New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-10
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
THE PRESIDENTS VACATION IN MARYLAND

ROCAL TRADE WITH THE LATIN-AMERICAN
STATES - POsTMAsTERGEYERAL WAN
AMAKER AND THE SHIPPING
BILLs-Ex SENATOR sPooNER
NAVAL STUDY ABROAD.
Washington, March 0.-The President will be
absent in Maryland this week. He expects to
return about Saturday. He will remain here for
a few days. and then will determine the date of
his departure for the Pacific Coast II is not yet
determined what members OF the Cabinet will
go with him. II is possible that Secretary Proc
tor will accompany him the latter part of his
journey. as the inspection of military posts will
take the Secretary as far West as Arizona. Secrc-
tary Proctor left here this afternoon for ChicSa-
manga. This is for the purpose OF going over
the battle-ground which Congress has made arrange
ments to reserve for future time park. This
battle-ground will also be fully laid out and
marked off with monuments and tablets, lndi-
eating the places Of the various divisions of troops
on both sides II will be o monumental map of
the engagement.
II is possible q proclamation may be made by
the President before he goes West which will
indicate further steps taken in the direction of
trade with Latin America. II is expected that
the Cuban treaty will be the next one. IL is not
responsible for the idea of the Aldrch amend
mcnt. which gives to him to-day the power TO
negotiate these trade arrangements without going
TO Congress for ratification. The House took OIL
the tax on sugar, in spite of the protests of Mr..
Blaine. Ii then looked as if the reciprocity plan
proposed by the Secretary Of State would be
lost The President, who is an experienced lawyer.
and used to dcvising means to meet n sudden de-
vclopment in a case found that the reciprocity
policy could be saved only by permitting this
legislation to stand. No matter what representa-
tons might have been made the House would
never have consented to n restoration Of the sugar
tax. Several Republican leaders who sympathizcd
with the reciprocity policy consulted with the
President as 10 what was best TO be done. MI
Blaine was absent at Bar IIarbor. The President
suggested that it would he well TO let the matter
stand and 10 prevail on Congress 10 confer upon
him the authority to put the tax back on sugar
upon impOrtations from countries which should
refuse TO make concessions 10 the | nited States.
In this way the reciprocity policy was made
possible, and under this plan the President re-
ccvcd legal authority 90 act where. had the tax
been left on. it would have been unconstitutional
to have conferred the authority upon him TO I'M
Dose a tax upon the product of a nation which ne
did not wish 70 favor.
The advantage of this arrangement as 1t now
stands is great The President is absolute in the
matter and does not have TO 90 10 the Senate Tor
approval Of his official action. The necessity ioi
such authority Is well illustrated in the policy oil
CONGRESS The interests There are ~ diverse tha'
il 10 amos impossible 10 secure the Ratification "t
any commercial treaty. Several attempts have
been made 10 ratify reciprocity agreements with
Canada They have always failed in the Scnat"
The treaty made with Spain by Minister Foster
cmbodying the principles governing the trade oil
Cuba and Porto Rico, which the President has
now the power 10 regulate, was rejected ny the
Senate In fact. since the passage OF the Hawaiian
treaty some years ago, the senate has not APP
proved any treaty which is commercial in its char
acter. The plan gives Of course, great power
to the President. but long as II is used for the
extension of trade and not for its restriction no
possible fault can he found
Postmaster General Wanamakcr said at the out
set Of CONGRESS that he did not believe any legs-
atlon I'm the direction OF aiding our shipping in
tcrcsts could ne secured beyond the postal sub
sidy for steamship lines which has recently been
granted. He opposed the Shipping bill pure and
simple hcc,usr he thought it could not he carried
and because II went too ar for the beginning ~
an experiment. He wished TO conlinc his first
step 10 IA liciouS disbursement Of thr surplus
The profit in This service is now in the neigh
borhood Of S2.oOO,000. Mr. Wannm1ker has
shown great conservatism iu the management 81
hi, Department and is constant object ~ interest
= TIE commercial men Of tie country. as he IL the
sole representative to-day i'm the Cabinet of the
out-aud-out business clement. lie Is in charge of
one Of the Departments which requires the most
intimate knowledge Of thc husi'rs, affairs OF the
country, and his success at tie head Of this De
iar'mrnt las more than iustihe hi, selection. He
adhcrps Loyalty 10 his idea Of desiring - use the
telegraph lines in connection with the postal ser
vice He says that he does not see any reason
why the Postonlcr Department should not have
tie telegraph privilege aided 70 It's facilities for
transmitting intelligence II was one of his ideas
10 adopt. if possible, th@ telegraph postcard. which
is uscl III France. This postcard has flap which
pcra.itS tine message % be hidden and sealed. II
is then transmitted telegram. and for local
business results in great Swing Of time. The
cost Of such telegram in Paris is fifty ccntmcs.
or ten cents Of our money. The number Of words
in "a message is limited only to the space of the
card. Such an improvement this would be of
great advantage IN the postal service. but it is
doubtful whether or not the next House will APP
prove any such suggestion. Mr.. Wanamakcr has
never sought to come in conflict with the West
ern Union Telegraph Company. He has never adj
yocated the purchase Of existing telegraph lines.
but ha, seen no reason why the telegraph should
not be used also by the Government.
Ex-senator SpOoncr, who leaves Washington
for Wisconsin to-day, will not accept any APP
pointmrut at the hands Of the Admnsi ration.
lie has never been candidate for any of the
numerous places for which his name has been
mentioned Tic President has desired T. honor
him. and has consulted him frequently In con-
nection with the important appointments which
he has been called upon - make in the last few
weeks The President has had -. greatest conf
dcncc in the abilities of the Young Wisconsin
Senator. and las deemed him equal In point Of
ability 10 the highest Offices that he has had in his