The herald., 1897-02-01
The Friendship Of Nicaragus
Seems Essential
EXTRA SESSION PROBABLE
Speculation as to N.w Tariff Legislation
by June LIST
Speaker Reeds 0pposltloa to the MlasraI
Lsnd Bill
When Will the Secretary Of the Treas
ury Pay Out That $4,000 for
the Los Angeles Post
Office?

O0lCcs
Especial Correspondence to The Herald. }
WASHINGTON. d. c., Jan. 25.-The
advocates OF the Nicaragua canal bill
were as badly frightened Friday by the
appearance in the senate of the letter
from the minister Of the great Republic
Of Central America as were the guests
at the Seeley dinner in New York when
Captain Chapman pounced in upon
them. There was no Little Egypt to
scream, no Cora Routt to run away,
holding her scanty garments in both
hands In an endeavor to shield her ex-
hibitory form from the eyes of the in
truders; but CONSERVATION was there
just the same. The only difference was
that in the one instance water was the
subject under discussion, and in the
other champagne was the subject under
digestion. This letter purports to con-
vey to a waiting world the naked truth
regarding the canal; the Seeley dinner
had an element of naked truth about
1t. but unfortunately the world was not
waiting for its appearance. Up to Fri
day morning the chances for the pas
sage Of the bill were very favorable, that
Is. In the senate; but before the sun had
set the props were knocked from under
this house of promise and 1t fell with a
dull thud. The transportation people
smile when reading the report of what
occurred, for cheaper rates to the west
ern coast will not come with the NOR
row and II canal is to be constructed at
all
other people. must build 1t. The bill Is
doomed to die, in fact has died. death
common to many other measures--a sort
Of legislative cholera mixed in with a
little corporation plague, and some day,
II you happen to be visiting the national
capitol you may, II you desire, see where
1t is buried. No doubt the clerk Che
will be Republican and consequently
In favor Of planting the reaviest trees
upon the graves OF all such popular
measures) will take pleasure In plotting
you around through the labyrinth of po-
litical graves, and you viii be aston
ished as you read the epitaphs of so
many important to- -pass-at-once bills.
You will wonder VIII. such popular
measures die so young, and will be in
formed that the disease to which these
pets succumbed is more prevalent among
the young than the old. Still the ghosts
of the departed frequently hover around,
and year after year materialize before
the astonished eyes of the new senator.
Like the old man who daily makes his
way to the house or senate with plans
of his new (?) invention under his arm,
who. though fifty years have elapsed
since he first wended his way up the
hill, still feels that his own particular
scheme Is the panacea for oil national
ills, so too do these SCARED and worn
documents come UP at intervals to an
noy the statesman. Some there are who
lie upon the shelf marked Talked to
DEATH" Others. bearing the thumb
marks of decades. remain dumb wit
nesses of most stirring scenes. The ma
tional capitol Is said to be "a city of
broken hearts" II this be true, then
the capitol is a cemetery for broken
promises, shattered hopes and ill-made
vows. Beneath its dome. towering above
all else, save the white shaft that is the
last to bid the sun good night-the mon
ument-rest the idols of mems ambi-
tions. Time, though it makes no mark
upon the beautiful marble building,
passes quickly. and with approaching
age comes weakness and lassitude to
those who entered there firm of step and
with desire to write upon their coun-
trys page cheering word to those who
follow on; and yet the days have sped
until at last the night is reached and
still unsatfshed, ambition looks forward
to its idol with longing, anxious eyes.
Men die and bills die with them, and
by-and-by they are forgotten and others
rise up to take their places. Just so
here; the canal bill is dead; 1t has de-
parted; and with II went the prayers,
the desires, the hopes of some, the self
graduation of others.
This afternoon Senator Morgan is
having conference at the state depart
ment ana the supporters of the bill think
tnere Is now u better chance Of passing
IT than there was some DAYS ago. Still.
! am among those who believe the bill
Is dead, at least for this session. At first
Mr.. Morgan objected to anv amend.
ments being offered, but It is understood
that ne has agreed to some and it NAV
be that the senate will act uponTfhe
measure soon Some senators who were
iavoraply inclined towards the bill are
now opposing 1t because of the letter tn
Mr.. Rodriquez, as they assert, and
truly, that 1t would be useless to a..
tempt to try to construct the canal with
out the friendship OF Nicaragua.
EXTRA SESSION.
There Is good deal Of talk bo,,t tba
extra session to be called in March nsxt
and It seems to be the opinion of manv
that 1t will be bad policy to call an, extra
sesslon Al tnis time I was talking with
several Republican senators SATURDAY,
and they all expressed the opinion that
II Mckinley convenes congress In, March
importers will flood this country with
foreign made goods, and that there
will be little beneft derived from such a
course. Every Industry all over tbs
cour'try Is clamoring for higher rates
of duty, and although 1t is believed mat
q new tariff law could be enacted hv |
June 1st, still If these various Industries
are to- be gives hearing, and IL their
wants are to be attended to. conrresu
VIII be in session late into the summer
II seems to be the desire Of many to let /
matters run alorJg as they are. Busine AZ
VIII adjust itself and when the next
regular session begins the question of |
new tariff can be discussed without haste |
and new bill framed which viii |
more fully represent the ideas OF the Re
publicans than any measure that could |
Pc passed this spring. The raisin grow |
ZEE ol CaMfornia are asking for thrse-
cent duty, which. by the way. tllev viii /
not obtain Mary eSforie0aisisr i,,s, ~, ]. s..