any
other man yet mentioned. It is not
thought by these gentlemen that Schley
TWO months in advance of the election,
would think it honest on his part to de-
cline to make the race for the vice presi-
dency. To do SO would injure the pros
poets of the Democrats, and there is a
possibility, it is further stated. that
Schley, if Secretary Long is nominated by
the Republicans for vice president, will
have, the opportunity of his life to get even
with his arch enemy.
With Mckinley and Long at the head
OF the Republican national ticket, and
Bryan and Schley leading the Democrats
the contest in this coming national cam
palgn would be highly interesting The
outcome, the wisest political prophets
say, cannot be forecast. Republicans
enthusiastically believe, of course, tnat
Mckinley is destined to gain reelection
The followers of Col. Bryan also seem
confident that this is a Democratic year.
and that on March next the Nebraskan,
II he lives, will succeed William Nc
kinley president of the United States
Meantime, both parties will do all they
can to work up interest in the two con-
ventions over the vice presidency In order
to arouse enthusiasm all over the coun-
try and to bring to both Philadelphia and
Kansas City larger crowd than would
otherwise come If the vice presidency had
been as definitely settled as that of the
two candidates who head both national
tickets.
This administration is In a sorry plight
over the Cuban postal scandal.
The unearthing of the scandal in the
postal service in Cuba is going to do the
Republicans more damage in this cam
paign than the blunder they made in the
passing of the Porto Rican tariff law
While President Mckinley and his high
er associates in the administra ton are
apparently making every move to bring
to justice those in the Cuban intrigue
they cannot hope to entirely escape criti-
cism because of the fact that the men
engaged in the steal were the appointees
or political pets of some of the high
er men in official life in the administra-
ton. Then, too, ii is doubted by MANY
whether the administrator is really anX-
ious to gather all the facts in connec-
ton with the Cuban postal steal or, at
least to have them made public in their
entirety until after the election next No
vember. That a great bluff will be made
by the president and his associates goes
without saying. That, in some respects
they really mean to bring to book the
thieves is not doubted. These opposed
to them politically, however, think that
the prosecution of the majority of the
men connected in one way or another
with the thefts IN Cuba will be permit
ted to go untrammeled until the presI-
dental and congressional elections are
settled, at least
That the Democrats anticipate making
more campaign material out Of m sman-
agement on the part of the Republicans
in Cuba, Porto Rico, the Philippines and
Hawaii. is evident to everybody. That
the Republicans, in various ways, have
made serious mistakes in the government
of all our new colonial possessions is
plain to the average thinker and will
be made more evident when the Demo
Gratis have their campaign under full
Roadway.
If the Republicans are defeated in the
presidential campaign this fall, and If
the Democrats succeed IN capturing a ma
jcrity in the house of representa- tives,
they can charge their defeat up to the
plumbers and fool policies carried on.
since Uncle Sans defeat of Spain.
The war between the United States and
Spain, as is well known, was brought
about because Of Spanish mlsrule in
Cuba Had 1t not been for the fact that
the people of the United States regarded
the oppression upon the part of Spain III
governing that island as unjustifiable this
war, which cost the government so much
money and so much bloodshed. and the
utter downfall of Spain, would never have
occurred.
Now, while the United States is suppos-
ed to have a protecting wing over Cuba
its agents, at least in the postal service
have been stealing more money from the
natives than was ever charged when the
Spaniards controlled the island The out
come is certain to be detrimental to the
interests of the United States at home
and abroad. and this Republican admins
tration will be held responsible for IT,
whether really blameless or not About
the only thing the United States can do
to place itself in a proper light before
the world is either to annex Cuba to the
United States, the same as Hawaii, or to
withdraw our troops and give the native
Cubans the opportunity to demonstrate
whether or not they are qualified to man
age their own affairs.
Annexation would probably be the most
popular move on the part of the United
States. though the native Cubans would
probably object to such action. At any
rate, the annexation sentiment is gradual
ly growing in this country, and it Is fair
ly safe to predict that actual peace will
never be restored on that island until IL
comes fully into the possession of this
government.
Philadelphia will have great ad-
VanfaCe over Kansas CITY so far as the