The Portland daily press., 1890-12-08
THE LITTLE CAVALRY MAN WASN'T IN 1T
The Alliance Procession and the
Doughty General Wheeler.
How Surgeon General Baxter Waited
Nine Years for Promotion.
Authors Should 8e Thankful for the
New Rules In the House.
Especial to the Press.1

WASHINGTON, December IA Tennessee
member tells an amusing story Of dialogue
with Gen. Wheeler of Alabama, about the
best way of dealing with the Farmers Alli-
ance. Itwas VIII en- the craze first appeared and
itwaseithercOmpromising or sweeping away
many of the Southern Representatives.
"I'll tell you," said the Tennesseean to
Wheeler, "there is only one way to meet
this craze, and that is to smite it. We must
either go under it or behind it. If we do not
1t will ruin u.s."
"Ah, alb, Cont know about that" re-
piled the nervous little cavalryman, who had
been dancing around on one foot and then
on the other, "when l was in the army |
used to tell men to go, and they went, and
to come and they came; but / am not in
the army now"
1t is doubtful whether Gen. Wheeler went
either under or behind the Alliance process
sion.
The career of the late Surgeon General
Baxter furnished an interesting case of
hope deferred by combination Of extraor-
binary circumstances. Gen. Baxter who
went to the war as surgeon of Col. Fletcher
Webster's Massachusetts regiment. Joined
the regular army after the close of the war
and rose to be chief medical purveyor, an
office which he elevated from condition of
little Importance to one of great value and
efficiency. Ten years ago DR.. Baxter was in
line of promotion to the position of surgeon
general. When Gen. Garfield was elected to
the Presidency. DIR. Baxter seemed sure of
the promotion, for Mr.. Garfield was his
friend. Mr.. Garfield made the appointment
of DR.. Baxter personal matter, and had his
nomination all ready to send to the Senate
on the 1st of July, 1881. Something de-
layed the transmission of the nomination,
and before it was sent Guiteau fired the fat
al shot. Another President came in, and
not until this year did Dr. Baxter get the
promotion which so nearly came to him nine
years ago.
1t is thought that the copyright bill has
fair chance of getting through the Senate. If
selves in getting their long hoped for measure
safe in harbor just on the eve of the storm.
1t would be hard to say how many years the
agitation for an international copyright bill
has been going on, but Congress under the
old system of doing business could never
even get to the consideration of the bill. The
present Congress took it up last session, and
after debate 10 The House the bill was de-
feated. But 1t was a gain to get even
chance to consider the bill. and the friends
Of the measure went to work to enlighten |
men who had opposed it as to its real nature.
They were successful. and when the commit |
rt,la hrou my ho hill In
this week it passed. There are said to be a |
majority of senators in favor of 1t, and if a |
protracted contest over the elections bill does |
not prevent the passage of any general mea- |
sures the copyright bill will probably |
become law. The feature of the bill is that |
il permits foreigners to take American copy |
right on the same basis as A Derican citizens |
IN three cases: First, when the nation |
Of the foreigner permits copyright to |
American citizens on substantially
sscond, when the nation of the foreigner
gives to American citizens copyright privil- |
9ges similar to those provided for in this |
bill third, when the nation of the foreigner |
IS party to an International agreement |
providing for reciprocity in copyright, by |
States can become a party thereto at its |
pleasure. IA subsidiary but important pro- |
position of the bill Is that all books copy |
righted ander the proposed act shall be |
printed from type set within the United |
States or from plates made therefrom. There |
has always heeH an unusual amount of pre- |
judice against the bill among certain class |
Df Congressman who come from regions |
where there is not great amount of book |
learning. In general the Weight of the o. |
position came from the Democrats and the |
weight of the support from the Republicans. |
In the next Congress, with its hundred |
majority of Democrats and stockingless |
Alliance men from the West there would |
be little chance for a bill to protect |
he author In the enjoyment of the product |
)f his labor.