The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-01-30
WASHINGTON LETTER.


Regular Correspondence of the WING.
WAsuINaroN, Jan. %, 1897
II John Bull is really behind that sensa-
tionaI protest against the Nicaragua Canal
bill made to Secretary Olney by the Minister
Of tho Greater Republic Of Central America,
and s~nt t. the Senate by Secretary Olney,
John Bull has made "a break by showing mis-
| band too soon. OF course the protest, by
showing that the government Of Nicaragua
already regards the Canal Company rs having
forfeit, q all the concessions granted it hy that
government will kill the present Nicaragua
/ Canal bill, hut it will also go much further.
1t my kill the arbitration treaty recently
negotiated between the United States and
Great Britain. 1t has been openly charged
on the floor of the Senate that English diplO-
macy was working through the combination
of these three little Central American Re-
pnhlics to put England in Il position where it
could either control or have share in con-
trolling the Nicaragua ship canal. This may
or may not be true. but 50 long as there are
grounds of suspicion, there will be danger
that the arbitration treaty will be rejected 10y
the Senate. If there IS one policy upon which
tn" Senate is practically Il unit, it is that the
Nicaragua Canal shall. if ever completed. be
controlled by the United States, and if it be
shown that this question might have to be
submitted to arbitration with the casting vote
in the hands OF a European monarch, then
goodbye to the arbitration treaty The Sen
ators who have openly protested against the
| pu1Ilir rIn,nOr for jmmplintp Of
the treaty on the ground that it was too i'm
| portaut Il matter to be hurrcdy acted upon.
regard this Nicaragua Canal incident Us II
vIndicnton Of their position. Secretary OInry
| however doesn't take that view OF it. and
would not have been So prompt i'll sending
that protest to the Senat" had be supposed
that 1t you'll cau." additional delay il acting
On the treaty.
SumooE his colleagues are inclined t. Pc.
fun at Senator PETER br,au~n of the petition
Iron Kansas P"pu!i~ts against increasing the
salaries 81 Senator's aud Representatives aud
"NU"n'!iu- tine term of the President. he has
| pres utrd ~imc,' ho WIS defeated. and an eN-
Confederate elected tn bo lbs -uccrssor.
! Tn"r' l~u't tn" slightest probability that the
! bal a. JHc."dsy the salaries Of Senators and
| Representatives will even be seriously con
sidered but Senator P'tI"ris iorulary accused
o. holding back those petitions uuti! Il" knew
lie woula have to leave the senate.
| 10 refusal to appoint II woman to a vacant
9la00 cicrkship i'll the War Department, for
which she had passed Il very difficult exami-
nation and was tn" only one eligible under
CiTii Service rules, is Likely to make the sub
| jert of u Congressional investigation. The
eXaminat on required that the applicant
should be able to translate into English mill
tarv works in French, German. Italian and
! spanish; to do typewrting in all of tn Sc
languages; to DO proof-readns and prepare
manuscript for the press; TO be familiar with
library methods, catalogulng, lndcNing, etc. {;
also to hc tested in the use of English Ian
suag" aud literary composition Miss Maud
| Stalnakrr. of Washington. u. c.. WAS the
only one who was able to pass the examin;l-
ton, but the War Department refuses to ap.
| p'jui her to tie position because she is Il
Wonan.
| So much has been written about the lack o.!
''ShiAN va wv I'''A VI ~ 49, l't'''l
billy" Mason. nf Illinois. who was last week.
named by the Legislature as senator Palmer,
succresor that his friends are rightfulIy b"
ginning to protest. Mr.. Mason is popular il
Washington. He is n man Of fine instincts,
and it is merely his love for II good story aud
a hearty laugh traits of Lincoln that caused
him to be called uudignined. One of the
Illinois Representatives gives this picture of
him that will be ut once recognized by all
who know him: He is one of the readits
gentlemen | ever knew to do Il favor for a
friend Trouble doesn't count with Billy
Mason when asked to render service by any
one who has claim on his good will. l have
seen that trait of his nature eXcmpliied a
hundred times. There is big hcaItednccs
and sunny disposition about the man that
attracts all who are thrown into his company
He will make good Senator even if he docs
lack in conventionality and owlish dignity
The vacancy in the Senate from Delawn e
is going to cause fight at the present session.
Whether it will be three cornered fight is
vet TO be settled. The Committee on Fec
tons has not reported on the petition of
Colonel Dupont to have his application for
the seat rC-opened; the credentials OF Mr..
Addicks. who claims to have been elected by
one of the Delaware Legislatures sitting last
week, have already been presented to the
Senate and those Of Mr.. kenney. the silver
Democrat who claims to have been elected
by the other Legislature, will be presented
this week, and presented. too, by Senator
Gray the Cleveland Democrat