Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-04-06
TWELVE PAGES.
FRIDAY. APRIL C. 1900.
THE WOMAN; SHE DID 1T.

The announcement Of Admiral
Dewey's candidacy for the Presidency
of the United States having been duly
confirmed, speculation and gossip are
of course rife In political circles. and
especially at Washington. Why he
has changed his mind: which party
nomination does he want; will
he run if he fails of either; who has
brought him out? and a dozen other
questions are being eagerly asked.
1t is interesting to note, that both
among Congressman and Senator'S in
Washington. and among representa-
tives of the press there. the opinion is
quite general that Il is Mrs. Dewey who
has worked the change in the Adj
mirals mind, and who has prompted
an announcement that is almost uni
versnlly regarded by public men and
sagaclous leaders, by politicians and
the press, as most unfortunate for the
Admiral whatever the point OF view.
The opinion also prevails that in this
Mrs. Dewey has been inspired by a
certain class of politicians in the East.
OF the dozens Of Congressman and
Senators who were interviewed at
Washington, and of the National Com
mltteemen and political leaders of both
parties interviewed elsewhere, not one
has expressed the opinion that Ad-
miral Dewey now stands the remotest
chance of capturing either the Demo-
cratic or Republican nomination, and
all regard ii as practically certain that
Bryan and Mckinley will be the heads
OF the respective tickets. Party senti-
ment has crystal!zed on them. and
whatever might have resulted from an
earlier announcement of his ambition,
Admiral Dewey cannot now defeat
either. TOO late" is the unanimous
dictum of men who know what they
are talking about when politics is the
subject.
Though the Admiral has steadfastly
crat or Republican. 1t has somehow
come to be understood that he does not
expect the Republican nominal ton
And though he speaks of "thc people"
as desiring him to he their President,
1t is Uncomfortable that he should not
know that as an independent candidate
he not only could not be elected, but
could not carry State In the Union.
Certainly tie SIS er of John r. Mclean
knows that much.
BY this very simple process of elmi-
mating inprobabilities, we get at what
looks like the kernel of the matter-it
is the Democratic nomination that the
Admiral expects. The assertion is
freely made, and 1t is about the only
working theory advanced, that those
Eastern leaders OF tine Palmer Buckner
Democracy, Who have been opposed to
Mr.. Bryan all along, but supported him
for the sake OF party regularity, have
brought out Admiral Dewey. They are
watching the effect of his announce
ment. and If the plan shall appear lea
sble they Viii attempt to capture
enough delegations for him to prevent
Mr.. Bryan's nomination at Kansas
City. Under the two-thlrds rule, lit
tie over third OF the total number of
delegates would suffice for this purpose
deadlock might follow and dark
horse" capture the nomination. This
view may liz purely speculative. but
1t appears to be pretty generally preva-
lent among the well-informed.
or course. if his should prove to be
the case, the men who are engineering
the scheme arc merely making cats
paw Of Admiral Dewey, who appears
to be as easy" in politics as he Is
terrible in war. They do not care
straw whether he Is nominated or not:
they pretty well understand that he