Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-23
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Porto Rican Situation Discussed at
Cabinet Meeting.
UNANIMOUS OPINION OF MEMBERS
Webster Davis African Tour Also
Touched Upon.
ID a [ G II Z RTY'S VIS11,

| The cabinet today. in its weekly review
| OF governmental affairs and conditions
again talked Of the situation in Porto Rico
| 'he president Joining by referring to 4
WISH ne had received this morning from a
delegation Of citizens from the island. A
brief review Of the conditions in the other
possessions OF the United States was in
dulSed in by Secretary Root, who receives
| Geographic and mail reports from tbes.
| places.
| The cabinet is of the opinion that The
| deplorabe condition I'm Porto Rio, grows
more acute each day. but it is beyond the
| power of the executive branch of The gov
| ernment to take action. Secretary Root
can do nothing by even temporary orders
| TO give anything like substantial relief
MIR. Webster Davis Trim.
IN" newspaper gossip about the visit Of
| Webster Davis. assistant secretary Of IN.
interior, 10 points i'm South Africa was
| briefly touched upon in the cabinet ses-
sion. Secretary Hitchcock explained that
Mr.. Davis is away from his post on sick
leave. that his visit to any place is personal
and unofficial and that one has a right
to attach any official or political signin-
cancc to his movements. The suggestion
that Secretary Hitchcock may i"I"vraph
are somewhat embarrassing ,hc admlnis-
iratlon was secuted. 1t WAS the genera!
opinion that Mr. Davis knows IN. psDpri.--
ties of his position and il is not believed
that he will do anything which viii give
the coloring that he is acting officially
The English government well understands
this through its representatives here. and
the Beers are not behindhanl i'm quickly
catching the niceties between official aud
unofficial matters. Mr.. Davis is simply a
good fellow, a specimen of -Am"ricanism.
it is talked and the British and Eoers are
doing no more for him over In South Africa
than he would do for some representative
citizen from their section who might come
here, if it lay in his power.
DauEherty Visits the President
Harry Daugherty, who is a thorn in the
skin of the dominating faction in the re-
publican party of Ohio. and who has
threatened to make trouble in the coming
state convention Of the Ohio republicans,
has been 10 Washington and seen the Presi-
dent and as a result. there are not n few
of the Ohio contingent at the capital who
are wondering what new turn the situation
is to take.
Daugherty departed for his home last
night. His visit to Washington was known
10 only a few, among whom were Senator
Mark Hanna, Senator Foraker and Repre-
sentative Dick. who is secretary of the re-
publican national committee. To an Even
ing Star representative Mr. Daugherty said
that his advent To Washington was casual:
that he merely stopped over between trains
his way home from a business trip TO
New York.
Be that as it may. he reached Washing
ton Sunday evening and was driven to the
White House. where he was in consultation
with President Mckinley for more than
two hours. 1t is understood that he came
to Washington at the personal request Of
the President, to see if there were not some
way of bringing about absolute harmony
among the Ohio republicans this year.
Daugherty was candidate for the
publican nomination for governor of Ohio
in the convention of last year which NOM
mated Judge George X. Nash. 1t had been
known for a long time that Judge Nash
was settled upon as the candidate OF what
is known the Hanna faction. When
Daughcrty announced his candidacy. Sena-
tor Hanna and Representative Dick went
to him and tried to get him TO withdraw.
They assured him that he could not get the
nomination and pointed out to him the en-
barrassment that would necessa rily follow.
But Daugherty could not see it in that
light and he went into the convention and
WAS defeated. Daugherty had heretofore
trained under Senator Hanna and was. and
is yet, cne of President McKinley's strong
est supporters.
For Secretary of State.
The voters of Ohio will this fall elect a
secretary of state, which is the highest Of
fee on the state ticket. Daugkerty has an
ncunced that Howard Mannington. at pres
ent chief clerk in the secretary of states
office, will be his candidate for the position,
and that, it is said. is what the President
invited him to Washington to confer about.
President Mckinley has studiously avoided
identifying himself with any faction of
the republican party in Ohio. Like all good
republicans he believes that there should
be no factions and that the party should
be united for one common purpose
An Ohio republican, who is known to he
close to President Mckinley, is authority
for the statement that the President told
Daugherty that it was highly important
that there should be no division on the part
of the Ohio republicans over the question
of nominations and that he should not for
get those republicans who make sacrifices
in the interest of harmony. What dsSur-
ances the President may or may not have
received from Daugherty are known only
to themselves, or possib y Senators Hanna
and Foraker and Representative Dick.
Daugherty called on each of the last
named gentlemen, and it is understood that
a full understanding was had as to what
the state convention will do. 1t is be-
lieved that, if Senator Hanna steps aside
and is not & candidate for one of the big
four from Ohio to the republican national
convention, DaUgherty will be accorded
that honor, that is, If he withdrawS Man
nington fronl the race for secretary OF
state and allows the nomination a. go to
some one designated by the administration
forces.
In that event the other three delegates
at large to the Philadelphia convention viii
likely be Senator Foraker, Governor Nash
and Representative Dick or Representative
GrosVenor.
.