The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-22
Capital Chat.
Washington Gossip, Political and
Otherwise, for the Readers
ofthe Globe.


WASHINGTON. Feb 2-(Special)- y
President Mckinley has been in consul
tation with several of the Republican
party leaders in both the house and SEN
ate regarding the time that he desires
congress to take its usual summer recess.
1t Is the purpose of Maj. Mckinley, if
legislation can be carried through fast
enough, to have congress adjourn before
the Republican convention assemblies at
Philadelphia on June TO- He has consult
ed with. among others, Senator Aldrich,
the Republican floor leader of the senate,
and Representative Payne, the Republic
can floor leader Of the house. He has also
had several conferences with Speaker
Henderson, and the result is that the
president has been advised that in order
to bring about an adjournment by June
TO-, or earlier. 1t will be necessary to let
some of the bills that are now pending
go over until the last session of the
Fifty-sixth congress-
Some legislation will of necessity have
to be passed for the government of our
new colonial possessions This goes with
out saying, but opposition is going to
hinder and delay the passage of the
many pending bills for these colonies. The
| president, however, may take the bit in
his teeth. and, If he discovers that the
opposition to his policy for the govern
ment of Puerto Rico, Cuba, Hawaii and
the Philippines is strong enough to block
legislation, go ahead and use his own
| judgment regarding how the United
States should deal with these colonial
| possessions until congress comes to its
senses again, So to speak, year from
| this winter.
| One reason why the president desires
| such an early adjournment Is the fact
| that with congress out of the way, and It's
members back in their homes. they will
| be able to assist not only in advancing
| his interests as a presidential candidate
| this year. but will also be able to put in
| some good work for themselves. The
| Republican majority in the present house
| Is quite large, but it is not safe always
| to anticipate victory, SO the president, IL
he Is reelected, Is anxious not to have
| to deal with Democratic majority in the
| lower branch of congress.
| The president is too shrewd politician
| to anticipate a reelection without hard
campaign work on the part Of himself
| and those who will conduct his canvass
| in various sections of the Union. The
| president, 1t Is also stated, is anxious to
| have some other man than Senator
! Hanna look after his campaign this fall
| The Ohio senator is so troubled with
| rheumatism that 1t will probably be utter
| ly impossible for him TO do the vast
amount of work that he did in 1896 to
| bring about the success of Maj. McKin-
! ley. While 1t Is probable that Chairman
| Hanna would like to serve again at the
| head of the national campaign commit
| tee, he fears that the arduous duties that
| would be put upon him again would COM
! pei him to retire or turn the work over
| to an assistant. This he does not desire
| to do, and the president is also anxious
| that the man who Is to manage his can
vass at the head of the campaign COM
| mittee shall be chosen at the next con-
| vention, and continue the work until the
| campaign Is closed in November.
| The opinion prevails here that If Mr..
| Hanna Is not selected for the chairman
| ship of the national Republican campaign
| committee again, Representative Dick,
| acting chairman of the committee at the
present time, will be selected for the
chairmanship, or that Henry G. Payne, OF
| Milwaukee,, will be chosen for the posi-
| ton. The president would be much pleas
| ed, 1t Is stated, to have National Commit
| teeman Payne head the committee but
| 1t is not believed possible that Mr.. Payne
| will accept. He is not strong physically,
and possibly could not stand the strain
| of such long compaign as will ensue
| after the Philadelphia convention chooses
| its national ticket and adopts the policies
| on which the campaign will be conducted
! this fall.
| Speaking Of early adjournment, 1t is
also understood that the Democrats,
while they would like to hold up some OF
| the pending measures introduced by the
| Republicans, are as anxious as the op-
! position to bring about an early adjourn
! ment this spring. There are several bills
which will go over until the short ses-
| sion, in the event that congress decides
| to adjourn june or earlier. The subsidy
| bill is one measure that will be sidetrack-
| ed until the short session, and the bills
| for the admission of Arizona, Oklahoma
| and New Mexicos will also have to be de-
| layed until next winter. There are other
| measures of lesser Importance which VIII.
| of course be pigeon-holed until the
| short session. The most important Dill,
| as before stated, which will be held up Is
the subsidy BILL with the possibility that
| some measures pending for the govern
| ment of Uncle Sans new possessions Will
also have to go over.
-Js3 8. Van Antwerp.