The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-01-21
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 1s. L

W ASEINNl O4fl y ttti. &c. &c n
Congratulations have been S, bw-
cred upon Senator sherman siney he
returned to Washington and made
the formal announcement that he had
decided to become Secretary of s 9,te
under President Mckinley, and, Fp-
gratulstions have also been wire nto
Maj. Mckinley on his success in 1T
ting so able and experienced a lsStn
for his Secretary of State. The gatat
business interests of the country y. III
welcome the selection of Senator
Sherman for this important post, be
cause his well-knOwn conservatism is
a guarantee that while the foreign
policy of the Mckinley adminisf fra
ton will be iirm and strongly Am4ri-
can, it will not be tinged with fhe
disturbing element of jingoism + it
will maintain the rights of American
citizens abroad, just as its inter nal
policy will protect Americans at hoble,
but it will not get up war scares for
political effect, which disarrange lall
branches Of business and add to the
timidity of capital. The corner stone
of the Mckinley administration VIII
be confidence, and no one thing could
have made that palmer to the coTsl-
try than the choice of Senator Sl%r-
man to be Secretary of Statoc:-.1-.
GI,orD,n,,'o ,,,eisr, 4io,, a @ Son ron, wi I,
not take effect until the close Of this
session of Congress, as he is deeply
interested in matters which may be
legislated upon by this Congress.
Besides, it would not be good policy
to have vacancy in the chairman
ship in the committee on Foreign
Relations at this time, as there is no
certainty that the Senate, as at pres
ent composed, would allow the Re
DubicanS to name his successor.
The Republican steering committee
of the Senate has given the Nicaragua
canal bill the right of way in the
Senate A similar bill has passed the
Senate several times, and there is
little doubt that this one will pass,
but its chance for getting considered
in the House is not considered espe-
cially good.
Senator Gear has reported his bill
to the Senate for the appointment of
a commission to be composed of three
members of the Cabinet to determine
upon just and equitable settlement
of the Indebtedness of the Pacific
railroads to the Government, together
with a unanimous report from the
committee on Pacific railroads, of
which he is chairman, in it's favor.
The fate of the bill is dependent upon
favorable action by the House on a
similar bill, as it would be a mere
waste of time for the Senate to pass it
until assured of the attitude of the
House. Meanwhile the legal officers
of the government are getting ready
to apply to the courts for an order
foreclosing the mortgage, y
Col. Fred. D. Grant, representing
the army of the Tennessee, and Gen.
S. B. Lee, of Mississippi, representing
the Confederate Veterans Associa-
ton, made a joint argument before
the House Committee on Rules for
the setting apart of a day for the
consideration by the House of the
bill for the purchase of ground
around Nicksburg, in order that flu
ture generations may see the battle
ground and study the maneuvers
made by Gen. Grant, which resulted
in the capture of what was known as
the Gibraltar of the Confederacy-
Gen. Grants first really great mill
tary achievements. Speaker Reed,
who is Chairman of that Committee,
told the gentlemen that inasmuch as
the bill carried an appropriation, it
could not be considered from cent?
mental standpoint alone, and that
the committee could not at the time
make positive promise.
The return OF Hon. Thomas c..
Platt TO the Senate by the New
York Legislature, recalls the remarks
made by himself and Senator Conk-
ling, when they resigned from the
Senate. Mr.. COnkling said: This
ends me SO far as politics is concerned.
| shall never again allow the use Of
my name il connection with any po-
litical Office. am done for all time
with the game of politics. Mr.. Platt
said Il will re-enter politics at this
very moment and stay in until l die
Maybe to get even with certain peril
dious scoundrels who have deceived
us, and maybe to get back to the Sen
ate of the United States"
Before passing the Oklahoma Free
Homesteads Bill, the Senate amended
it by making its provisions apply to
all homesteads on lands acquired from
the Indians, and the amended bill is
now in the hands of the House Com
mittee on Public lands. SO far as can
be learned, the reports of an attempt