The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1898-12-22
Washington Letter.
washington Dec. 10. 1898.

Washington Dec. 10, 1898.
circumstances have brought the e. pan
sion question very much to the front, in
Washington. Pres. McKinleys speech
at Atlanta, in which he asked 'Who will
hauldown the flag ?" is regarded as com
mi ting him in favor of expansion, and of
retaining the Philippines, and 1t 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 senator's 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 sue
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-
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
with Spain, and that so long as the adj
ministration policy was legitimate ex-
pansion, and not Imperialism, they expect
ed to cordially support it. 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 unfinished
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 a 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 congl ess.
The sentiment expressed by President
McKinley-that the time had come when
the U. s. government ought to share in
the care of the confederate dead-found
an echo in congress when Representative
Rixey, of Va, introduced a 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. s. soldiers and
sailors are admitted.
Members of the Anglo-American COM
mission no longer speak hopefully of
success in the negotiation of a treaty that
will remove all friction between thi
country and Canada, and establish COM
merctal reciprocity. On the contrary,
they now regard any satisfactory agree
ment on reciprocity, as improbable, If not
actually impossible, and the negotiation
of treaty embracing any points of real
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 to
whether the New Yorker, who was quoted
as follows in local paper, meant to be
complimentary or otherwise; II think
Bryan would have made one of the great
est actors that ever trod the boards, and
even now, If he would adopt the stage
there is almost the certainty of success.
He is born actor, and had he started in
time, would have outshone the greatest
we have seen in this generation. His
Chicago speech that won him the nomi
nation for president was mastery bit oi
acting-so was his going to the war.
don't mean by that to accuse him of in
sincerity, but it is the very nature of the
man to play part. He has a magnif.
cent face, fine voice, and magnetic pres.
ence, all of which would have lifted him
to the topmost place had fate decreed him
to be Thespian."
The gentlemen who are trying to bring
about an extra session of the next con.
gress for the sole purpose of financial
legislation, have not succeeded in getting
a promise from President Mckinley, but
they are still hard at work trying to bring
additional pressure to bear upon him.
They have adopted one unique method OF
influencing the PRESIDENT petition from
republican members of congress, asking
the president to call an extra session OF
congress in the spring, and to state in the
call that the session is called solely to
col slider financial legislation. This petit
tion is now beirg circulated for signatures
and is said to have obtained a consider
able number, but they do not include the
party leaders. Regardless of this petit
tion and other Efforts of the same parties,
an extra session is generally r, garded as
among the probabilities. but it will not
be confined, If held, to financial legisla-
tion.
Same old congress same old talk
about working through the holidays; came
old joirtresolution providing for Christ.
mas recess of two weeks, from the 21st
inst Amen.