Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-02-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
~, onr Regular Correspondent

1,,om Our Regular Correspondent
The senate did wise thing when
81. defeated the amendment offered
TO the military appropriation bill
appropriating the cost of transpor-
tation Of the West Point cadets to
and from Washington, in order that
they might be allowed to appear
in the Inauguration day parade.
In the FIRST place, spending money
for such a purpose is an extrava-
gapce at any time, and doubly so
:at this time when, as Senator
Stewart pointed out, thousands of
our people are in need Of the ac-
tual necessities of life. In the next
place the military forces of the
government should not be allowed
to take any part in the inaugura-
ton oe a president. The presence
of the United States troops no.
doubt adds to the pleasure ofthose
who view the parade, but all the
same they ought not to be there.
It is bad idea, and the precedent
of having a few United States
troops in the parade to give it
variatv. which we have been setting
in this generation, may some day be
taken advantage Of by unscrupu-
lous men by bringing enough of
them to Washington to forcibly
inaugurate some man who had not
gone through the formality of be-
ing elected by the people. In my
humble opinion it would he wise
precaution FOR congress to pass a
bill prohibiting armed troops.
whether state or national, from
coming inside the corporate limits
OF Washington on Inauguration
day. The Inauguration Of presi-
dent isn't a military function and
the military should have nothing
whatever to do with it.
That arbitration treaty has not
yet been reported to the senate
from the committee on foreign re-
lations, Notwithstanding the pub
lie meetings and showers of tele-
grams and letters IN its behalf.
The general impression is that the
committee will recommend several
amendments to the treaty, setting
forth clearly that it is not to be al
lowed to interfere with our main
tenance of the Monroe doctrine.
The House this week passed the
immigration bill as reported from
the conference committee.
Senator Daniel made a speech
against the Nicaragua Canal bill
this week, opening with this dra-
matte language: "The bill is dead.
The speech of Senator Turpie
killed it, and Minister Rodriguez
has exposed its corpse in the pub
lie morgue." He expressed doubts
as to whether the canal would be
commercial benefit to the United
States if it were constructed, and
declared that the passage OF the
pending bill would in effect put
the United States into the bunco
business. He further pointed out
that after pouring the proposed
hundred million dollars into the
canal the United States could not
maintain exclusive control over it.
Independent OF the C]ayton-Bul-
wer treaty between the United
States and England, there is a
treaty between England and Nicar-
ngua that gives the armies and
navies Of England free access to
tile canal. The speech Of Senator
Daniel was made after Senator
Morgan had introduced amend
ments to the canal bill intended to
meet objections raised by Minister
Rodriguez in behalf Of Nicaragua.
1t is generally believed in Wash
ington that Senator Daniel was
right when he declared the bill
dead.
Some of the senators appear to
have taken second thought about
the bill authorizing the President
70 L.