Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-03-09
From our regular Correspondent.l
Washington Letter.

WASHINGTON, d. c.. Feb. 81, 1898.
The President is not losing any sleep
because Of the failure of the Senate to
ratify the treaty providing for the annexa-
ton of Hawaii. and of the report that
nearly one-half of the Senate is opposed to
its present ratification, some of them
mostly Republicans-because they doubt
the wisdom of immediate annexation, be-
lieving protectorate preferable; and
others-mostly Democrats-because they
do not wish the credit of acquiring the
islands to go to the Republican administra-
ton. Mr.. Harrison has done what he
conceived to be his duty in negotiating the
treaty and in sending message to the
Senate recommending that 1t be immedi-
ately ratified. When that was done the
responsibility was transferred from him to
the Senate, and there he is willing to leave
hand in this business, but the sudden
change of mind among the Democratic
Senators, some of whom were only few
days ago clamoring for prompt action, Is
to say the least suspicious. Some people,
but your correspondent is not one Of them.
believe that Judge Gresham Is responsible
for the failure of the Senate to act, and
that he is opposed to annexation for no
better reason than that it is favored by
Mr.. Harrison.
Unless there Is radical backdown on
the part Of the friends OF the Sherman
amendment to tie Sundry Civil Appropria-
ton bill, authorizing the Sec. of the Treas
ury to issue 8 per cent. bonds, IL he con-
sders it necessary, an extra session of
Congress will have to be called. This
bill is now being considered by the House,
and the ultra silver men are apparently
determined to Kill the whole bill by fiji
clustering If the Sherman amendment can
not be defeated in any other way, and II
cannot be, unless its Iriends-a majority
OF the House-will consent to its defeat,
and there is no present indication that
they will do that Republicans do not
favor an extra session, because they do
not believe that 1t will be advantageous to
the business interests of the country, al
though from strictly political stand
point it would be extremely advantageous
TO the Republican party.
The President has issued the usual pro-
Clamation Couveniug the Senate in extra
session at noon on the 4th day of March
This extra session is called 10 act upon the
nominations made by the new President,
but 1t may In this case also act upon tie
Hawaiian annexation treaty, unless Mr.
Cleveland withdraws it or 1t shall be acted
upon before then.
Secretary Foster made, on Saturday, 3
supplementary report on the condition OF
the Treasury to the House Ways ana
Means committee. in which q reduction in
his previous estimates was made. He said
that when he made his previous estimat,
he had not made allowance for the pay
ment of the Choctow Indian claim, which
VIII take about s. 900 900, and that re-
ceipts from customs had already fallen
below his estimate because of the expecta
ton of early changes in the tariff law. Ii,
also told the committee that he thought ii
probable a deficit would exist in II t,cal
year beginning July |, 1894, and that il he
were to remain at the heaG of the Treas
ury Department he would Ike to have an
addition of $50 900 900 TO the balance
So 900 900 of which he would use to
maintain the gold reserve. The Secretary
takes no stock in the wild talk about the
danger of panic, either now or in the
near future. Such talk has been persist
emily put forward by those who expect TO
ben. III by financial scare and It's couse
queut fleet upon the commercial interests
Of the country 1t is creditable to America
that the most of these financial jackals ami
vulture> are foreigners, without interest
in the United States. further than the
money they can make.
Speaker Crisp was guilty of bit of
usurpation the other day that would have
been cried from the Democratic house tops
had he been a Republican. 1t came about
this way The House committee on
Elections decided BY party vote the con.
tested election case of Miller VS. Elliott
in favor OF the >iuing Democrat of course
and instructed Mr. Paynter, of Kentucky,
to prepare the majority report and Mr.
johnson Of Indiana, the minority report.
Mr. johnson, although sick in bed, pre-
pared his report, and took it down to the
House although advised against leaving
hi, room by his physician, only to be in
formed that the majority report had
not been prepared and would not be
until this week. Knowing that to mean
that the ma jority report would prob
ably never be made. Mr.. Johnson pre-.
,ented his report to the House and 1t was
BY vote ordered printed. He was sur
prl-ed an hour later to be Informed by the
printing clerk that Speaker Crisp had is
sued an order forbldding the printing OF
the report until the maj jprlty report was
presented. Mr.. johnson was naturally
Indignant, and he went to Speaker Crisp
and called his attention to the fact that
The House had ordered his report printed.
and that the Speaker had no authority to
suppress it. All the same the Speaker did
suppress it. How is that for czarism?