Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-12-15
WASHINGTON Letter.
| From our Regular Correspondence

to light by the first week of the SEES
sion Of congress is the audacity OF the
agents Of the lobby which is irving to
prevent the annexation of Hawaii. 1t
is only necessary for a senator or
representative of prominence to ex-
press in private conversation the
slightest doubt Of the wisdom of an
nexation to have these agents an
nounce through such newspapers as
they control or by hook or crook
obtain space in-cash is unuuestion-
ably paid in some instances-that
| the senator or representative in
| question is stralning every nerve to
defeat annexation. They have thus
mlsrepresented 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 re-
suit In making more votes for annexa-
ton than against it. This lobby was
started by the sugar trust, bu5 there
are reasons for believing that por-
ton Of the money it is spending so
literally comes from the secret funds
OF three foreign nations that desire to
prevent annexation, but have no
| reasonable excuse for attempting to
| do SO openly. Some of the Demo
cratic senate who talk the loudest
against trusts, during a campaign,
are acting in concert with the sugar
trust now. La fact, with two excep-
tions, German and Morgan, all the
Democratic senators appear to have
landed, bag and baggage, in the lob
bylsts' camp. Senator Davis, of Min
nesota, chairman Of the committee
on foreign relations, which has
charge OF the treaty, is thoroughly
| confident that annexation will be &C
complished through the treaty, and
bsolutely certain that bill provid-
ing for annexation can be passed by
both senate and house, should the
| power of the lobby be sufficient to
prevent the ratification of the treaty.
1t Is his intention to push the matter
to a conclusion in the senate at the
earliest possible moment.
The house committee on appropriate
| tlOns broke the record when it re-
ported the pension appropriation
| bill to the house this week, thus fur
nishing evidence that Chairman
Cannon and the Industrious members
of his committee intend to do their
! part towards pushing the imperative
business Of the session, in order to
help along the project for early ad-
journment, which is generally favored
by Republicans. The pension bill
carries $141 ,218, $50, of which $14O.-
100000 is for the payment of pen
sions.
1t has already been made appar-
ent that a serious attempt is going
to be made at this session of congress
to modify the civil service rules.
President 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, Republicans in congress
do not feel that they are antagonlz-
ing him or the party platform in tax
Ing part In this movement, although
so good Republican as Representa-
tive Johnson, of Indiana, has told
them in speech in reply to General
Grosvenor, of Ohio, that he disagreed
with them. General Grosvenor's
idea, which he will endeavor to get
through in the shape of a BILL is that
the only employees of the government
who should be embraced by the civil
service rules are the clerks, whose
duties are executive, in the depart
ments at Washington and employees
of the postal service in all branches.
All other positions he desires to have
thrown open and the Democrats
who now hold fully nine-tenths Of
them thrown out to make room for
Republicans.
President McKinley's being detained
at Canton by his sad duty has not
in any manner Inconvenience con-
gress, as he arranged all matters re-
quiring his personal attention before
starting upon his last trip to the
bedside Of his dying mother Every
where his name is mentioned the
deepest sympathy is expressed for
him.
The committee on banking and
currency has obtained permission
from the house to sit daily during
sessions Of the house. and will at once
endeaVor to agree upon one or more
bills embodying portions Of the fnan-
clal recommendations made by the
president IN mis- annual message and
i by Secretary Gage in bis annual re-
4 port to congress. Secret airy Gage
has been asked to put his ideas into
a bill and submit it to the committee.