Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-11-24
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, November 19, 1897
Owing to the nearneSS of the assemb-
ling of congress President Mckinley
has been compelled to announce his
inability to see any callers, except
those with whom be wishes to confer,
until he finishes his annual message
to congress. In order to show that
this would give no advantage to any
particular seekers after appointments
it was at the same time announced
that no more important appoint
ments would be made until after con-
gress convenes. The president has his
message well under way and hopes
to get 1T finished in about two weeks.
Secretary Wilson is much pleased
at the action Of Attorney General
Mckenna In refusing to compromise a
number of cases against firm for
violating the law against selling oleo-
margarine as butter. Speaking of
the case he said: II am gratifed
that the government is giving evidence
that 1t will strictly enforce the law
The scientists in the agricultural col
leges are teaching the people the best
way to make fine butter and the
buyer should know whether he is buy,
ing butter or oleomargarine. There
must be Some means of distinguishing
the two. [ do not say that it IS
wrong to sell Oleomargarine, but that
it is wrong to sell it as butter, and
every means should be taken to en-
force the law in this regard. There
Is no question but that oleOmargar-
Inc is injurious. The more that is
used Of it the more is the public
harmed"
The senators and Representatives
who will have most to do with shap-
ing the program of the coming session
of congress are having the least to
say IN the newspapers about what
that program Is likely to be. That
the recommendations Of President
MrKlnley's message will be followed
to as great an extent as the Republi-
can leaders can bring about, is rea-
sonably certain. There isn't likely
to be any marked division in the
Republican ranks.
The coming to Washington Of Sir
Wlltred Laurler, the Canadian prem
Ter, and other Canadian officials was
social success, but viewed from the
statesman's standpoint it was at
best partial failure. 1t seems that
SirWiltred ought to have known in ad-
vance that he could not succeed in
bluffing the United States into buying
Canada's consent to the negotia ton
Of a treaty that would resultin STOP
ping open sea sealing for time, with
Canada-favored reciprocity treaty
and the concession of other things
that are in dispute between the two
governments. If he didn't he must
have been a much surprised man at
the promptness with which he was
enlightened when he made his bluff.
Ex-Secretary Foster, who has been in
charge Of the interests OF the United
States In these sealing negotiations,
says we gained material victory in
the agreement which was reached by
the sealing experts and that the ne
gotlations with the Canadian govern
ment will be continued, and that he
believes the contentious Of the United
States will sooner or later be recog-
niZed.
1t has often been said that there
was no limit to Democratic audacity,
and new proof of the assertion may
be found In the change of the Demo-
cratic stories about Senator Hanna.
Having ascertalned that all of their
attempts to split the Ohio Republi-
cans into Hanna and anti-Hanna fac
tions had miserably failed, and that
Mr.. Hanna's election to the senate
was assured, they are now unblush-
ingly saying that Mr.. Hanna is to be
elected because the Democratic mem
bers of the Ohio legislature refused to
enter deal with the Republican mem
bers alleged to be opposed to Mr.. Han
ma for the purpose of electing some
other Republican to thesenate. If ~
ing will get them out. the concocters
of these stories will never remain in
a hole long. But really, isn't this sort
OF thing disgusting to decent men, re-
CARELESS of their politics?