Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-02-01

Washington. Jan. 25th, 1897.

W OOsessSyCO5ts JUL. 1OUtS 4OOfs
If John Bull is really behind that
sensational protest against the Near
aqua Canal Bill, made to Secretary
Oiney by the Minister of the Greater
Republic of Central America, and
sent to the Senate by Secretary Oh
ney, John Bull has made a break by
showing his hand too soon. Of course
che protest, by showing that the gov
eminent of Nicaragua already regards
the Canal company az having forfeit
ed all the concessions granted it by
that government, will kill the present
Nicaragua Canal bill, but it will also
go much further. 1t may kill the ar
duration treaty recently negotiated
between the United States and Great
Britain. It has been openly charged
on the floor of the Senate that Engl-
ish diplomacy was working through
the combination of those three little
central American Republics to put
England in position where it could
either control or have share in con-
trolling the Nicaragua canal. This
may or may not be true, but SO long
as there are grounds for suspicion,
there will be danger that the arbitra-
ton treaty will be rejected by the
Senate. If there is one policy upon
whichethe Senate is practically 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 cas-
ting vote, in the hands of European
monarch, then goodbye to the arbi-
tration treaty. The Senators who
have openly protested against the
public cIamor for immediate ratiflca-
ton of the treaty, on the ground that
it was too important matter to be
nurriedly acted upon, regard this Nj
caragua canal incident as vindica-
ton of their position. Secretary Oh
ney, however, doesn't take that view
OF it, and would not have been SO
prompt in sending that protest to the
Senate had he supposed that'it would
cause additional delay in acting on
the treaty.
Some of his colleagues are inclined
of TIE petition from Kansas populists
against increasing the salaries of Sen
ators and Representatives and ex-
tending the term of the President, he
l,o. nrooopto1 o;noo he u,oc 1ofoato1
and an ex Confederate elected to be
his successor There isn't the slight
est probability that the bill to in
crease the salaries of Senators and
will be seriously one
but Senator PETER is accused
jocularly of holdidg back those petit
tions until he knew he would have to
leave the Senate.
The refusal to appoint woman to
a vacant 81 800 clerkship in the War
for which she had pass
ed very difficult examination and
was the only one eligible under Civil
Service rules, is likely to be made the
subject of Congressional invest1ga-
ton. The examination required that
the applicant should be able to trans
late into English military works in
French, German. Italian and Spanish |
to do typewriting in all of these lam
guages; to do proof reading and pre-
pare manuscript for the press, to be
familiar with library methods, cata-
loguing, indexing, etc. also to be
tested in the use of the English lam
guage and literary composition. Miss
Maud Stalnaker of Washington, D. G.,
was the only one who was able to pass
the examination, but the War Depart
ment refuses to appoint her to the
position because she is woman.
So much has been written about
the lack of dignity on the part of ex-
Representative "Billy' Mason of Ill.
who was last week named by the leg
islature as Senator Palmer's success
sor, that his friends are rightfully be-
ginning to protest. Mr.. Mason is
popular in Washington. He is a man,
of fine Instincts, and it is merely his
love for a good story and hearty
of Lincoln-that have
caused him to be called uncignifed.
One of the Illinois Representative
gives this picture of him that will be
at once recognized by all who know
him: ssHe is one of the readiest gen.
tlemen I ever knew TODD favor for
a friend Trouble doesn't count with
Billy Mason when asked to render a
service by any one who has claim
on his good will. I have seen that |
trait of his nature exemplified a /
hundred times. There is big heart |