Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-11-16
W ashimGtOn Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON, November Ii, 1885,
/ While the official count will be needed
| to ascertain exactly what the Re-
J publican maj ority OF the next house
will be, there is Ii tie doubt that the
/ Republicans will have q majority
and will organize and control the
/ h use. The senate will be strongly
Republican after the 4th of next
March. 1t is a matter OF regret that
the Republicans lost number of
congressional districts that they
should have carried, but such will
always be the case when fractional
fights are allowed to become more
| important, In the eyes Of many
voters, than the general welfare Of
the party. But it is a consolation
to know that many districts carried
by the Democrats will be Republican
when the issues presented are purely
national. Neither President McKin-
lev nor any member of his cabinet
will discuss the result of the elections
for publication, but the following
opinion expressed by Hon. III. Clay
Evans, commissioner of pensions,
comes very close to voicing their
LFOl Ul1lllS COuOIO-
cred, the Republicans have cause for
rejoicing. This was an off year.
The people are satisfied with the ad-
miniStratIon and take little interest
IN politics. [ am somewhat dlsap-
pointed IN the congressional situa-
ton. With 100 members solid from
the South, it is hard, indeed, for the
Republicans to elect II congress. And
it becomes more difficult at each
election. North Carolina, | see, is
put in the Democratic column. We
all know where it should be If there
was an honest election. This cleo
ton demonstrates, at least, that the
people are with the administration"
There was another meeting Of the
peace commission, at Paris, this
week, and our commissioners an
swered IN detail the arguments pre-
sented by the Spanish commissioners,
last week, for declining our demand
for the Philippine islands, and re-
lterated that demand. No amount Of
wrig9liug on the part Of toe Spaniards
can get around that demand; 1t
must De either accepted or peremtor-
lily refused in the end, and not much
more time viii be granted the Span
iards TO make Up their minds. Just
as a halt was called by President
Mckinley when they persisted IN talk
Ing about the Spanish bonds, Sc
cured by Cuban revenues, after they
had been told that We had nothing
to do with them aud would have
nothing to do with them, SO will a
halt be called, if necessary, IN the dis
cussion Of the Philippines, and the
Spaniards compelled to say yes or no.
The joint high commission, com
posed Of representatives OF the
United States, Canada and Great
Britain, which held its first meeting
in Washington, last November, and
which held Il series OF meeting IN
Quebec, last August, reassembled IN
Washington this week. The first
business of the meeting was formal
call by the commissioners on Score
tary Hay and afterwards upon Presl-
dent Mckinley The business of the
commission is to try to negotiate g
treaty that will settle all matters IN
dispute between the United States
ana Canada. It's meetings are secret.
Consequently nothing further Is
Known Of thtir work so far than the
assertion OF several OF the commits
siOners. that it is progressing salts
factorily.
The fire in the capitol, caused by
an explosion of gas, which damaged
the supreme court room 10 such IN
extent that it cannot be used for
H.,c IN
the project TO erect a separate build
lug for the supreme court, to be
known rs the Temple Of Justice,
which Senator Morrill, Of Vermont,
who was instrumental In securing
the legislation for erecting the new
Library of Congress, of which every
body is SO proud, has been pushing
along for several years. Senator
Morrill's bill provides for the con
! demnatlon of the square Of ground
Just east Of the capitol, and north Of
| the library, and the erection thereon
of building, which shall be to the
! court buildings of the world what the
library building is to those OF its
class = the handsomest and best
equipped.
OF all the candidates for state Off
| GERS at this weeks election, Colonel
| Theodore Roosevelt was the best
known personally in Washington;
consequently there has been more re-
| ioicing over his election than over
that of any other governor IN the
bunch. Colonel Roosevelt made
many friends and admirers in Wash
ington while he was civil service
commissioner, and assistant secre-
tary Of the navy, and his short but
brilliant military career with the
rough riders added largely to the
number. In fact, it is common to
hear his political opponents say:
"Weil, Pm glad Teddy won" A man
is always judged by what he has
done, and by that standard Colonel
Roosevelt will be sure to make a
splendid governor for New York.
There are reasons for befevingthat
President Mckinley favors amending
the civil service rules SO that vet
Grams of the Spanish war shall have
the same footing as veterans OF the
civil war in all applications for ap-
pointment to office, and that steps
| Il, i