The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-15
been reported unchanged from the

be predicted, without continuing on the
unexpected, that the treaty will be
ra atlfied. Then the anneXationiStS may
safely show their hands: but now they
hug their sleeves-and their smile, it is
childlike and bland.
1t Is announced that Senator Nelson
may, in few days, elucidate the evo-
| lutions of his expansive brow in favor
of expansion. Naturally he takes the
F,nglish-or more properly the Cana
dian-view.
The time of the senate next week will
| mainly be devoted to the Nicaragua
canal, that is to say, the time spent in
| open session.
The house this week has prudently
| suffered it's policy regarding the Philip
J pines to simmer in the speakers hat,
and has turned its attention to the ex-
! tremes of heat and cold-civil service
and Alaska. Regarding the former, it
re-enacted the annual farce of striking
out the appropriation for the civil serv-
| ice commissioners in the committee of
| the whole on the state of the Union,
and then meekly passing 1t when the
bill was reported to the house The op-
position to civil service, it may be en-
phaSized, is PharaSaic and polite,
right hand thrust out to constituents
while the left eye is winking. Con-
gressmen do not want the bars let
down; they only want disappointed and
venseful officeseekers to think that
they do. They realize that they would
be overwhelmed by the crush; even as
they were unduly jostled by the scram-
bic for military commissions last sum
mer. Fifty-six Republicans voted fin
ally against the appropria ton, among
whom was the Ganemede of the Sew
erth. F. NJ. Eddy. These irreconcila-
bles have not settled substitute to Of
fer; they merely resent that they have
been deprived of that which they would
not Willingly resume. Meanwhile the
strength of the sentiment in favor of
public service removed from partisan
ship is seen in the delay of the presi-
dent to make the order eXempting sew
eral thousand offices from civil service
rules. This oft-heralded relief has
been detailed to the smallest clerkship.
| again and again in the daily papers:
and yet 1T cometh not" still moan the
weary pap-waiters as they haunt the
free lunches and seek out acquaint-
ances in the hotel corridors.
a somewhat similar petty feeling Of
spite moved the house the other dav
to legislate against the honor roll' at
the treasury, whereby superannuated
clerks are retained in the service at
small salaries and with little work.
This incident has served to call atten-
ton to Mr.. Tawneys retirement
bill, which proposes to establish a
sort of old-age insurance for govern
ment officials, by. setting apart each
month slight percentage Of the
amount of the pay roll. It is not at all
likely that this measure will ever be
enacted into law, there being many
members incapable of seriously consid-
erfng anything retiring" in connec-
ton with Mr.. Tawney.
The many sections of the criminal
code provided for the territory of
Alaska were passed upon, for the most
part, by empty seats in the house. Mr.
MOODY, OF Massachusetts, however,
reused interest and summoned attend
ance by Offering an amendment or
da1n1ng prohibition there. This was
finally defeated, Messrs. HeatwoIe Nc
Cleary and Stevens, of Minnesota. vo+-
Ing in the negative. Subsequently,.
high. license was adopted, the fee beng
liked at $1,000. Just prior to the COM
mittee's rising, Mr.. Tongue, of Ore
| gon, created quiet a dramatic scene
by protesting vehemently against ia
| Vorable action on the bill, since it did
not contain a. provision disqualifving
ex-convicts from sitting on juries. He
sand that the west was ENDANGERED bv
former criminals from the East, who
concealed their history. However as
the mouse did not care to go over the
Whole weary road again, 1t refused to
recommit, and passed the bill. But
probably the senate will see to it that
Alaskan criminals do not have such a.
jury of their peers.
PERSONNEL BILL.
The navy personnel bill will nroha h1y
be before the house next week, with a
good chance Of passage, unless the
strife between the line and staff of
the service becomes more virulent
Naval officers have their own petty
jealousies to thank for the disadvan-
tages from which they have suffered
In the past. The army Reorganization
Dill is in more parlous case. Mr.. Hull
chairman OF the committee on military
AFFAIRS, is i'll, and the Republicans gem
orally are divided, and becoming more
hopelessly so, between the Miles and
the Alger bill. While the Democrats
are growing more solid in opposition
to any permanent increase of the req
ular army.
The committee on interstate and for
elgn commerce, of which Mr.. Fletcher
is second member, while unanimously
in favor of some bill for a Nicaraeran
Canal, have not as yet agreed upon a
plan, hesitating between absolute and
qualified government control. Mr.
Fletcher believes that the limited
States should do it's own construction
rather than lend it's credit, While he
is conspicuous on the floor for his si-
lence, he is recognized as an able COM
mittee member.
Mr.. Dingiey's death Is already follow
ed by speculation as to his successor
at the head of the ways and means
committee. 1T seems to be admitted
that Payne, Of New York, who is sec
ond on the committee, will succeed to
the craftsmanship; but will he also he
the speakers personal representative
| on the floor as Mr.. Dingley has been?
Now, Mr.. Dingley's uniform courtesy
and kindliness helped him over manv
hard parliamentary place Probably
Mr.. Reed could rise to such an occa-
sion, and be, even more than he is, the
whole thing; for he grows more Iustv