Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-12-10
WASHINGTONLETTER
THE DELIVERY OF THE
MESSAGE.
Stirring Scenes at the
Capitol.
THE POWER OF THE
MINORITY.
The Senate and the Treaty.
THE EXPARsIoNIsTs IN THE MA
J0RITY.
The Senate and the Treaty,
THE EXPANsIoNIsTs IN THE MA,
J0RITY.
(From Our Regular Corresp ondent.)

+, (From Our Regular Corresp ondent.)
WASHINGTON, d. c.. Dec. 5, 1898.
President McKinley's annual mes
sage to Congress is thoroughly pa
triotic document from start to finish
There is not a word of partisanship in
il. Message will not only be read with
interest, but it will be carefully pre-
served, as it is an authentic, condense
history of the events leading to the
war with Spain, of the war, and OF the
results of the war, so far as they are
known at this time. 1t is, in itself
alone, suifi sient to place President Nc
Kinley in the very front ranks Of
American Statement, if he had not al
ready attained that position.
LONG DOCUMENT.
1t is necessarily long, but contains
no platitud rs, no striving after effects
nor bids for popular favor. IL is
plain statement of some of the most
Important events 10 the country's his
tory, made by q man whose patriotism
has been proven by trials such as few
men have gone through 1t ought to
be read in every school-house in the
land apd studied SIS a lesson in current
American history, written by q maker
of that history. Even the most parti-
san democrats find nothing in it to OBJ
! ect to, which il something decidedly
unusual in Presidents messages.
THE oPxNIEG SESSION.
The attendance st the opening of
Congress was quite up TO the average,
both on the floor of the House, Senate.
ami in the galleries Speaker Reed
opened the Hou q, his face indicating
a eonteatmenG that must have been
envied by those democrats who have
for months past been engaged in over
throwing him, on paper. Vice-Presi-
q ant HobarC pre- side over the openin.
of the Senate in his u Usual urbAne and
dignifi maoner. Among the notable
Senatorial absentses were Senators
Davis, of Mimi; Frye, OF Me-, and
Gray, CT Delaware, who are detained
an Paris by their work as American
Peac Commissioners, but who expect
to complete the treaty of Peace and
start fer nome in few days, the diff
cult part having been accomplished
when the Spanish Commissioners
agreed to our terms n week ago.
SENATOR ALLIsoN's PREDICTIONS.
Norman lie better authority on things
Congressional thai Senator Allison,
Chairman of the Committee on Appro-
priations. His opinions carry weight
. b cause OF bis long experience and the
correctness of his judgement in the
past. He said of the session OF Con-
hst nnnuod rn-H~U.
OIL ion, the session will be an interest
ing one, and many OF the debates will
be of great importance" or the pros
pect of legislation he said: 1T can be
laid down as safe rule that i, any
measure proposed is antagonized by o
Diet; rmined minority. it viii be with
drawn. There will be great pressure
In behalf of legislation for the NicArs-
qua Canal, and if any important meas.
ure is passed outside of the nppropris-
tion bills, it will be the Canal bill
That subject has been so thoroughly
Ghreshed over that it ought not TO pro
woke much debate"
TIE TREATY TO RATIFIED.
or the Treaty OF Peace with Spain he
said: 1T Will be ratified beyond q
doubt, and exactly as it comes 10 US
5 AIUIu Jus CASo OllltLISelOu6rSs w =
caunOt afford 10 stultify ourselves in
she face OF the worlu by refusing 80
accept the work OF the Commissioners
They have been very careful aud de
serve the endorsement Of tae country
1 shall be in favor of pro mps action,
because we ought to disposs or the
matter and not let il remain IN STATE
of uncertainty. We want Co settIs a.
soon as possible our relations to the
Philippines. and this we cannot do un-
til the treaty is ratitie ed"
SECRETARY ALoRR's REPORT.
Secretary Ayers annual report ia a
very interesting document, embracing
as " does b 1ef. but commemorative
sketch of the conduct of the war, with
copies Of all official orders relating 20
Jhe army. etc. A careful stuty OF il
will remove the last vesIige OF founda-
tion for most OF the stories attacking
the manage ment OF the War Depart
menT. For instance, the Official fig.
ares of the wounded in the Santiago
campaign are a complete rsfutAtion of
the stories chat she wounded we're not
properly cared for There were 40 sur
KsOns with Skaters army. Number Of
wounded was l.43I, of whom only Is
died of their wounds, a percentage az
remarkable IN the history OF war as
Ime OF the more talked Abcus achieve
menCs OF the war.
THE NICARAGUA BILL.
Chairman Hepburn, of the House
COMMITTEES on Interstate and Foreign
Commerce, anticipating early action
on The Nicaragua Canal Bill, has an
nouneed that the Committee will
grant hearings either for or against the
Nicaragua Canal. The agents of the
Panama Canal Company. now in wash
inSton. ~ yrepared = IS DellsTsu, -
spend q los OF money co defeat or pre-
vent Nicaragua Canal Legislation, but
ond