The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1899-11-02
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, Oct. 20.

Imperialism is to bring many new
things, and among the rest new
committee OF the House, which can
be depended upon to report just sucn
legislation concerning the imperial
colonies as may be ordered by HIS
Majesty, William 1. Under ordinary
circumstances all bills introduced in
the House relating to new territory
owned by the government would be
referred to the committee on Terri
tories. But the chairman of the COM
mittee on Territories in the last House,
who cannot be denied the same posi-
tion in the next House without a
marked breach of courtesy, is under
suspicion, so his committee is to be
supplanted, SO tar as the new possess
ions are concerned, by a new one
which can be depended upon. Wheth.
er the name OF the new committee has
been selected is not positively known,
but the proper name for it will be
Committee on Imperialism, for such
it will be popularity known. There is
also some talk of establishing similar
committee in the Senate, where there
has already been wrangling between
the Committee on Territories, and
that on Foreign Relations over the
control Of bills relating to the new
possessions, but such d programme
cannot be carried out in the Senate
as easily as in the House. The Re
publicans have majority in the Sen
ate, but there are number of Repub.
lican Senators who are opposed to
imperialism and all its trimmings.
~.
Mr.. John X. Mclean is confident
that he will be the next Governor of
Ohio. He was in Washington for a
DAY last week and he told his friends
that the prospects for Democratic
success are improving every day and
that he had not the slightest
doubt of his election. He also said
that Col. Bryan's short visit to the
State was of great benefit TO the Dem.
ocrats, Notwithstanding Republican
statements to the contrary.
a striking case of bad judgment
and management on the part Of some
official connected with the Navy De-
partment came to light last week,
when it was announced that the con-
verted yacht Vixen, which was recent
ly ordered to South American waters,
would be put out OF commission and
probably sol1 After lhe Vixen had
been fitted up with modern battery
and otherwise equipped as gunboat
it was discovered that there was not
room aboard her to carry sufficient
amount of provisions, for her crew,
even for moderately long voyage.
II is evident that somebody neglected
their duty in not making this discov-
cry before the Government had gone
to the expense of converting the
yacht into gun boat.
e.
The country has no reason to feel
proud of the final action OF the Naval
Board on Construction as to the plans
of three new battleships, which were
last week determined upon, since it is
admitted even by the members of the
board, that these battleships, when
completed, will be interior in almost
every respect to the latest battleships
of Great Britain, France, Germany,
Russia and Japan. Because Ameri-
can crews are the best in the world is
no reason why millions of the peoples
money should be spent in building
inferior ships for them, and Congress
should prevent these vessels being
constructed. If we can't builG battle
ships equal or better in every way
than those other nations are building,
we would better build none. The
board also decided upon the plans for
three new armored cruisers. The
oldest part of this whole business is
that, although these six warships are
to cost more than $4,000, 900, not
one of the famous fighting officers of
our navy were consulted or even asked
to make suggestion to the board,
which is composed of naval officers
known as theorists, but not as fighters.
Senator Procter has not given up
the idea of holding Admiral Dewey
in reserve as an anti-McKinley candl-
date for the Republican Presidential
nomination because the Mckinley
crowd succeeded in alarming the Ad-
miral about his health to the extent
of causing him to abandon his intend
ed trips TO Atlanta and Philadelphia
STATE OF Ono Cry OF TO.)