The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-02-11
Washington Letter.
(From Our Regular G Correspondent

..... w ASdlNGION, ". ", = cU. y, 1CO(.
Nations, like Individuals, must be
judged by their records rather than
their assertions. England has long
record, and it is practlcal-
~ all one way-that of turning every
thing possible to her own advantage.
When one studies that record and
brings little everyday common
sense to bear upon that arbitration
treaty he is very apt to arrive at the
conclusion that the amendments re-
port to the Senate by the committee
on Foreign Relations are wise and
necessary precautions to prevent
England taking a future advantage
of the United States by claiming the
right to submit matters to arbitration
which should not be so submitted.
And no one who will take the trouble
to ascertain the obligations of King
Oscar, of Sweden, to England ought
to doubt the wisdom of striking out
that clause of the treaty which made
King Oscar the umpire. No matter !
honest man may be he cannot help
being biased in favor of those to whom
he is obligated. In addition to these
arguments in favor of amendments to
the treaty, the criticism of them by
the English press indicates very
plainly that the original treaty was
considered more favorable to Eng
land than to the United States.
Although the republicans are as
yet only certain OF having 43 Sena-
tors after March 4th, there is no
longer any doubt about the Senate
passing the republican tariff bill at
the coming extra session Of Congress.
Indeed, the votes to pass it are al
ready assured. The Ways and Means
committee is making good progress
in the preparation of the new tariff
bill, and Chairman Dingley has no
doubts about it's being ready to be re-
ported as soon as the new House is
ready to receive it. The republicans
Of the committee have been unusually
harmonious in their opinions on the
Schedules of the bill that have up to
this time been completed, and there
is no reason to suppose that they
will be otherwise upon any portion of
the bill.
There is more or less discussion
among republicans of the Congress
on the views of Mr.. Gage, the Secre-
tary of TreasurySelect, based largely
upon letter he wrote to the chair
man of the House committee on Ban.<
ing and Currency in 1894, and IT,
cent newspaper interview purporting
to quote Mr.. Gage. In view of this
discussion the opinion expressed of
Mr.. Gage by several republican
members of the present House COM
| mittee on Banking and Currency is
both timely and interesting. Chair
man Walker said: II think Mr.. Gage
a very able and practical man, and a
business man before he is a banker.
I think, when he realizes what the
public sentiment is, that he will &C
complish what he has suggested in
his letter in a way that will be &C
ceptable to the people. Certainly
after a study of the situation he will
act as circumstances will compel him
to do when he takes management of
the Treasury" Representative Bro
sius said: II do not think the views
depressed by Mr.. Gage two years ago
are such as he would deem wise at
the present time. I have great faith
in his intelligence and experience as
a banker, and believe that he has a
conscientious purpose to do his best
to relieve the monetary situation from
it's difficulties, which will guide his to
a suitable safe, and conservative poll
cy in relation to our money" Rep
resentative McCleary said: Regard
ing the increase of bank Giro uiation
and the reduction of the tax thereon
I persume there will be much Diff
ference of opinion. What the process
should be tor the retiring of the
greenbacks without unduly contract
ing the currency am willing to SAY
off hand. I think while Mr.. Gage
has given his views in perfect good
faith, the fact that he now is to as
sumo The responsibility himself, as
with every right-minded man, will
serve to intensity MS thoughts. The
passing Of thought through that hot
crucible will refine it in some ways
that he himself is not now conscious
Of" There is a general disposition
among republicans to express conf
dence in the successful administra-
ton of the Treasury by Mr.. Gage.
| Representative Curtis, of Kansas,
says of the Free Homestead bill,
which is now on the House calendar:
1.-THE bill was intended when intro
duced by Mr.. Flynn, the Delegate
from Oklahoma, to be only a local
measure, but it was amended in the
Senate so that it became a general
bill, and my understanding Of it now
is that it covers all public lands
where the title has not been perfect
ed. The bill has not yet become a
, law, and it is by no means certain
that it will"
The Senate has given up con-
siderable portion of this week to the
Nicaragua Canal bill and the several
resolutions dealing with the some