The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-12-13
FROM THE NATIONS CAPITAL.
From Our Own Correspondent.

the action of the House upon the ere
dcntials of Roberts, the pOlygamist
from Utah.
The general comments heard upon
the executive communication are any
thing but flattering to its author. 1t
is enormously long, containing more
words than any previous annual mes
dubious, lacking in force; and upon
the important issues of the day, it falls
far short of expectations. 1t leaves
the Philippine question in tho air; and
it is apparent now that the President
will not venture to put himself square
ly on record. officially, in regard to
this matter, prior to the national cleo
tions. His utterances to Congress are
remarkably short of his speeches in the
west, on his famOns nrOund-the- circle
trip bsf0IU the Ohio election. He now
ventures nothing upon the imperialistic
issue. beyond statement, which no
one disputes or has denied, that the
insurrectiOn must be ended, and that
obligations incurred in the war with
Spain for establishing order in terri
tory acquired by this country, must be
fulfilled. But upon the important
question as to how this government
what measure Of liberty shall be given
the Filipinos, the President is silent
His evasion of the issue is taken gen
orally to mean that he is doubtful now
himself about the American peoples
endorsement of the policy to hold per-.
Inanently ali the Philippines and TO
govern them by Il colonial system SINH
lar to that of Great Britain.
The financial suggestions of Mr.. Nc
publicans, who cherished the hope that
he would. nominally at least, adhere to
the Republican platform Of 1895 upon
which he was elected, favoring larger
use Of silver, to be brought about by
international agreement. Intelligent
men have understood fully that this
declaration was put in merely to pro-.
pitiate certain sections like Indiana
and illinois VIII. where silver coinage is
however, the President comes out
squarely for the establishing more
firmly of the single gold standard, the
increase Of national bankers privileges,
and authority for the Secretary Of the
Treasury to sell United States bonds
on long or short time. AS the present
Secretary exercises his discretion to
buy bonds and tnrn cash into Wall
street whenever the spectators arc
implies more flexible arrangement
by which the Treasury will lend itself
to the adjustment Of rates to stock
speculatOrs at their behest, or as the
whim may strike him, and both sell
and buy bonds for the purpose.
The trust question is treated with
little short OF misstatement OF law and
facts. The day prior to the reading Of
this message the United States Supreme
AddystOn Pipe Co., decided that this
trust was in violation of Federal sta
tutes. There is no longer doubt that
existing law is sufficient to reach the
trusts. It is for the Attorney General
OF the United States, an official of
Mckinley IS administration, to prosecute
the offenders. But Attorney General
Griggs comes from New Jersey. the
great incorporating State of all the
his thoughts and convictions are i'm
bued naturally with prejudices in favor
of the great capitalistic concerns.
Griggs can not see means for prOsecu-
ting these combinations under the So
called Sherman act, although the Su-
prcme Court can convict when cases
are brought before it. The easiest es-
cape from such situation is to ask for
of the President. With laws enough
to cover the principal offenders, the
trust-fed administration asks Congress
to furnish more; and then it implies
these matters will receive cOnsidera-
ton. When the next Republican con
vention meets, it will no doubt de-
nOunce vigorously, in general terms,
trustsand combinations for the purpose
of sitting competition. The Repnbli-
cans have lost none OF their character
istic eff'rOntery, as is shown very well
in the latest message Of their chief re
preventative.
No suggestion is made for lesscning
the burdens of the standing army, but,
on the contrary, between the lines can
be read the purpose to establish it
permanently. II the President actual
" believes. the insurrcction in the
no hope extended that soon the army
can be reduced, and n portion mt least
of the present burden of S12O,O00,000
for this army can be taken off the
shoulders of the tax-payers7
In the House the message was listen
ed to impatiently. The thousands
who filled the galleries were there to
witness the proceedings in the Roberts
case. They we're bored by the long,
tedious message.
Without party division. the House
voted not to admit Roberts on his un-
questiOnably perfect certificate Of cleo
tiOn as Representative. The COM
inents heard from the leaders on both
sides indicate very clearly that they
were not at all satisfied with their
votes upon the question. They re-
cognize, unanimously, that most dan
gerOns precedent has been established
I'M refusing to admit any man present
ing regular credentials, a precedent
that may be invoked hereafter to great
injury Of State, by INSCRIPTIONS ma
jOrities in the House. 1t can be stated,
moreover, that there were not six men
Of the nearly 400 in the House who did
not recognize the fact that the proper
procedure in the case would have been
to adopt the resolution offered by the
Democratic leader, Mr.. Richardson,
proposing to admit Roberts temporari-
Iy upon mis- credentials, anu Inen refer
to the committee on the judiciary for
immediate report the charges OF per-
s0nal disqualification. Roberts would
have been expelled under that method,
beyond the shadow of doubt. S.
Deafness Cannot be Cured