Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 August 1899 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

(From our regular correspondent.) Republican wishes father the story sent out from Washington, several days ago, that a movement Was on foot to put another gold democratic presidential ticket .in the field, next year. No such movement is known among democrats and no such action is expected to get the support of any considerable number of democrats, because they aIL know that it* is not being instigated by democrats, but by republicans, whose only object is to draw support away from the regular democratic ticket.

A number of democrats who took girt in organizing the Palmer and uckner movement, have since acknowledged their mistake and their regret, and expressed their intention to stand by the regular nominations hereafter, because the democratic party as a whole stands for most of the things they believe in. Although republican money is likely to be freely used to bring about such a condition, there is absolutely nothing in sight at this time, to indicate the nomination of a gold standard ticket next year. * * * There is much shaking and quaking in the old Alger clique in the War department, because of a rumor, which seems to have foundation, that Secretary Root, who is now in Washington, intends to reorganize the War Department from bottom to top. Certainly no other department of the government needs a thorough reorganization more than the one over which Mr. Root has been chosen to preside, but the clique is powerful and Secretary Root may find himself unable to overthrow the Algerites. If he is wise, he will get Gen. Miles on his side, by restoring him the authority of which he was deprived by Alger. ♦ * ♦ Attorney General Griggs, before going off on his summer vacation, shattered the hopes of numerous persons who thought they had everything fixed to secure valuable Porto Rican concessions from the War Department, by rendering opinions upon three specific concessions, —the right to use the water power of the river Plata, the right to build and operate a tramway, and the right to build and control, for all time, piers and wharves at Ponce. These opinions take the ground that all such concessions were the crown property of Spain, and sums them all, and apparently all other public concessions on the island, up as follows: “As crown property, they were, by the treaty of cession, transferred by Spain to the U. S. of America, and are now a part of the public domain of that nation. I do not know of any right or power which the Secretary of War or the President has to alienate in perpetuity, any of the public domain of the U. S., except in accordance with acts of Congress, duly passed with reference thereto.’’ This is understood to be a hint to Alger of the power of the administration to make trouble for him and his business friends, who are heavily interested in some Cuban deals, if he attempts to antagonize the administration. * * * Representative Griffith, who represents the Indiana district which sent the late Judge Holman to congress for so many years, said of politics in his state, and he knows: “Indiana will send to the Democratic National convention a solid Bryan delegation. The men who were for Mr. Bryan and the Chicago platform, in 1896, have not weakened in their faith regarding either. lam one of those who believe in the indestructibility of the principles of democracy, and though the party may suffer temporary defeat, it is sure to regain ascendency, for it represents better than any other political organization, the true interests of the people. The predominant issue in 1900 is very apt to be war upon the trusts, and upon this, the democrats will be in far better position than their opponents. The voters of the country cannot be deluded by anti-trust declarations of the republican convention; they understand that there is no real antagonism between the leading men of that party and the trusts, but that on the contrary, the i closest intimacy exists, seeing that most of the influential republicans are thoroughly identified with combines and monopolies. We had a great chance in 1896, and we came very near success, and we will have just as good a chance in 1900. I see nothing in the situation that is discouraging to democrats, but on the contrary much that betokens a winning campaign.” * * * One of the conundrums of the hour is why the sending of a cablegram to Gen. Otis, conveying an expression of Mr. McKinley’s confidence in him, and satisfaction with all he has done, including his press censoring, should have been kept secret for ten days after it was sent? Some say that Mr. McKinley wanted to ascertain how far public sentiment would go in supporting the demand for the recall of Otis, and that if that demand had been a little stronger, the cablegram would have been suppressed entirely. It was evidently kept back for some purpose. And it wouldn’t have been the first time that official matters have been made public or suppressed by this administration in deference to the state of public opinion.