The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-04-08
POLITICAL GOSSIP
81
IN THE CAPITOL
Admiral Dewey S Candidacy Not Taken
Seriously.
Mr.. DAVIS RESlGNATI 0 N.
His Retirement from the Position
OF Assistant Secretary OF the
Interior n Topic OF Cen
cral Interest.

Two aii-absorbinS topics Fave engaged
:,uhlic interest in Washington the past
week. Neither OF these TOPICS were on
ni,c programme and broke the monotony
Of routine life with something OF
bang and a smash. / refer TO the an
no,,nccn.cnt OF Admiral Dewey that he
considers himself "a Presidential avail
ability and 10 the voluntary retirement
of Webster Davis from his position OF
Assistant Secretary of the Interior to
become tho champion Of the Bocr strug-
Gle for independence.
At this writing admiral Dewcy's can
ddacy is taken seriously by nobody, but
politicians are wondering what Is back
OF 1T .ldl. il ts hardly creditable to the
average intellect, speaking from the
view point of the men who fashion pres
d.ntial timber, that Dewey made ms
explosive entrance into the .arena OIL
national politics without a previous un-
Outstanding With parties who possess some
influence somehow and somewhere. The
s;sr point to William C. Whitney and
those close 10 him. His brothcr-in-law
John X Mclean. Stubbornly de-
rres all complizity in the scheme.
The papers close TO McLean-and Ee is
close 10 two Of them in Washington
manifest "a disposition to make merry
of the Adniral's sensational announce
meut. and. so far as the horizon can be
willing TO claim the slightest response
7,lity for all the hubbub except Whit
ney
And vet there is n strong suspicion In
come quarters that it is tbe outcome OF
a very carcfuIly-prcpa1cd plan. designated
ITO take advantage of an opportunity
With conflicts of sentiment in the Fepub-
lican ranks and dissatisfaction In tho
fusion ranks which everybody under
stands The question may 0.ave arisen an
dhc minds of those dissatisfied with botn
Dartics whether the time had not. arrived
10 spring a compromise candidate
HE OUGHT TO KNOW.
IT IS evident that the movement had
its inspiration outside OF the Dewey
I,ousehold-in Democratic counsels. IN
I'll the mast few days Dcwey's political
creed was mot known. If there was any
conviction on the subject ii was that he
leaned toward the Republican party. 1t
was vouchcd for on the floor oil tae
House on The strength of a telegram
from his brother in Montrelier. The tele-
gram said that Dewey was ReTub!lcan.
Now the Admiral declares he is Demo
crat and charity prompts us to admit that
he ourht to know better than his brother.
This looks like a part OF a prepared
programme though the real bandmaster
is kccping in the background, and Tor
tho present the Admiral is left alone to
face the storm in something OF the lritahle
plight OF the prima donna who steps upon
t11e stage confronting an eNpectant au-
dicnce and has 10 wait for the dardy ac-
communist, The attitude has exposed a
good man to ridcu:e, and the utter col
'laT,se of his p-o2a Ganda shows how tickle
IS public o1tinion.
Less than a year ago a WORD lfo1l
Dewey that he would accept n nominal
ton would have made u thunder to alarm
the most righteous
To-day there is none to do him honor. ii
he has amy substantial backing 1t is eva
dent that his spongers and bottle-holders
are watching bcl.ind tao wings for the ef-
feet his announcement will have to come
into the light If he succeeds and TO re-
main anonymous If he falls fat
II he has had no backing tie has been
nislcd ny n dcluee of eccentric epistes
from persons more emotional IMAM pIac-
teal whom he has met on railway trans
and at social functions and public reccp-
tions.
Dewey is not a deep man, no matter
how 6ncisive Me may be on a quarter
deck TO us, who hear unp1.intable things
and see notable men every day IN The
week, he is a weak man, really beyond
the capacity to grasp the fuliness ol
his professional greatness. He Is just the
sort OF man 10 he seriously influenced
by the cffusivcncss OF emotional Presl-
dent-rnalicrs and to have his political
fortunes directed by a Dettycoat, lor
Mrs Dewey is suspected OF having had
"a e,ic share In mis- folly. HE has done
and said some very foolish things since
me landed in New York, and they nave
done much to undermine his popularity
with Deopie possessing the capaclty 10
think. The only surprise ID w!ncn some
neople confess Is that he should have
~ do 10 a M
self ridiculous.
MIR. DAVIS RETIREMENT.
Next to the Dewey sensation. the resiE-
natton of Webster Davis VAS the theme
of general interest. n1fs retirement TO
,,rlift his soothing and eloquent voice
in tho Boer cause has elected the usual
concert OF conflicting voices THAT follow
ahe footsteps OF men Oh acuoh. !
sh;n11 that every motive that asitates the
human breast has been ascribed 10 Davis
nor rcsigninE from the most soroad
to tho most exalted His step is looked
,,pon Us 4tihat of dcmoSoSue ano tha1
of a -de1ni-go6, but why a man should De
condemned for speaking upon a purely
humanitarian subject where none VINO
nikcs TO hea- is asked to pay Ii cent
OF admission, is a problem. PcrhapS IL
seems less clear 10 me, because ela'c
had mis- confidence in some OF these Things
and 1 state it as an honest opinion that
Davis has no political object IN View
mas no desire 10 critiose any one nor 10
cultivate any profit for himself IN a
POLITICAL sense. ] believe. moreover, Glat
he will retire from politics altogether
and after speaking at public meetlngs
I'm -four or five large cipes-probaplS,
Washington. New York. Baltimore. Phli-
ndelrNlia, Chicago or st. Louls-Selae
down TO AN occupation non-oollical In
nature. II is mere conjecture. but 1hcSe
are the facts as far as they appear.
Davis honestly believes that the pres
ent war is AN aggression of power upon
two republics fully capable OF hntelii-
gent sclf-Horcrrmcnt, patroit struggle
for the maintenance OF national indepen-
dencc an uneven conflict OF men oerse-
cu,cd, analignea and driven to despera-
Mon by a century Of injustice against an
,.rnnire big with greed of gold. He says
me- mas gained these Views through DIS
passionate Investigation. and with no re-
rard for the purely appealing phases OF
1a,e case whatever. The ke-' to It all
As his Arm belief that If the European
powers were sure that the United States
would not back d2ngland. intervention
s,ould come and the war would end.
HAS THE STYLE.
l.1rl, "a, n