The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-08-17
FROM THE CAPITAL.
Our Correspondent Talks in
General About Wash
ington.
WASHINGTON,
(Communicated).

| August Los 1JUU'
Russia dickering with China
independently; England landing
troops at Shanghai, where there
had been no serious trouble; Ger
many naming the Commander
in chief of the foreign troops in
China, and the government OF
China trying to trick the foreign
ministers at Pekin, including the
American Minister, into going out
of Pekin to be killed by the Chi
nese soldiers. These are few of
the important items of ne VS.
which have come to Washing ton
during the last few days, and
have had to be handled by the
subordinates in charge during the
continued absence of President
Mckinley and Secretary Hay.
One message was sent to Minister
Conger that was made public, and
one that was not. The first left
him free to act in his discre-
ton, which leaves the admins
tration free to make an official
scapegOat of him if he should be
so unfortunate as to make a mis-.
take. That is also the sort of Or
der that General Chaffee, who is
in command of the handful Of
Americans who are with the So
called allied army, which has
fought its way about one. fourth
of the distance between Tien
TsiD and Pekin, is acting under.
They are so convenient you know.
If everything goes right, they can
be claimed as implying the per-
feet confidence felt by this gov
eminent, ETC., while if anythin G
! goes wrong it can be charged to
lack of Judgment or brains on the
part of the agent.
Any disinterested man who
goes into any portion Of the Mid
die West reports the existence of
conditions which are calculate d
to increase the confidence of Dem
ocrats in the election of Bryan
and Stevenson. Mr.. j. H. Rails
ton, a well known Washington
lawyer, has just returned from a
Quincy, Illinois, his old home.
Speaking of his trip he said: II
did not go West to observe polit-
ical conditions, but in the course
of my journey l had numerous OPP.
portunities to learn how things
were going. At Quincy | had
many intimate friends, and | talk
ed politics with quite a number
of them without indicating which
side l was disposed to favor. The
character of my information was
very favorable to the Democrats.
[ can give you two instances
which | know to be reliable.
They are of men who used to
practice law with me in Quincy.
One of them is Captain Michael
Piggott, an Irishman of much
more than local fame, who was
postmaster of Quincy for eight
years, and four years ago an en-
thusiastic supporter of Mr.. Nc
Kinley and the Republican tick.
ct. This year he is firmly for Mr..
Bryan. He is a man of influence
in those parts and highly respect.
ed. The other man | have in
mind is w. A. Richardson, the
son of a former United States
Senator, and an ex-member of
the Legislature. In 1896 he was
a gold Democrat and wrote many
articles supporting Mr.. Mckinley.
Now he is advocating Mr.. Bry-
ans election. There are many
Germans IN that vicinity, and the
German vote this year will be
with the Democrats. The Ger.
man farmers are against the ad,
ministration of Mr.. Mckinley
and will not support him again.
took some pains to secure accu-
rate information ON that point"
Naval Constructor HObsOu, of
Merrimac and kissing fame, is not
in favor of the powers that be.
He is now in the Naval Hospital
at Yokohama, under treatment
for his eyes. He asked for a CON-
mand in the marines in order that
he might take part in the Chi
nese invasion, but Rear Admiral
Reemey reported against such a
detail for him, and added that if
Hobson was we'll enough to re-
sumo active duty he could find it
at Hong Kong or Manila, where
the services of naval constructors
are in demand to supervise repair
work. Hobson's friends say that
if he is not given the Chinese de-
tail he should be ordered home
for the rest to which lie is emit.
tied, and as he won't get the Chi.
nese detail he will probably come
home soon.
Mr.. j. L. Bailey, who is a
drummer with headquarters at
Little Rock, Arkansas, is visit
ing Washington friends. He said