Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1897-12-13
THE POLITICIAN.

The most astounding thing brought
to light by the first week of the ses-
sion of Congress is the audacity of the
agents of the lobby which is trying to
prevent the annexation of Hawaii. 1t
is only necessary for a Senator or Rep
resentative of prominence to express
in private conversation the slightest
doubt of the wisdom of annexation to
have these agents announce through
such newspapers as they control or
can by hook or crook obtain space in
cash is unquestionably paid in some
instances-that the Senator or Repre-
sentative in question is straining every
nerve to defeat annexation. They
have thus misrepresented Senators
Morrill, and Hoar and Speaker Reed.
1t seems as certain as anything can be
that such audacity is in the end bound
to react upon those who employ it,
and to result in making more votes for
annexation than against it This lob
by was started by the sugar trust, but
there are reasons for belieying that a
portion of the money it is spending SO
literally comes from the secret funds
of three foreign nations which desire
to prevent annexation, but have no
reasonable excuse for attempting to
do so openly. Some of the democratic
Senators who talk the loudest against
trusts, during campaign, are acting
in concert with the sugar trust now. |
In fact, with two exceptions, German
and Morgan, all the democratic Sena-
tors appear to have landed, bag and |
baggage, in the lobbyists camp. Sem
ator Davis, of MINNESOTA, chairman on
Foreign Relations, which has charge |
of the treaty, is thoroughly confident
that annexation will be accomplished
through the treaty, and absolutely
certain that bill providing for annex
alton can be passed by both Senate
and House, should the power of the
lobby be sufficient to prevent the rati-
fcation of the treaty. 1t is his inten-
tion to push the matter to conclusion
in the Senate at the earliest possible
moment.
Senator chandler, chairman of the
committee on Elections and Privileges
says that committee will decide upon
it's report in the Oregon case at its next
meeting and that he has no doubt the
report will be in favor of seating Hon.
II. W. Corbett, as successor to Hon. j.
II. Mitchell, whose term in the Senate
expired last March. If the democrats
who have expressed themselves in favor
of seating MIR. CorOett vote that way
he will be seated. .. ....
The House committee on Appropria-
tions broke the record when it report
ed the Pension Appropriation bill to
the House last week, thus furnishing
evidence that Chairman Cannon and |
the industrious members of his COM
mittee intend to do their part towards
pushing the imperative business of the
session, in order to help along the pro-
ject for early adjournment, which is
generally favored by republicans. The
Pension bill carries s141.21S, $50, OF |
which s14O, 1000, 900 is for the payment
of pensions.
1t has already been made apparent
that serious attempt is going to be
made at this session of Congress to
modify the civil service rules. Presi-
dent Mckinley having stated in his
annual message that he believed many
positions were now embraced by the
civil service rules which ought not to
be, repu blicans in Congress do not feel
that they are antagonizing him or the
party platform in taking part in this
although SO good repub
ican us Representative johnson, of In
Llama, has told them in speech made
n reply to Gen. Grosvenor, of Ohio,
hat he disagreed with them. Gen.
idea, which he will en-
leavor to get through in the shape OF
bill, is that the only employees of the
who should be embraced
~ the civil service rules are the clerks,
whose duties are not executive, in the
departments at Washington and en-
ployes of the postal service in al
branches. All other positions he de-
sires to have thrown open and the
democrats who now fill nine-tenths of
them thrown out 10 make room for re-
publicans.
/ President McKinlsy's being detained r.
It Canton by his sad duty has not In g