The Press., 1898-12-22
Washington Letter.
Washington Dec. 19, 1S9

" oohiAS0oh DCC. Aos 1ooo.
 Circumstances have brought the ev pan- sion question very much to the front, in Washington. Pres. McKinley's speech at Atlanta, in which he asked Who will haul..down the flag?" is regarded as con- mi ting him in favor of expansion, and of retaining the Philippines. and it has en- hused the expansionists in congress, and out of congress. Then came Col Bryan's visit to Washington for the double pur- pose trying to prevent senators of his party opposing the ratification of the treaty of peace, which he says should not figure in the fight against expansion, and of solidifying his party in both branches of congress against expansion. He suc- ceeded so we'll in the first that it is now generally expected that the treaty will be ratified by the senate before the close of this session of congress, alth ough it cannot be sent to the senate until the first week in January. He wasn't so success full in his other object. He found numer- ous senators and representatives of his party who told him plainly that they and their constituents believed that it was the proper thing for this government to keep all the territory it acquired in the war rinistration policy was legitimate ex- pansion, and not imperialism, they expect ed to cordially support 1t. Col. Bryan admitted in conversation with his friends that public sentiment at the present time is favorable to expansion, but he argued that it will soon be changed and will sup port the position he has taken.
 The Nicaragua canal bill cannot be Said to have made any real progress during the week it has been the ''unf1nished business of the senate. Nearly all of the senators claim to favor the canal, but a majority of them appear to have differ ent ideas of the legislation that will best accomplish that result. The conse- quence is number of amendments and talk of several brand new bills. Senator Morgan says he doesn't care whose bill is passed or what its exact form is, just so the construction of the canal is authorized at this session of congI ess.
 The sentiment expressed by President McKinley-that the time had come when the U. s. government ought to share ir the care of the confederate dead-found an echo in congress when Representative Rixey, of Va, introduced bill providing that the government should also share in the care of living confederates, who are needy, by opening to them all soldiers homes and other institutions maintained by the government for ex-soldiers, upon the same terms that U. $. soldiers ano sailors are admitted.
 Members of the Anglo-American com mission no longer speak hopefully ot | success in the negotiation of a treaty tha | will remove all friction between thi country and Canada, and establish com merc1al reciprocity. On the contrary they now regard any satisfactory agree ment on reciprocity, as improbable, if not actually impcssi ble, and the negotiation of treaty embracing any points of req importance is very doubtful. The com mission has adjourned until January 5 when a last attempt to agree on some thing will be made.
 Col. Bryan's friends are divided as t' whether the New Yorker, who was quoted
 as follows in local paper, meant to b complimentary or otherwise: II thinl Bryan would have made one of the great
 est actors that ever trod the boards, an even now, if he would adopt the stage there is almost the certainty of success
 He is born actor, and had he started il time, would have outshon the greatee We have seen in this generation. Hi Chicago speech that won him the nom
 nation for president was a masterly bit (
 acting-so was his going to the war.
 don't mean by that to accuse him of 1T sincerity, but it is the very nature of tn
 man to play part He has a magnif
 cent face, fine voice, and magnetic pres
 ence, all of which would have lifted hir
 to the topmost place, had fate decreed hir
 to be Thespian."
 The gentlemen who are trying to brin about an extra session of the next COT
 gress for the sole purpose of financis
 legislation, have not succeeded in gettin
 promise from President Mckinley, bu they are still hard at work trying to brin additional pressure to bear upon hin
 They have adopted one unique method C influencing the president-a petition fror
 republican members of congress, askin , the president to call aD extra session C
 congress in the spring, and to state in tn
 call that the session is called solely t
 col slider financial Legislation. This prti
 tion is now beirg circulated for signatur- , and is said to have obtained a consider
 able number, but they do not inclu'iA tn party leaders. Regardless of this pet ton and other efforts of the same partie.
 an extra session is generally r. garded a among the probabilities. but 1t will nc } be confined, if held, to financial legisls tion.
 Same old congress: same old tai t about working through the holidays; sam old joiItresolution providing for Chris
 mas recess of two weeks, from the 21,
 inst Amen.
 Bismarck as Dr, Jekyll.