The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-30
SP0ONER NOT IN FAVOR.
BREACH BETWEEN WISCONSIN, MAN
AND THE ADMINISTER ALTON.

Was Turned Down In FnNoT u
senator LOdge-The Wisconsin Man
Has Practically Retired From No
tice and VIII Not Be "A Candidate
for Recollection.
WASHINGTON July 29.-"What is the mat
ter with Senator Spooner of Wisconsin,"
He did not make his appearance at the
Philadelphia Convention; he has not per
mitted himself 20 be interviewed concern
ing the Republican ticket or its platform;
and, stranger than all, he announces that
he will not be a candidate for reelection
to the Senate
His determination 10 voluntarily retire
from the senatorial arena is a mystery to
his personal and political friends, who
have repea tedly heard him express
fondness for service in the United States
Senate There is not a member of that
distinguished body who apparently de-
rives greater satisfaction, personally and
politically. from the privilege Of wearing
senatorial toga, than the little giant
from Wisconsin
When Congress adjourned last June he
had not intima1ed 10 his closest friends
any intention of retiring from the Sen
ate His recognized ability as a lawyer
and debater and a statesman of more
than ordinary type, placed him in the
very front rank among the Republican
leaders in the Senate. Indeed, it is said
that his judgment on great questions of
national import is more highly regarded
by the President and by leading members
of the administration than any member
of the present Congress. Occupying the
position in the Senate he does to-day, and
with a fondness for the associations and
surroundings of political life at the ma
tional capital, and with undisputed con-
troll of the Republican party in Wiscon-
sin, so long as it continues in power, the
sudden disappearance of Senator Spooner
from the administration circle is one of
the mysteries of the pending campaign.
Questions That Are Asked.
us Senator Spooner at war with Nc
Kinley? Has he been offended by some
member of the administrators sacred
circle, or does his political astuteness
and usual sound judgment tell him that
Wisconsin cannot remain in the Republi-
can column next November?'
These are some of the questions fire.
quently asked because of the almost to-
cal eclipse, politically, of the brainy little
man from Wisconsin, whom many con-
spicuous Republicans have mentioned as
a presidential possibility in 1904.
In conversation yesterday with we'll
known Republican from Wisconsin, who
is a personal as well a a political friend
of Senator Spooner, / CLEANED some infor-
nation which may throw some light on
the mystery which now seems to envelop
the senior senator from Wisconsin. II
appears that early in che last session of
Congress- Senator Spooner was generally
regarded and accepted the legal adj
wiser of the President on all the great
national and international questions pend
ing before the Senate. He was frequent
ly invited 10 the White House in the even
ing, where he alone with the President
considered the legal propositions involved
in our foreign policy, and especially so
far as our relations with Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippines are concerned.
Senator Spooner made a very careful
study of the Philippine question: and it
was generally understood that he would
voice the sentiments of the administra-
ton in a speech on that subject. II was
supposed and expected that he would
sound the keynote of the administration
on the Philippine question.
Time passed on and his speech was
for some unknown reason, delayed. In
the meantime, Senator Lodge, chairman
of the Philippine Commission, came for
R0rQ with MS CATeIuilS anu AMY plt-
pared speech. which the country at once
recognized as having received its inspira-
ton from the White House. Later on
Senator Spooner selected an inopportune
period. when public attention was drifting
in another channel, to deliver his long
expected speech, sustaining the admin
istration's policy in the Philippines In
spite of the logical instructive, and at
tractive assembling of argument In sup
IF no rn1iiC1r Of AL
ministraton, his speech failed to attract
the attention it probably deserved The
speech was, in measure, stale, and nat
urelly fell fiat in circles where It was
expected to arouse the greatest enthu-
siasm.
Courtesy and Jealousy.
Some of spooner's friends said that SEN
atorial courtesy and personal jealousies
caused the Withholding of the Spooner
speech TO enable Senator Lodge to take
the leadership in the Philippine discus
sion from an administration standpoint
A. that time, few of Senator Spooner's
intimate friends fancied that they oo-
served a growing GOODNESS between the
President and his former confldant from
Wisconsin. Senator Spooner was not
seen az the White House as frequently
as on former occasions, and more than
once when grave questions of state were
almost daily discussed at the White
House, Senator Spooner reluctantly con-
fessed that he had not been invited 20
share in the conferences with the Pres
ident on certain subjects then pending.
About the same time ii was generally
understood in administration circles that
Senator Spooner would be a delegate ia
the Philadelphia Convention, and as he is
unquestonabl one of the most eloquent
speakers in the Republican ranks, he was
designated TO place Mr. McKinleys name
before the convention for denomination
Without any explanation from Senator
Spooner or the friends of the administra-
tlon the programme was suddenly chang.
ed, Senator Spooner remained away from
the convention and Senator Foraker was
chosen to place President McKinley's
name in nomination.
Al the time these incidents were over
looked, because of the pressure of othel
questions upon the public attention 1t /!
now recalled, however, that since the de
livery of his speech on the Philippine
question Senator Spooner has scarcely
been heard of in the political family
which surrounds President Mckinley
There has been no comment from Senator
Spooner on the result of the Philadelphi.
Convention, no forecast from him a. (,
the probable outcome of the campaign
and TO cap the climax, he briefly but EN-
phatically takes himself out of the sena
toral contest by announcing that he ha
no desire 10 be a candidate for senatorial
hOnOrS again