Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-12-12
TUESDAY, DECEMBER y, 1899.
ashingtOn Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON, December 8. $780,
The Republicans in both branches of
congress have shown a commendable
disposition to get right down to the
work of the session. IL the senate
the committees are being rearranged,
in order to give them a Republican
membership In accordance with the
Republican majority, and the finan-
cial bill, which is one of the most inn
pOrtant measures passed, has been
introduced and referred to the finance
committee. In the house the Repub-
lican caucus has endorsed the inan-
cial bill prepared by its committee
and arranged to put it through the
house II once, besides adopting rules
those of the last house-and dis
posing OF the Roberts case, and, in
order to facilitate business. Speaker
Henderson has named the committee
on rules. This is a remarka BILE show
ing for the first week OF the session,
I'd indicates that this will be a busl-
ness congress.
f'rankness ls the keynote of Presi-
dent McKinley's message. 1t neither
lodges nor juggles any issue now be
fore the country. These facts become
clearer the more the message is stud
led, and it is a document that will
repay the closest study. 1t does pre-
cIsely what the presidents message
TO congress was intended to do-teis
the present state Of the union-and
indicates plainly the things the presi-
dent thinks congress ought to do. 1t
declares for support Of the existing
gold standard; for the increase Of our
merchant marine; for legislation to
curb the power OF trusts for free
Cuba, as early as the Cubans can be
trusted to MAINTAIN a stable govern
ment; for the abolition of all custom
tariffs between the United States and
Porto Rico and the establishment of
civil government on the island; for
the retention OF the Philippines; for
the early construction of an Isthmian
canal between the Atlantic and the
Pacific oceans, and the laying of
Pacific cable; foT the providing of a
proper form Of government for Ha-
wall, and against entanging foreign
alliances. 1t is doubtful whether any
other single presidents message ever
contained SO many or such frank dec
'arations upon important matters.
Sven his political opponents have
joined congrutulatlng President
Mckinley on his message.
Representative Taylor, of Ohio,
who made the objection to swearing
il Roberts. OF Utah, as a. memb Der of
le house, and who Is chairman Of
the committee appointed by Speaker
Henderson, under the resolution
adopted by the house with only thirty
one adverse votes, to investigate the
charges against Roberts, and who
was, for the time, floor leader of the
Republicans, added new laurels to his
reputation as ready debater during
the discussion of the resolution. He
said the argument of the Democrats,
that Roberts should be taken into
the house and then put out again,
reminded him Of a bit of poetry writ
ten when King Charles tried to batter
down the doors of the English par
lament anu to deprive the Commons
OF their privileges, which quoted one
of the members as saying:
''T hear a lion in the lobby roar,
Say. Mr.. Speaker, shall shut the door?
Or, shall we let him in, and then
See if we cannot put him out again"
lad Mr.. Roberts not been allowed
to make speech In his own behalf,
the Democrats would have had diff
Guilty in using the time allotted to
them for discussion of the Roberts
resolution, and the speech of Roberts,
instead Of being a defense of himself,
was merely an attack upon others.
1t was remarked as mournful CO.
incidence that the senate should ad.