The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-03-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From on regular correspondent.)
WASHINGTON, ID. c., March IL.
"When the cats away
The mice will play"

Hon. Thomas Bracket Reed had
not been away from Washington
twenty-fcur hours, before active agi'
tation was begun by members OF his
party in an effort to prevent his being
reelected Speaker of the House.
This has become an old story IN
Washington, although there appears
to be more life in the present move
ment than in any one of its numec-
Gus predecessors. 1t is most posi-
lively stated by the agItators that
the administration wishes Mr.. Reed
defeated, because Of the n in
which he treated the administration
measures in the last Congress, some
OF which were entirely hung up and
none of which went through as
originally intended, and that if there
is any show of defeating him, it will
openly throw its influence against
him. That is a very big eff"
There are lots of men in his party
who would do the very same thing,
except for that if, but who do not
care to antagonize him, unless sure
they could beat HIM. There are
reasons which cause veteran observers
of Congressional matters to think
that if Mr.. Reed wishes the Speaker
ship again, nothing can prevent his
getting 1.-THE report that he will
not take it is again revived. Chief
among these reasons is that all the
chairmen of important committees in
the last House, among whom are
some of the shrewdest and most in
huential men in public life, will sup
pert Mr.. Reeds candidacy, because,
by his election, they will be sure to
get the same places in the next House.
No man in public life has a stronger
personality than Mr.. Reed; that is
admitted by his friends and enemies
alike. He lost popularity during the
last Congress by getting on the un-
popular side Of every important mat
ter that came before that body, and
probably destroyed what ever chance
he may have had to ever become a
Presidential candidate, but a much
stronger combination than there is
pow any signs of will have to be
formed before his domination Of his
party in the House can be broken.
There are wide differences Of
opinion among members Of his own
concerning statements made
by Representative Cannon, OF Illinois,
about the defeat Of legislation auth
orizing the construction of the Mic
aragna canal. Mr.. Cannon thinks
the House deserves credit for knock
ing out that legislation and providing
for spending a million dollars on
another Engineer Commission, before
the last Commission has even COM
its full report in favor of the
Nicaragua route. Others do not,
and among those others is said to be
The President. Here is another point
upon which others do not agree with
MIR. Cannon: 1.-The U. S. cannot
afford to enter upon this great work.
antil it has acquired by a treaty a
zone Of territory wbereupon to con-
'truct the same" Lawyers of repu-
alton have stated upon the floor Of
he Senate and the House that no
such treaty was necessary. The lob
fists who actually did prevent use
iul Canal legislation are doubtless
at MIR. Cannon's effort to
them Of the responsibility and
'lace it upon his party, but other
members Of his party are vigorously
affecting.
An official of the Navy Depart.