The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-05-21
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WAsHNcroN, May 18th, 1896.

iiSS'NSht ClCNClduu HAS DGNct
signed 4 River and Harbor BILL and
there isn't one chance in a thousand
that he will sign the one passed by the
Senate this week, which provides for
spending the unheard of sum, in this
connection, of $7o,ooo,ooo. 1t is
confidently expected that President
Cleveland will veto this bill in ring
ing message, showing the reckless ex-
travagance of the republicans.
There are democratic members of
the A. p. A., but if those who attend
ed the meetings of the Supreme coun-
Gil of that organization, in Washing ton
this week, are not convinced that they
are out of their element it is difficult
to imagine what would convince them.
Not being a member of the organiza-
tion, | cannot vouch for its truth, but
those who are members assert that
Mckinley has bought off the opposi-
ton. Anyway the a. p. A. ism
going to oppose Mckinley.
Secretary Olney has been using
some plain language to Spain in con-
nection with those Americans 1t pro-
posed to execute as the result of a
court martial in Cuba, and he is pre-
pared to talk still palmer if necessary
to prevent punishment out of proper
ton to their offense being given them
at the civil trial which Spain has
promised them.
Not 4 single democratic member Of
the House Committee on Interstate
and Foreign Commerce voted for the
Mahon Nicaragua canal bill, which
was this week ordered to be favorably
reported to the House by that com
mittce. That is creditable to the
democrats on that committee. 1t is
republican bill, founded upon the
republican idea of public subsidies for
private enterprise. 1t might as well
appropriate $Ioo, 900, 900 outright as
to provide for government guarantee
of bonds to that amount, as it does,
SO far as the final result is concerned.
With the example of the Pacific rail
roads before them, the people of the
country shouldgnever endorse another
scheme to loan the public credit to
private corporations. If Congress
regards the building of the Nicaragua
canal as public necessity, let it pro-
vide for buying the interest of the
private company and for having the
canal built by the government. We
have already had enough of the results
government partnership with private
individuals. Car Reed has not yet
indicated whether he will allow this
bill to pass at this session.
Senator Smith of N. J. returned to
Washington more convinced than ever
that the democrats can win this year
if they exercise care and discretion
Speaking Of the State convention in
New Jersey he said "The democrats
=, gathered at Trenton with as much vim
and spirit as they ever did. There
were plenty of candidates for delegates
to the National Convention, and
among the rank and file there was a
general opinion that if the National
Convention would only do the right
thing on the money question, there
was hope of carrying New York, and
that Connecticut and New Jersey
would certainly be in the democratic
fold"
Railroad men as rule regard polit-
ical conventions merely for the money
they put into their Golfers by the in
crease in travel. Hence, these words
of prominent railroader, now in
Washington, contain not little en-
couragement for democrats "The
premature capture of the republican
nomination by Mckinley is killing
interest in st. Louis convention, but
the railroads will do much better bust
ness on account of the Chicago con-
vention. The contest over the fnan-
cial question will be sure to attract
interest and spectators, and although
Chicago didn't know it at the time,
she got much the best convention SO
far as attendance is concerned"
The democratic Senators-Harris,
Vest and Walthall-who form the
majority of the subcommittee of the
Senate Finance committee, which has
been designated by Senator Morrill,
that foxy old republican, to investigate
the issues of bonds by this adminstra
tion under the resolution adopted by
the Senate, are too smart to fall into
trap which has been set for them by
the republicans. They were selected
because of their being silver demo
Gratis, with the hope that they would
use the investigation to widen the
financial breach in the democratic
patty. The other members of TIL
subcommittee are Jones of Nevada
and Platt of Conn. Secretary Car