Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-07-14
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent

| lFrOm our Regular Correspondent
! WASHINGTON, July 9, 1S97.-The
Republicans of the house did not give
the Democrats any opportunity to
interpose any obstacles when the
tariff bill was returned from the
senate, which passed it by vote of
38 to 20. They had their own
quorum, and as soon as the bill was
received Representative Dingley's
motion to disagree to the senate
amendments and to send the bill to
conference was promptly adopted
1t IS not possible to say at this time
how long the bill will remain in con-
terence, but senator's and representa-
tlves who are In positions to know
express the opinion that an agree
ment will be reached inside of ten
days, and possibly much sooner.
President McKinley's special mes
sage recommending legislation for the
appointment Of currency commits
sion to report needed changes is no
new departure. 1t is exactly in line
with the views he expressed in his in
augural address.
The senate committee on foreign
relations this week favorably report
ed a resolution authorizing the pres
ident to take such measures as be
may deem necessary to obtain in
demniCy from Spain for the wrongful
arrest of two naturalized American
citizens by Spanish authorities at
Santiago de Cuba in 1895. The reso-
luton plainly intimates that force
should be used, if necessary, to COM
pei Spaip to pay the indemnity which
she has refused in these cases.
The treaty for the annexation Of
Hawaii will probably be reported to
the senate at the present session, but
men bers Of the committee on foreign
relations are reticent AS to whether
an attempt will be made to get a
vote on IT a once.
Secretary Gage this week issued
regulations to govern the submission
OF plans by architects in the competi-
tons the government will hold when
ever a new public building is to be
erected. Under them at least five
architects will be requested to sub
nit competitive plans, specifications
and drawings for each building, with
the understanding that all of them
may berejected if not satisfactory to
the secretary. The successful archi-
tect will not only have his plans
bought by the government, but will
be employed to supervise the con-
struction of the building. The first
buildings under the competitive plan
will be at Camden, n. J., and Nor
folk, Va. 1t is hoped that this
method will result in a marked i'm
proyemen in the architecture of
public buildings.
According to the latest version of
the matter. it was more because he
was not informed of the negotiation
of the treaty before it was made
public that the japanese minister
got mad than because Of the treaty
itself. The minister had been especi-
ally directed by his government to
keep track Of any negotiations look
ing to annexation, and his failure to
send theinformation to Japan before
1t was sent there as matter of public
news has given him black eye at
home which may even result in his
being recalled in disgrace. He sought
to help himself by the wording of his
protest, but Secretary Sherman's
answer thereto blocked his efforts in
that direction. Poor fellow! He
isn't any better buffer than he is a
news gatherer.