The Press., 1899-02-09
WaahimgtOn Letter.
Washington Feb. 6, 1899 /.

when the vote was taken tO0Ay anu tnolTS ,
were the deciding votes, too. Under ordi-
naly circumstances, with so important a
matter as treaty of peace under consider
alton, such a state of affairs would have
produced the most Intense excitement IN
Washington. But the circumstances in
this case were not ordinary; hence there
was noexcitement, only curiosity. Every
body knew that while today's vote could
ratify the treaty, it could not finally reject
it, because the failure of sixty or more
senators to vote for ratification would
only result in postponing the ratification
Of the treaty until the meeting of an extra
session, Immediately following the close
of the present session. And the curiosity |
was more to known how many democratic |
senators would follow Senator German in |
voting against the treaty, against the adj
vice of Col. Bryan, and how many re-
publican and populist senators would aid
Mr.. German in his attempt to wrest the
leadership of his party from Col. Bryan,
than how the treaty would come out. OF
course, those who had no personal interest
In the matter, regretted to see a question
of partisan leadership figuring In such
business as the consideration of the treaty
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 occasion to fight another foreign
war.
A very serious charge has been made
by Mr. Keegan, who appeared before the
senate committe on education and labor,
to represent the International Mechanics
Union. He said that contracts for gun
carriages and guns, which had been
awarded to the Cramp ship building COM
pany, and the Maxim Nordenfeldt COM
pauy, had been executed at the Washing
ton navy yard, and the con FACTORS paid
| in cash the difference between what 1t
cost theigovernment to make the articles,
and the contract price; that the Cramp
company received $4,000 as profit on its
contract, and the gun company $14OO on
each gun made. The committee directed
Senator.Kyle to investigate the charge.
Agents of the Cramp company and oftici-
ais at the navy yard, say that there is no
| int I>o oho hot thu Gro
tract was cancelled because the govern
ment found 1t could do the work itself.
and that the guns we're made at a loss to
the contractors.
1t will now only require majority vote
of the house to put Gen. Wheeler. of
Alabama Col. Campbell, of Illinois, Col.
Colson; of Kentucky, and Major Robbins,
of Pa, formally out of. congress, as the
judiciary committee has reported reso-
luton declaring that they forfeited their
seats by accepting commissions in the
army. The committee declined to report
similar resolution concerning those
members who have accepted places on
, civil commissions.
II there Is any Nicaragua canal legtsla.
ton at this session, 1t Is likely TO be
something radically different from either
q the Morgan bill, which passed the senate
or the Hepburn bill, which has been made
substitute for the Morgan bill, by the
house committee on interstate and foreign
commerce, as the matter will go to a con-
ference committee as soon as the house
. passes the Hepburn bill, which 1t will dc
O as soon as given an opportunity, and what
the conference committee will agree upor
, is purely a matter for conjecture, bu
9 Judging from the past, 1t will be sure t.
differ from either Of the original bills.
The house adopted Chairman Burton
. motion to strike out of the congressional
n record the remarks made by Representa-
tive Hawley, of Texas, about the items IL
n the river and harbor bill appropriatinl
$3.50, 900 for improvement of the channe
ia to Texas City, Texas, an alleged boon
, town, which Ohio capitalists are exploit
!, ing as possible rival to Galveston, be
cause they rejected upon the integrity o
the members of the committee, but MI
Hawley finds consolation in the fact tina
his speech caused the appropriation i
question to be struck out OF the bill befor
y it passed the house.
The president never had more need Q
u the common sense he has so often show
~ himself to be we'll supplied with tina
p right now. He Is getting much advic
10 about what he should do concerning tn
10 repeated charge of Gen. Miles, that cor
u tractors furnished our soldiers with ba
l. beef. Some of this advice is good, bu
more of it is bad. The latter looks most
II ly to the punishment or humiliation {
o. Gen. Miles, in some way, because he ha
l. publicly spoken about things which stric
ly speaking, should only have been n
ported to the war department by him
10 The proposal to amend the army bill,
B. the senate by reviving the grade of lieut.
y enant general, is understood to have bee
~ made to give the president an opportunit
~ to humiliate Gen. Miles, by nominatir
" another officer to be lieutenant-g genera
The best advice given the president, an
/ that most likely to be acted upon, Is
s. order military inquire, which will prov
J. or disprove the charges Of Gen. Miles.
l --------
ID Did DR.. johnson Eat Hsrse4
,e DR.. johnson in his Journal mention
Of the interesting fact that he had on
l certain day had "palfrey for dinner.
Al