Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1899-02-09
WASHINGTON II. LETTER.
FROM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9th 1899.

the circumstances IN luis case Were uot
ordinary; hence there was no excite
ment, only curiosity. Everybody knew
that while today's vote could ratify the
treaty, it could not finally reject it, be-
cause the failure of sixty or more Sena-
tors to vote for ratification would only
result in postponiug the ratification OF
the treaty until the meeting Of an extra
session, Immediately following tie close
of the present session. And the" Curl
osity was more to know how many dem
ocratic Senators would follow Senator
German in voting against the treaty,
against the advice of Col. Bryan, and
how many republicans and populist
Senators would aid Mr.. German in his
attempt to wrest the leadership CT his
party from Col. Bryan, than how the
treaty wonld come out. OF course.
those who had no personal interest in
the matter, regretted to zee question
of partisan leadership figuring ID such
business as the consideration of the trea
ty, because they think it lowered us in
the estimation of the world, furnishing
our foreign critics new right to say
that with Americans, nothing is too
high or too sacred to be dragged into
party politics at times. 1t Is just as
we'll, however, for these same foreign
critics to remember that we didn't drag
any partisan politics into our fighting,
and that we won't when We have occa-
sion to fight another foreign war.
A very serious charge mas been made
by Mr.. Keegan, who appeared before
the Senate Committee on Education and
Labor, to represent the International
Mechanics Union. He said that con-
tracts for guncarriages and guns, which
had been awarded to the Cramp Ship
Building Company, and the Maxim Nor
denfelt Company, had been executed at
the Washington Navy Yard. and the
contractors paid in cash the difference
between what it cost the government to
make the articles, and the contract
price; that the Cramp Company received
$4,000 as profit Oh its contract, and
the Gun Company $140O on each gun
made. The Committee directed Sena-
tor Kyle to investigate the charge.
Agents of the Cramp Company and Of
ficals at the Navy Yard, say that there
is no truth in the charge;that the Cramp
contract was Cancelled because the gov
eminent found it could do the work it.
self, and that the guns were made at
loss to the contractors.
1t will now only require a majority
vote OF the House to put Gen. Wheeler,
of Alabama; Col. Campbell, of Illinois;
Col. Colsoa, of Kentucky, and Maj. Rob-
bins, of Pennsylvania. formally out of
Congress, as the Judiciary Committee
has reported resolution declaring that
they forfeited their seats by accepting
Commissions in the Army. The COM
mittee declined to report similar req
olution concerning those members who
have accepted places on civil commits
sions. '...
If there is any Nicaragua Canal leg
islation at this session, 1t is likely to be
something radically different from
either the Morgan bill, which passed
the Senate, or the Hepburn bill, which
has been made substitute for the Nor.
gan bill, by the House committee on
Interstate and Foreign commerce, as
the matter will 90 to Conference com.
mittee as soon as the House passes the
Hepburn bill, which 1t will do as soon
as given an opportunity, and what the
Conference committee will agree upon
is purely matter tor conjecture. but
judging from the past, it will be sure
to differ from either of the original bills.
The House adopted Chairman Bur-
tons motion to strike out of the Con-
oraasional record tho rama rka mazda nv
Representative Hawley, of Texas, about
the item IN the River and. Harbor Bill,
appropriating $25O,OOO for improve
ment of the channel to the Texas City
Texas, an alleged boom town. which
Ohio capitalists are exploiting as pos
sible rival to Galveston, because they
reflected upon the integrity OF the mem.
bers Of the committee, but Mr.. Hawley
finds consolation in the fact that his
speech caused the appropriation in ques.
ton to be struck out of The bill before
it passed the House. .@
The President never had more need
of the common sense he has 80 often
shown himself to be we'll supplied with
than right now. He is getting much
advice about what he should do concern
ing the repeated charge of Gen. Miles.
that contractors furnished our soldiers