Show WOLCOTT VS GAGE will McIE Unley bo be forced to choo between thern them washington dec 27 the political sensation of the holidays has been tho the reported estrangement of senator wolcott and several other western senators froni from the administration owing to the continued efforts of secretary gage to more thoroughly fasteau tho the gold standard dard upon the country which at least Wol cotts friends aver seem 0 to have the silent endorsement of tho the president for some days rumors of a coming strife have been prevalent and it Is this that tha t senator chandler had reference reference to in his public letter warning the administration to suppress the secretary of the treasury under penalty of losing tho the support of the silver republicans in tho the senate denote senator wolcott refuses to bo be interviewed and his continued silence in the face of such grave statements hits has made the conviction stronger that there is foundation for the stories A republican senator is authority tor for tho the report that senator wolcott early in january will make a speech on the subject of international bimetallism and on tho the money question in general acner gc ner in which he will formally sever his relations with the republican party and announce his purpose to act with some party which favors the free coinage of silver by independent as ac tion on the part of th this n government ue he will say that there is no longer the tha slightest prospect of restoring silver by international agreement that tile the financial contest henceforth in this country will be a battle between the standards and that ho be prefers silver his speech will be something upon tho the order of a speech made by senator teller at st louis but will be far more eloquent and dramatic it is expected that a number 0 of republican senators who have heretofore supported the will follow mr wolcott in giving notice that they can no longer act with the republican party among these senators are carter of montana dark clark of wyoming warren ot of wyoming and wilson of washington g t in the desertion of these senators will reduce the administrations strength in the senate to less than two fifths of that body it will probably mean that no serious effort will be made during the present session to pass any financial legislation through the senate the position in which senator wolcott is placed is well understood by all those who realize tho the peculiar situation which has developed with respect to tho the administration and monetary commission of which the Colora doan is chairman either president mckinley I 1 and secretary oage gage are at variance or senator wolcott and his sym sy are utterly deceived as to the presidents attitude mr wolcott has sinco since his return from europe talked long and earnestly with the president and he defends the president while taking a 0 position of open antagonism to secretary gage the assertion is made by mr wol cotts sympathizers that secretary gago gage misrepresents the administration and that if it were not lor for the political disturbance it would cause mr gage might retire from the cabinet this statement which Is now made privately it is likely will be made publicly bea before re long if this is done the Is sue will be raised and the th public will know the facts the result will probably be that mr wolcott will find that he has misunderstood the position of the president and will then dramatically announce his indignation at the administration the president preside at can hardly be in sympathy with both secretary gage and the colorado senator a as gage stands simply fo fot gold and wolcott tor for silver As things are now tending the president will have to break with one or the other of them and unless ho he is misunderstood by the leaders of his party and persons person closest to him the break will not be with the secretary atho treasury |