Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-17
Philadelphia Has Trouble in Raising
Convention Fund.
CHICKERING'S AMONG TIE POLITICIANS
Matter is Nov in the Hands Of
Mayor Ashbridge.
THE EUMINVO LVED


Special Correspondence OF The Evening Star.
PHILADELPHIA, February 49, 1000.
This great manufacturing city. with a
boosted population of 100000 souls, is
just now enjoying an unenviable reputa-
ton. and IS the butt of editorial taunts
throughout the country because of her
seeming inability to raise paltry 100000
for the republican national committee. that
being the amount promised by the local
committee which went to Washington when
the national body met and awarded the
honor to the Quaker city.
1t was understood at the time that the
delegation from the Young Mems Republic
can Club. headed by W. s. P. Shields, which
Went to Washington in the interest of hav-
ing the convention come to Philadelphia,
exhibited to Chairman Hanna and Secretary
Dick what was purported to be a certified
check for 100000.
Chicago was said to have been willing to
give S1J8.000 and so assured the national
committee, and St. Louis. could her delega-
ton have been assured of the honor would
willingly have guaranteed another $4,000.
But the contest was between Chicago and
Philadelphia, and the latter, noted for the
soporific conditions which obtain within her
borders. carried away the prize. The local
newspapers heralded the fact with ultra
large headlines.
However, "a change came over the spirit"
of Philadelphias dream. when Chairman
Hanna announced that the national COM
mittee wanted $4,000 on account. This was
several weeks ago. Then it was found that
the S1O0.0OO check was myth. An evening
paper, which is run by a company, of which
John Wanamaker's son-in-iaw is presi-
dent, printed with equally large headlines.
that William L. Elkins. the millionaire
street railroad magnate and partner of P
A. B. Widener and eX-Secretary William c.
Whitney, was responsible for the state
ment that if the 100000 could not be raised
his check was ready to make good the
promise given to the national committee
The other newspapers patted Mr.. Elkins on
the back and told what a public-spiriteti
citizen he was.
The EIkins Check u Myth.
This important piece of news was tele-
graphed to all parts of the country. and
the national committee must have con-
graduated itself when it learned that a
check with such a signature as Mr. Elkins'
attached was at its call. 1t might be we'll
to understand right here that Mr. Elkins'
reported voluntary philanthropic promise
was about as mythical as the certified
check exhibited in Washngton-more So if
a check, supposed by the committee to be
genuine did really cut something of a
figure in settling on Philadelphia as the
place for holding the convention, while Mr.
Elk1ns is unaware that he ever thought of
contributing such large amount for the
privilege of having a national convention
come to Philadelphia.
The whole thing has developed a multi
plicity of jealousies and dissensions within
the republican party of Philadelphia 1t
would make an interesting volume the diff
ferent stories one hears regarding what is
now admitted every side to be a thor
ouSh political muddie. On one hands Won
are told that if Matthew Stanley QUAY were
assured of his seat in the United States
Senate on the appointment of Gov Stone
there would be no trouble in raising Sl,0 :
600. or any other old amount for that :nat-
ter. This story comes from the Insurgents
that Is. what Is known as the Wanamaker
or anti-machine faction in the republican
party. 1t Is said that the republican bust
ness men who affiliate with this faction re-
fuSe to contribute TO the convention fund
because the subcommittee of the. convention
association was made up of QUAY parti-
sans They pointed to The fact thar Shields
is an intimate friend of the former senator.
1t is maintained by some that the conven-
ton came to Philadelphia through TIE in
t1uence of Quay with the republican ma
tonal committee, the ex-senator believing
that 1t would be of assistance to himself in
getting back to the Senate. In fact. there
are all sorts of stories in the air. One of
them is that the Philadelphia Commercial
Museum was an important factor in secur-
ing the convention for this city The
museum is not entirely devoid of politics
as is evidenced by the fact that a number
of Quay's lieutenants. one of them a for
mer member of the Legislature about whom
there was a scandal few years ago. have