Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-05-16
Washington Letter.

| Senator Fairbanks, who was at Vir
ginia Hot Springs when the President
and Mrs. Mckinley arrived there
says the president is delightfully."-
situated to enjoy the rest he is seek.
ing. The president likes it SO well
that telegraphed Vice-President
| Hobart to join him, but Mr.. Hobart
will probably decide to let we'll enough
alone and remain in Washington as
long as the weather continues pleas
ant. He is improving steadily and
gaining strength every day.
+ General Otis has notified the War
department. of the departure this
week, from Manila, of the transports
Pennsylvania, Nelson, Cleveland and
St. Paul. These transports all carry
volunteers and will go direct to
San Francisco, with possibly a short
stop at Honolulu. Requests to be
sent home by way Of the Suez canal
and the Atlantic route have been re-
ceivcd by Secretary Alger from a
number Of the volunteer organiza-
tions in the Philippines, but as that
route is nearly twice as long as the
l.
cred dangerous to the health of SOL
diers who have been in the tropical
climate of the Philippines, he decided
that it would be best to have all the
troops brought home by the Pacific
route, and has so notified General
Otis.
The sentiment in favor OF an extra
session Of congress is increasing
rapidly. Senator Thurston, who is
IN Washington, said: 81 am inclined
to think that congress will be called
together early in October, not so
much because of imperative business,
as because of the mass of new and
important business to be attended
to. II we do not meet earlier than
usual it would not surprise me to see
congress in session until September
or October Of next year. lam sure the
majority of members would prefer to
meet early this year and get away
to look after election matters earlier
next summer. If we do not meet un-
til the regular time, nothing will be
done until after January /. The
election Of speaker and the appoint
menJ O. committees can at least be
gotten over before the regular
time by meeting early, and if there is
to be currency legislation it ought to
be passed early, so it will not be
misunderstood In the fall elections.
There would DE little extra cost in an
early session."
Representative Henderson, ofIowa,
who has been In Washington since
the Republican caucus mittee, of
which he was chairman, completed
the financial bill, lett for home this
week without announcing q date for
bis return. Colonel Henderson has
too much good hare horse sense to
do any blowing concerning the pro-
gress Of his campaign for the speaker
ship, but he does not hesitate to say
that be is very well satisfied with
the outlook. While in Washington
Colonel Henderson saw and talked
with nearly one hundred Republicans
but how many of them
pledged him their votes is something
about which he is not talking. Re-
preventative Hopkins, of Illinois, has
not been to Wa 'hingtOn since the
OF his candidacy for the
speakership, bat letters from him and
the talk of his friends, who are numer-
Gus, say that he has every reason to
consider his chances as good as those
OF any other candidate. Representa-
tive Sherman, of New York, Is expect
ed in Washington IN a few days, for
an indefinite stay. II any candidate
J. no
man has it apparently. Some Of his
supporters go SO far as to claim that
his nomination is already assured,
out that is probably fiction, used
for its effect upon wavering repre-
With large delegations
like those from Pennsylvania and
OHIO unpledged, as members OF both
say they are, it is still an unwon con-
test.
The industrial commission, now
sitting in Washington, has taken up
the subject OF the trusts, and its
members are trying hard to get at
the true 1nwardness Of the widest
known Of the combines, such as the
Oil and Sugar trusts, through ques-
lions asked Of witnesses who are con-
nected with them. The answers of
the with -sses, while apparently
frank, have not up to this time re-
suited in throwing much light on the
subject.
Secretary Long will see that the
administrations part in the national
welcome that is being planned for
Admiral Dewey is all that the man
and the occasion call for. Morethan
a year ago President Mckinley and
his entire cabinet arrived at the con-
clusion that nothing in the posses
sion Of the United States government
was too good for Dewey, and every
act of his since that time has added
to their admiration and desire to
honor him when he returns. No date
has yet been set by Dewey for his de-
parture from Manila, but it will close
Jy follow the formal proclamation of
General Otis that the Philippine re-
volt is over, which will be issued as
soon as Aguinaldo surrenders.
The body Of General Il. G. Egbert,
who was killed in the battle Of NAL
inta, Philippine islands. was inferred