News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1899-01-18
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WAsHINGroN.. Ian. Is. 1SC

suppose Congress is making
progress, but at times it seems as if
it was progress sideways. Last
week was taken up in the
House in passing appropriation
bills, and now has this class of legis-
lation well along, Occasionally
some warm member who wanted to
please the old folks at home would
leap into the arena with a wild
whoop and rave about the Philip
pines and Gods justice and eternal
truth and the ieweled diadem of lib
erty and the extension of suffrage to
inferior races and his duty to Chris
tianity and his constituents and all
that tommyrot. Meanwhile no
body paid any attention at all to
what he was saying, but knots of
members kept on talkingin the usual
tone of voice all over the house At
the conclusion of the diatribe the
reading clerk would drone along with
the interrupted bill and the buzzing
and disorder would continue So
much for the Houses record.
In the Senate the week was mostly
occupied in speeches on the annexa-
ton question. The Saturday previ-
Gus Senator Platt of Connecticut led
off with a most carefully considered
and learned argument in favor Of the
retention of the Philippines, followed
Monday by Senator Hoar Of Massa-
chusetts in opposition, Tuesday by
Senator Mason of Illinois in opposi-
ton, Wednesday by Senator Fora
ker of Ohio in favor. That these
were great arguments, the best
thoughts Of powerful statesmen and
great orators, need not be stated
The anti-expansionists have denied
the constitutional right of this coun-
try to govern a country against it's
will, but it does not follow that we
are going to do so. In any event the
above contention was very thor
oughly disproven and exploded by
the arguments of Senators Platt and
Foraker, Astounding in the highest
authorities The plea against reten-
ton was, however, largely an admis-
sion of the legal right Of this country
to retain the islands, but arguing
against the moral right and as a
matter of policy. Senator McLau-
rim Of South Carolina delivered a
rafting speech against annexation,
based on the ground that only the
Caucasian has a right to a voice IN
the government. South Carolina
has disfranchised the ne roes, and
now wants to keep out Malays and
Cinnamon. With the exception of
Senator Mason, nobody paid any
attention to what he said.
This is a bad session for the lobby,
thus far, and there are no signs Of
Improvement this winter. The APP
preparation bills in the House won t
stand much of any assistance" of
the kind, and the peace treaty, which
is taking up the time Of the Senate,
won't admit ofmuch outside interior
cnce. Therefore, it is hard picking
for the lobbyist. Perhaps you pic
ture a lobbyist as prominent lawL
yer, a Ia the Vermont style, but here
the chances are that he will be a
"she." The male lobbyist is some
times used in the guise of an agent"
or promoter" but the most effective
and highest priced lobbyist is a lady.
She is usually decidedly pretty, fasci-
mating, elegantly dressed and in CON
duct and appearance a decided lady.
She knows every Senator and most
of the Congressman, and if she has a
scheme on foot they cannot dodge or
evade her, They had best meet her
and have it over When she goes
into the reception room, sends in her
card and takes a seat, everybody
concerned knows that it means a
finish fight The statesman comes
he knows that he'll be freed sooner
orlater-and makes as game a stand
as possible. But the chances are
that he finally says yes, when she
thanks him effusively, perhaps asks
him to call at her rooms some even
ing, smiles sweetly and withdraws;
And whatever he has been made to
promise she holds him to. Large
country, this, and several different
kinds of trees.
Like the late Vermont legislative
investigation committee, the war in
vestigation commission here has not
even touched the parties at whom it
was aimed but on the contrary has
seriously mangled observation-disclosures
who were not supposed to be in
range 1t was aimed at Alger, but
kicked at the breech and badly
bruised Miles and Egan. They are
apparently the only ones very much
interested in the matter Both are
red in the face and swearing that one
or the other must leave the army.