The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-30


Tho much dreaded APATHY" In the repub
i'caD ranks is extending to the depart
ment clerks here
The party whippers-in have been beating |
around the departments for ten days
whoopfnx UP the faithful and literally beg
cling them to 90 to republican headquarters. |
get transportation and go home and vote
The number. up TO date. who have APP
piled for Transportation certificates Is 1906.
as compared with 2150 on the correspond
Ing date two years ago. In fact nearly
5000 OF them went home to vote in 1895 and
they not only voted, but got out and hustled
hard for their party.
A leader in the campaign committee ex-
plained the great falling off this year by
saying that the republicans an the de-
partments are not taking much interest,
and they are not. have heard some OF
them talk and It Is a matter OF indiffer-
enoe with them whether or not there Is a
democratic congress elected. In fact some
orithem would like to see It and see the
war department ventilated for some had
cons in The District regiment that want TO
Santiago who have come home in such con-
dition that their lives will be a curse to
them.
The republicans counted upon some
pathy and indifference among the clerks,
but the falling off Is worse than they ex-
pected, and 1t alarms them. One reason for
the lack OF interest Is that they feel reas-
onably sure OF their Jobs until Mckinley
goes out and they are telling the party
managers to take a run and jump. An
| other reason why they were SO active in
! 1896 Is because the Chicago platform talked
out In meeting on the repeal OF the civil
service statutes and wfAen BRYAN made his
speech here in 1896 he made the republic
can clerks shake in their shoes by telling
them frankly that II he were elected they
would have to get Off the earth In this
or words TO that effect
| The number OF clerks who are democrats
| going lhome to vote is about the same as in
1895. They feel that their vote will count
end help to put a democratic congress at
the capital to correct the monstrou9 evils
tbat have been overlooked or connived at
by the republicans.
The republican clerks are In an ION the
fence" condition OF mind. II they 80 home
and vote and their party is defeated they
will find themselves In suspense. knowing
that they did all they could to prevent
a change. II their party is successful. they
Will have no more to hope for and no more
to fear than they have now protected as
they are by the civil service They are
between the devil and the deep blue sea.
-
The ono thing that is looming up big here
In Washington and that will soon compel
the attention OF the country. Is the op-
position that is being concentrated against
the construction of the Nicaragua canal
This opposition is big and strong and
, has it's notifications everywhere
: The Walker commission is EXPECTED to
report shortly after congress meets and
then the ball Will open with the transcon-
, tinental railroads dancing in the head
t set In opposition to the bill providing for
: the construction of the canal.
{ There are seven great trunk line railroads
I that are Interested in Unconstitutional
traffic that are opposed to this canal and
y II money and hard persistent sffort Will
: defeat 1t. II Will never be built
One Joseph Nimmo has already exploited
, himself In the press OF the country in a
, carefully prepared article showing that it
i is 200 miles nearer the Philippine islands
o and all Eastern trade via the Suez canal
than II Is Via the proposed Nicaragua canal
and that the Hawaiian trade Will not JUS
tify tho expenditure of the money neces-
| q, hN MI III.
9 roads can carry freight much cheaper and
. u whole lot OF other tommy rot
& It Is easy TO see where he gets his in
spiration.
q Another opponent of the Nicaragua canal
e proposition is the Panama canal syndicate
o OF France. Within the last week a commits
sion or lobby, or whatever you choose to
call the aggregation OF shoulder raising.
gcsticukting gentlemen. has landed in New
York and that body comes here to convince
the American people and the American
c congress that the Panama canal project is
the more feasible and practicable OF the
! two; that they can show where they have
J expended already sl25,Oo0.OO0. that "cuts
: lee or, In other words, that has pro-
duced results that can be utilized and that
the expenditure of another sl0o.o000Oo will
A complete tho lob That outfit will also
be here to enter the lists against the Mica
ragua canal.
That bill is going to have rough voy-
| age through congress, but It's going
through in spite of railroads. French frog
] eaters, hades or high water You watch It.
, Tho sentiment OF the country is over
, whelmingly In its favor and the man who
opposes It. will dig his own political grave
20 deep that Gabriels trumpet will sound
TO him like cricket ehlrpins In a flute.
We are also liable to have a few words
with Great Britain over this canal before
matters are permanently settled. This on
account of the text OF the Bulwer- CLAYTON
treaty,
So fsr as the relation OF the United
stsnes TO this canal is concerned. most pao-
/ pie think we are going to own and control
H. Wen. we AFRO not. We ean'p We can
probably own a majority Of the stock In a