Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1899 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

(From oof regular correspondent.) There is a possibility that Admiral Dewey will be the republican candidate for President, next E', instead of President McKinA movement has been starty prominent republicans which has that object in view, under certain contingencies. Admiral Dewey has not been consulted and has nothing whatever to do w th it. The men in this movement are not after honoring Admiral Dewey or turning Mr. McKinley down. They are after keeping the republican party in power for another Presidential term. They are afraid, that Hannaism and Algerism will handicap Mr. McKinley to such an extent that it will be impossible to re-elect him. Their idea is to get as many prominent party men as Dossible to agree that if after lotming carefully over the ground, McKinley’s re-election should be thought doubtful, they will nomi- | nate Dewey, with or without Mr. McKinley's consent. The success i of this movement will depend! largely upon the outcome of the next campaign against the Filipinos; if the war over there isn’t ended soon, Mr. McKinley will be still further handicapped. tt . !

Although he has more than once declared that he would not accept the nomination for Vice President, it has all along been believed in Washington, that Gov. Teddy was after that very nomination, and that Boss Platt, who is anxious to get him out of New York politics, was actively assisting him. The announcement that Roosevelt was to make a flying trip through Nebraska, speaking almost continually from the rear platform of his train, has added strength to that belief. Republicans who know the situation in Nebraska, are preparing a soft spot to fall on by saying that State pride in Col. Bryan may cause the state to go anti-republican. In view of Col. Bryan’s enthusiastic reception in the State, the use of “may” is really considerate on the part of those who know that the republicans are practically certain of defeat in the state. In addition to Roosevelt, they are trying to get Mr. McKinley to go to Omaha while he is in the West, ostensibly to review the First Nebraska Volunteers, recently returned from the Philippines, but really to try to stir up a little republican enthusiasm.

) . ■+ + Atlanta, Ga., sent a delegation of its most prominent men to Washington, to invite Admiral Dewey to visit that city, and Representative Livingston Jintroduced the delegation. The Admiral said he 3vould accept the invitation and would go about the first of November, and would, himself, gladly make the presentation of the sword, which has been bought for his flag officer, Lt. Brumby, a native Georgian. Dewey has gone to New England, where he will be about ten days. t » T T That imperialism is costly will be shown by the estimates which will be submitted to Congress for appropriations necessary for the Army and Navy for the fiscal year beginning July Ist, 1900. Although all the estimates of the War Department are not complete, enough is known to make it certain that the aggregate amount that will be asked for the support of the army and navy for the coming session of congress will reach, and probably exceed $200,000,000, which will be about $2.65 or $2.70 per capita. War Department officials say the total amount will be considerably reduced, if in the Philippines is brought to a close, before the appropriations are'made, but that is very doubtful, in a double sense. It is doubtful whether the war o\’er there will be ended by that time, and doubtful, even if it fliould be, whether the American army on the islands can be materially reduced for a long time afterwards, if our present policy is to be continued. Every government which has tried to govern alien people by force has found it expensive, anil there are no good reasons for believing that the experience of this country will differ in that respect from that of others. o T T

The state of ex-Secretary John! Sherman’s health may be plead by j the administration as an excuse! for his having been absolutely ig- j nored in the Dewey ceremonies, I but the old gentleman has given i out a vigorous interview against; the suggestion that the 17. S. should attempt to mediate between England and the Transvaal Repubic to prevent the war which seems almost certain to come, which shows that his intellect is still in good working order. The Transvaal authorities thought they made a shrewd move when they selected Col. J. R. O’Beirne, a

prominent republican pofitkam of New York, to be their diplomatic representative in Washington, tot it hasn’t accomplished anything, because of a rule of the State Department, forbidding the recognition of an American citizen as the diplomatic representative of • foreign government. O’Beirne is in Washington, but he has received no official recognition. He intimates that he intends bringing political pressure to bear upon Hr. McKinley when he returns, and expresses the belief that Mr. McKinley will overrule the State Department and recognize him in his diplomatic capacity. If he does, look out for squalls.