Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1899-04-27

been considered in official circles to be
decidedly favorable, and to indicate
that the backbone of the revolt is brok.
en-, notwithstanding sensational publ
cations to the contrary both in Europe
and in this country, Officials charge
that an organized effort to create q sen.
timent against our retaining the Philip
pines, is responsible for most Of these
stories.
Everything has an end. The beet
inquiry is over, and the court is now
working up its report, which is looked
for this week. Some very radical pre-
dictlons are being made as to the nature
Of the report, such as that it will white
wash the War Department officials and
censure Gen. Miles and other officers
who found fault with tho beef; but con.
servative men believe that the report
will be a different sort of document,
that it will deal very lightly with CEN
ture for anybody and that it will aim
to be of such a nature that all parties
concerned can, without loss Of dignity
consent to drop the whole controversy,
which may think to have already been
productive of much more harm than
good. It will soon be known which OF
these predictions is the correct one, as
the understanding ls that the report
will be made public as soon as it is sub
mitted.
Senator Stewart, of NaYada. whose
long service in the Senate has made
him an authority upon the rules and
regulations of that body, was asked
what action he thought the Senate
would take if Mr.. Quay presented his
appointment to the Senate, made by the
Governor of Pennsylvania, following
his adquittal on the charge Of criminal
conspiracy by Philadelphia jury, and
he said: "For the last century the Sen
ate has been reversing itself on this
question, but the last four cases have
been decided against the appointee, and
if this precedent is maintained, Mr..
Quay will not be seated. But do not
believe the Senate will be called on to
decide this matter, as 1t is my opinion
that the Pennsylvania legislature will
be called in extra session before the
next meeting of Congress, and that MIR.
Quay be regularly elected" Mr.. Stew
art, who is Mr.. Quay's political oppo-
nent, said of tle result of his trial: VI
regard the verdict Of the jury in Sena-
tor Quay's trial as a just one. and the
only one that could have been honestly
rendered on the evidence submitted.
Senator Quay is infinitely better than
any of his opponents"
The fact that the contest for the
Speakership of the House. position
second only to the Presidency in i'm
portance, and made by Mr.. Reed sec
ond in power over legislation to none,
which has been precipitated by the an
nouncement that Mr.. Reed had become
member of New York law firm and
would retire from public life, promises
to be between the East and the West is
not surprising. Of the thirty-two
Speakers of the House, only four-Keif-
err, of Ohio. and Davis, Colfax and Kerr,
of Indiana-have come from the West,
while fifteen of them have been taken
from the South, and the other thirteen
from the East. In ante war times the
West was not sufficiently influential in
political councils to make an effective
protest against not getting Its share of
the honors, but 1t is different now, es-
pecially in the House, where the West
furnishes more than majority OF the
votes of the party in control. This
would seem to make it easy to elect a
Western Speaker. and so it would if
there were only one candidate from that
section, but there are several; conse-
qnently there is no certainty about the
section that the next speaker will come
from. 1t is believed in Washington
that the candidate who gets the support
of the administration will get the
Speakershlp, regardless of what state
he comes from. But it is natural fail
ing for those in Washington to always
eraggerats official power and to assume
that the administration will be the win.
ming factor in all contests within the
party IN power, but there have been
occasions when the administration can
didate for Speaker has been defeated.
President McKinley's long experience
in the House will go long ways, how.
ever, towards enabling him to choose a
man for the administration candidate
who can win, and the chances are de-
cidedIy in favor Of his doing that very
thing. Representative Payne, of New
York, who was chairman of the Ways
and Means committee of the last House,