Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-08-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
fFrom our Regular Correspondent

From our Regular Correspondent
Washington, Aug The Hanna
Platt combine against Teddys Presi-
Dental aspirations, is the newest thing
i'm the political field. 1t was intended
to be strictly a secret affair, but some
body leaked. The story, as. told in
Washington, says that several trusted
IieuteIants of Senators Hanna and
Platt, mot in hotel, not d thousand
miles from Washington, and entered
into deal, pledging their respective
principals to work together in taking
whatever steps that might be made nee
essary by Teddy's Western trip to
head off any buom that might be start
ed for his nomination for President.
Platt's men tried to get Hanna's men
to commit their chief to the support
of Gov. Odell as Mr.. McKinley's sue
cessor, but that was further than the
Hannaites were willing to go. They
agreed that no other New York men
would be put forward by Hanna as a
candidate for the Presidential nomina-
tion, and that if Roosevelt could not
be kept out of the nomination in any
other way than by nominating Odell,
Hanna would throw his influence to
him. Meanwhile, Piatt's men are to
boom OdelI and Insist that he will
have the solid support OF the New York
delegation to the N ational Convention
and that the name of no other New
York candidate will be presented. Tie
game is not to openly fight Teddy but
simply to ignore his candidacy and
undermine whatever sretngth he may
develOpe elsewhere, by making it ap-
parent that he is not seriously consid-
cred as candidate in bis own state.
At the Platt end of the deal they re
gard 1t as advantageous OdeIl, but the
Hannas men Go not take that view of
it. They think that they have made a
deal that will give them the help of
the PlatJ machine to kill Teddy at
home, but do not believe that Odell
will show enough strength outside of
New York, to give them any trouble
when they get ready to spring the
name of Hanna 8 candidate. They are
all little bit afraid of the hurrah
the younger republicans associate with
Teddy's name.
Captain Parker, one of Admiral
Schley's counsel, who spent nearly all
of last week searching the records of
the Navy Department, and who will
resume the work this week, filed a
formal protest with Acting Secretary
Haskett against the espionage he was
subjected to while doing the work. Mr..
Haskett's explanation was that the
Naval regulations required an officer
to be present, when person not con-
nected with the service was allowed to
examine the official records of the de-
artvr hr1f Giant Dor,
think that the Naval regulations re
quired an officer to be on each side OF
him, making note of everything he
copied from the records, as is actually
the case. The truth of the matter is
| that the Clique which has been hound
ing Admiral Schley ever since the be
ginning OF the war with Spain al e
thoroughly rightened-they know that
the country will not stand for such
methods as they have been guilty Of
in their efforts to disgrace Admira
Schley, and fear the exposure that viii
be brought about by the evidence be
fore the Court of Inquiry, unless stub
born facts can be juggled out of that
evidence. Capt. Parker has discover
ed several important facts liz the Of
fetal records, which support Admira
Schley's intentions concerning biz
movements, while in command of the
Flying Squadron which was searching
for the Spanish fleet, and he expects
| to find more.
If Mr.. John r. Garrison, Auditor o.
Porto Rico, who was formerly Deputy
Comptroller of Currency isn't more
careful in the interviews he gives out
about Porto Rican matters, during hi,
present visit to Washington, he may
soon be hunting for a new job. Thinl
of such admissions as the following
in an interview intended to show tht
great and glorious things we have &C
complished for Porto Rico: 18th,
American system of government il
proving more costly than that of thu
SpaniardS. THUS far the influx O
American money has not been so rapi(
or prolific as was generally expected. :"
Comptroller Tracewell, of the Treas
ury, whose o. k. is req uired before any
can be paid, evidently does not stanC
in fear of the party bosses, as he hal
just rendered decision which breaks
up little scheme of Director Merriam
of the Census Bureau, to put 81, 500 {
year in the pocket OF favorite, whit
already draws that amount through
sinecure position in the Geological
Survey. Comptroller Tracewell ha
decided that the Act of Congress pro
hibiting the drawing of two Govern
ment salaries by one person, mean
exactly what it says. Some thing lik
a year and half ago, Henry Came tt
who is on the payroll of the Geologi
cal Survey, for 81, 500 year, was ap
pointed Geographer of the Census, a
a salary of $500 year, but be ha
not been allowed to draw the latte
salary. Commissioner Merriam wrote
to the Comptroller to know why and
received an exhaustive opinion, TIL
subject of which was that Mr.. Cannot
has not been allowed to draw salary d.
a Census official, because his appoint
ment was illegal.