The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-01-13
&c WASHINGTON LETTER, -
Washington, D. c.
January 10, 1899. {

BStween the epidemic of the grip
and the lingering festivities of the
holiday session, congress finds a
lot OF trouble in getting down tc
business. 1t meets every day, goes
through the motions of having a
session and adjourns.
Now don't Le unkind enough tc
imagine that this is because there
is any doubt about the treaty OF
peace being ratified in the senate.
It's supporters claim that g. sen,
ators will vote for it's ratification.
No names are mentioned. In fact
not a few Democrats are undecided
over it. Still the division of senti
ment is not along party lines.
Some of the Republicans are anti
expansionists and so are a good
many Democrats. That pledge of
the peace commission TO pay $780,
COG, 900 for the Philippines to Spain
when we might have had them for
nothing, is enough to make anybody
with business sense feel foolish.
The fun is a little slow beginning.
The Republicans r making a des-
perate effort to get votes enough to
ratify the treaty without amend
ment. Sixty-two will do it, but
they havn't got them yet. Will
they get them? IF not, an extra
session will find enough Republl-
can senators to ratify it anyway so
its only a matter of time after all.
It might be just as we'll to let a
Republican senate have all the glory
and responsibility of ratifying the
treaty. The Democrats are CON
sidering that idea, hence the slow
ness with which things move. The
senate chamber is the dullest place
III Washington nowadays. Visitors
flock into the gallery to hear ami.
mated debate and get so tired that
they wander down to the ornamental
weather map near the marble room
and find more interest IN studying
the little blue, red aud yellow ar
rows that show what brand Of
weather is being enjoyed in every
state in the Union. Some think the
senators would look more diversified
and attractive if there we're little
colored arrows to show how they
stand on the treaty. A yellow
arrow might he hoisted above the
desks Ut those in favor of the treaty.
Those like Senator Hoar, who is
violently opposed, might run up a
red arrow. the blue and the white
would indicate various degrees of
uncertainty. But the visitors are
not the only persons, who don't
know where the senate stands.
Some of the Noble Romans are by
no can ready to label themselves.
1t is a curious thing in Washing
ton that gold coins are now more
plentiful than paper money. De-
partment clerks r paid in the
yellow metal. Postofice money or
ders are paid in gold, and often in
the stores merchants say they can
get no paper money. Gold is heavy
and awk ward and the IS pieces look
too much like new pennies for com,
fort.
Congressman Jerry Simpson, in
speaking of the present abundance
OF gold, says: "Yes, we have had an
imitation of the currency in the past
two years, but I wonder how many
people stop to think how it Happen
cd? Well, there vas a drouth in
European countries last year and
they had to have about $3.50, 600, DOC
worth of our products. This money
we got from feeding the world is
now in circulation. It is fortunate
for the republicans that we protited
on the wheat famine abroad anC
they hasten to tell us that the mon
ey issue is solved. But our farmers
will not have a chance to feed hun
CRY Europeans every year, and ther
what? No temporary condition
like this will settle the money ques
ton"
The situation in the Philippines
still attracts much attention. Ag
uinaldo proposes to fight American
rule just as bitterly as he did tina
of Spain. McKiuley's order to Gen
Otis is to the effect that the natives
should be treated in a friendly an(