The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-11
POLITICAL. NOTES AND GOSSIP.


Mr. Hahna's Dinncr.-The wide pub
iclty given to Il in advance caused the
Hon. Mark Hanna to change the character
OF dinner at his house last night from
one of political importance to that Of
strictly social function. Early in the
week Mr. Hanna sent out invitations to
all OF the big men connected with the
Republican machine to meet him at dinner
last evening. Those who were especially
urged to attend the dinner were Mr.. Piatt
OF New York, Mr. Depew. Mr.. Foraker.
Speaker Henderson, Mr.. Lodge. Mr. Spoon
er, Mr.. Dalzell. Mr.. Payne Of New York,
Mr.. Allison, Mr.. Elkins, and few other
Republican Senators. or course, Messrs.
Grosvenor. Dick, and Heath we're included
IN the original list of guests. The news
oil the affair was sent broadcast over the
country, the Republican and Democratic
organs printing similar stories of its pur-
pose. which was to decide upon the plat
form TO be adopted at Philadelphia in
June. 1t is said that such a flood of tele-
grams poured in upon the President and
Mr. Hanna from all parts of the country
protesting against the proposed cooking
OF the national platform by coterie OF
Mr. Hanna's most trusted lieutcnants that
the host at the last moment decided to
change the programme of the dinner from
politics to matters entirely social Mr..
Hanna. 1t is well known is much enamored
OF the social frivolities, and 1t is said
nothing delights him so much as to gather
around his hospitable board the choice
spirits in public life and enjoy with them
an evening Of sweet conversational dal-
nance. In merry quip and jest ii is stated
that your Uncle Mark can hold a hand
with the best Of the wits. And so it hap
pened that yesterday morning he suddenly
fell under the spell of gregariousness and
enlarged his list of guests SO as to in
clude Senator Jones. Chairman Of the
Democratic National Committee: the Hon.
Joe Bailey, who returned from Texas only
rev hours previously, and other con-
/ spicuous Democrats in Congress. His re-
vised invitations were so worded as to
indicate that the sole object of his much
heralded dinner was for his guests to
meet his esteemed ow-citizen Of Cleve-
land, the Hon. Fred Rittman. Everybody
who attended Mr.. Hanna's dinner last
! night had a fine time, but the Philadelphia
platform was not written. as was the
| original intention to do The platform
will now have to wait until the talk OF
MIR. Hanna's purpose regarding it ceases.
Not n CnIIOm Victory.-Some of the
best informed Illinoisans in Washington
declare that the result of the Illinois State
Convention Is anything but a triumph for
the Hon. Shelby NJ Cullom. In capturing
the preliminary organization Of the con-
vention il appeared tina; the Cullomtes-
meaning in Illinois the Washington Ad-
ministration-had completely won the day
and would have easy sailing. But it
seems evident that they exhausted all of
their strength in the preliminary skirmisb.
and that the Tanner forces ran over them
roughshod after that The Administration.
or Cullom, candidate for Governor was
the Hon. Walter Reeves, who was nowhere
in the running after the start. The Tan
ner candidate was Judge Hanecy who
;iiiis--ed the goal by hairsbreadth and
, whose strength delivered to young Dick
Yates at an opportune tine made Yates
nomination certain 1t is known that Sen.
ator Culiom had agreed with Messrs. Nc
kinley and Hanna before leaving Washing
ton to make the Hon. Charles G. Dawes
the gubernatorial nominee If it became
evident that Reeves nomination was i'm.
possible. The scheme was to stampede the
convention to Dawes after deadlock oc-
CURED between Hanecy and Reeves II
was with this object in view that Mr.
. Dawes was relieved of his duties in the
Treasury Department and sent out to
Peoria to be made temporary chairman of
| the convention. But the opportunity to
stampede to Dawes was not presented. The
Tannerites understood this part OF the
game and checkmated It by throwing theiI
support to Yates. Mr.. Yates is Internal
/ Revenue Collector Of the Southern District
OF Illinois, and was appointed over the
protest OF Senator Cullom. Yates came to
Washington nearly year ago and solicited
the aid of Messrs. Hanna and Mckinley
in his race for Governor. He asked them
to permit him to become the Administra-
ton candidate This request they fatty
refused. and since then the SLY Mr.. Yates
has been cooperating with the Tannerites.
1t Is generally agreed that under the cir
cumstances Yates Is the strongest candi-
date for Governor the Republicans could
have nominated. He has the vigor and
enthusiasm of youth and the prestige of
a great name in Illinois in his favor. 1t
Is regarded as entirely possible for him to
be elected and at the same time for the
Democrats to carry the Legislature But
even If the Republicans should win the
Legislature there would be no certainty
OF Senator Culloms reelection, in view
of the implacable hostility his course In
the gubernatorial contest has aroused
among the tens OF thousands OF loyal fol-
lowers OF John Riley Tanner.
No Observation-Disclosures members of
Congress and newspaper correspondents
who recently have gone to Philadelphia to
make arrangements there for board and
lodging during the June convention report
noticeable lack of interest among all
classes of natives in the forthcoming meet
Ing. 1t is said that comparatively few