The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-03-27
Washington Letter.



Secretary Smiths exercising his dis.
erection about opening to public settle.
entsome 2,0O0. .O0o acres of land which
was part of an Indian reservation in
Utah was the cause of his being abused
to = considerable extent on the floor OF
the Senate this week. These lands
contain valuable deposits of asphalt
enough it is said to supply the demand
for the entire county for years to come.
And Senator Gordon stated in reply to
the criticism Of Secretary Smith for
not opening the lands to the public
that it was only because the Secretary
wished TO protect the interests of the
government against rapacious persons
and corporations seeking to control
these deposits, and because he believed
that the government ought to receive
some benefit, either by royalty or 9th.
erwise for these mineral deposits that
he had not opened the lands to settle
ment. Senator Villas, who became IA
miliar with the subject while he was
Secretary of the Interior, also defended
the policy adopted by Secretary Smith.
Senator Vest joined the repu blicans in
criticising Secretary Smith.
If the republicans Of the House were
not made ashamed of themselves by
Representative McCreary's speech
against the adoption of the resolutions
censuring Ambassador Bayard. which
he declared were prompted by preju-
dice and partisanship," they are not
constituted Gas other men are. OIL
course Mr.. McCreary had no idea of
the action which he knew
had been fully determined upon be-
fore the resolutions were reported to
the House, but he had the satisfaction
Of showing the action up in all its lit
tleness and narrowness
The Cuban resolutions are just where
they were week ago. The
attempt to have them returned to con,
ference in order that objections raised
by Senator Hill, Hawley and others
might be met by changing them was
defeated at this weeks meeting of the
Senate committee on Foreign Rela-
ions.
President Cleveland celebra ted his
ifty-ninth birthday on Wednesday,
he 18th inst.
Ex-Gov, Campbell, OF Ohio. who has
,een in Washington for several days,
'uts positive end to talk about his
,eing the Presidential candidate of the
'arty by declaring that he will under
10 circumstances allow his name to go
'efore the Chicago convention. He
hus added force to the advice he gives
he Democratic party in relation to the
oming National convention. he says:
Every man who goes to the convention
s delegate should go pledged to sup
ort the candidate and accept the plat
orm of that convention. mo matter
Who may be named ito make the can
ass; no matter what the platform may
ontain, they should be accepted, and
he only hope of party continuation
les in their acceptance. A delegate
Vho goes to Chicago with the intention
o stay if the majority agree with him
nd accept his candidate or make his
latform, whether on finances, tariff,
r what else; who means to bolt if his
otion of men and measures is voted
own. is traitor in advance. He has
o business in the convention. He
aould stay at home" II
1t was made perfectly clear 1T this
,eek's meeting of the House commit
ee on Naval Affairs that the de mo-
rats favor a larger increase in our
svy than the republicans do. The
enocrats on the committee, led by
mos Cummings, who was chairman
the committee in the last House,
,anted to provide for the building of
x battleships and 25 torpedo boats,
ut the mos, they could get the repub-
can majority of the committee to ,
gree to was four battleships and Is
,rpedo boats.
1t 10 denied that the dinner and re-
option given by the British Ambassa- {
or this week in honor Of Secretary
nd Mrs. 0lney had an international
olitical meaning, and stated that IL