The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1901-06-20
W WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.
Washington. Inne II. loo

Washington, June II, 1901.
President Mckinley again demon
strated when he Knocked the bottom
out OF the thitd.term bucket by de-
claring thut he would not again accept
a nomination that he is one of the
shrewdest politicians In his party. He
knows there are breakers enough
ahead of the republican party without
the addition of third term elephant,
as he frankly acknowledged when he
said: "There are now questions of
the gravest Importance before the ad-
mlnlstration and the country, and their
consideration should not be preludic-
ed in the public mind by even the
suspicion of the thought of third
term. Mr.. Mckinley knows there
are several public questions of impart-
ance which may wreck all chances of
the republican party to elect the next
President, and wishes to impress that
fact upon the minds of the prominent
members of his party who act as
though they thought the administra-
tion owned the country and could do
anything they pleased without jeop-
ardlzlng the future success of the re-
publican party The immediate effect
of President McKinleys announce
ment was sort of fultering activity
among those who are coaxing the
growth of boomlets for the next re-
publican nomination for a number of
men, including Senators Fairbanks, of
Ind; Hanna and Foraker, of Ohio;
Platt, of Conn; Lodge, of Mass; Cul-
lou, of ILL.,; ex-senator Spooner, Of
Wis. Gov. Odell, of New York, and
| Judge Taft, of Ohio, Chairman of the
Philippine Commission. A notable
thing about the situation is that there
isn't the slightest evidence of Roose-
welt boom in Washington. President
Mckinley has said that he didn't want
another nomination himself, but he
hasn't said that he didn't wish to name
the man, and he won't say so. Shrewd
observers will ascertain President Nc
Kinley's favorite before betting on the
name of the next republican candi-
date. Representative Richardson, Of
Tenn, the democratic leader in the
House, who is In Washington, said Of
President McKinley's anti.third term
announcement: "It is what anybody
could expect. No man is good enough
to be elected President three terms.
1t is a rule that has never been broken
and never will be. | think President
Mckinley is too good a politician to
ever undertake to violate that rule or
precedent"
| Nothing more autocratic has oc-
cured in official circles for long
time than the announcement that the
Commissioner and Assistant Commits
sioner of Patents would grant no hear
ings during July and August. 1t IS a
fit sequel to Boss Platt being allowed
to put a political fgurehead in charge
of the enormous business interests of
the Patent Office. That order, if not
set aside by higher authority, will de-
lay the business of every inventor
whose case requires hearing for more
than two months and pile up class
OF business already IN arrears, which
will be future incentive to improper
and unjust decisions. These men will
continue to draw their salaries during
July and August, and the government
will continue to make a profit on the
Patent Office. The injustice of such
conditions is apparent to all and the
rumpus it will raise will be heard IN
Congress next winter. The only
possible reason for the order is that
the Commissioner of Patents and his
assistant wish to take things easy for
those two months, without regard to
the interests of those who will be
affected by the order. 1t is an out
rage, which should cost the Com
missioner his place.
After thinking the matter over the
Cubans accepted the Platt amend
ment, just as it passed Congress, anc
their action has been officially com
munHated to the War Department.
Mr.. T. ]. McElroy, of Chicago, wh'
belongs to family of old-time Demo
Gratis, thinks that Mr. McKinley's up
setting OF the third-term boom which
had been started fer him, ought to b.
decidedly beneficial to the Democratic
party. He said on the subject
"Where can you find another maj
prominent among the leaders of tn
Republican party whose political lif
/ is not entwined with the trusts whlcl
Il 4 l.. A -f.-l