Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-04-26
Washington Letter.
From our Regular CORRESPONDENT

WASHINGTON, April 81, 1892
Speaker Reeds nouncement of his
Intention to retire from congress and
| become a member Of a New York law
firm Is being discussed with the great
est interest In Washington. both by
Republicans and Democrats No
man ever left a deeper personal i'm
preston upon she legislation of the
country than he has done during his
several terms as speaker of the house,
and it was conceded that he could
have been reelected speaker of the
next house, and indeed, of every house
that had a Republican majority
as long as he remained in congress.
1t is not surprising that be should
have accepted the guarantee of $50,
600 a year, offered him by the law
firm of which he is to become the
head after a short trip to Europe;
few men of limited means would have
declined such an offer His retire.
ment will mark the beginning of a
very interesting contest for speaker
ship OF the house. There are at least
a dozen Republican members of the
the position and whose services TO
the party make them worthy of being
given the honor. While it is not
likely that President Mckinley Will
take any active part IN this contest,
his knowledge of the capacity of each
man who Will be candidate, and the
fact that all Republicans wish the
position filled by a man who will be
IN accord with the administration, is
likely to make his advice sought oy
members before CO nmitting them
selves, and the man who is favored
by him will pro bably be the next
speaker. Who be will be is probably
not positively known at this time by
the president himself.
A number of important diplomatic
appointments were made this week.
among them being that of ex Cover
nor Lord, of Oregon, to be minister
to Persia, to I'll the vacancy made
by the promotion of Hon Arthur
Sherburn Hardy to be minister to
Greece, to fill the vacancy made by
the resignation of Hon. w. w. Rock
hill, and that of Hon. John n Irwin,
OF Iowa, to be minister to Portugal
in place Dillon. Lawrence Townsend,
who was transferred to Belgium, to
succeed Hon Bellamy Storer, who
has been chosen for our new Spanish
ambassador.
How great the authority the Sa-
moan commission, the members Of
which are now on their way to San
Francisco, where the United States
Badger is waiting to carry them di-
rect to Apia and to serve as their
headquarters during their stay, IS
clothed with by the governments of
the United States, Great Britain
and Germany, may be judged by the
following remarks made by Hon
Bartlett Trip, the American COM
missioner, just before he left Wash
ington: From the moment we land
the government of the consul general
ceases, and we supersede all former
authority. Our DEGREES will be the
supreme law of the islands," The
commissioners must unanimous
ly agree upon everything they do;
that is practically the only limit to
their authority, except that they
may not suspend the Berlin treaty.
But they can, if they think proper,
recommend to their respective govern
ments that the treaty be amended or
suspended. No doubt whatever is
felt ia Washington that the commits
sion will successfully accomplish the
duty imposed upon it, and that it
will make a report that will cause
the punishment of those who have