Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1899-03-16

report that he will not take it is again
revived. Chief among these reasons Is
that all the chairmen of important coE.
mittees in the last House, among whom
are some of the phrewdest and most in.
fuential men in public life, will sup
port Mr.. Reeds candidacy, because, by
his election, they will be sure to get the
same places In the next House, No
man in public life has stronger per-
sonality than Mr.. Reed; that is admit
ted by his friends and enemies alike.
He lost popularity during the last Con-
gress by getting on the unpopular side
of every important matter that came
before the body, and probably destroyed
whatever chance he may have had to
ever become Presidential candidate
but a much stronger combination than
there is now any signs of will have tc
be formed before his domination of his
party in the House can be broken.
There are wide differences Of opinion
among members of his own party, con-
corning statements made by Represen-
tative Cannon, of III. about the defeat
of legislation authorizing the construc-
ton of the Nicaragua canal. Mr.. Can
non thinks the House deserves credit
for knocking out that legislation ane
providing for spending a million dol
lars on another Engineer Commission
before the last commission has ever
completed its full report in favor Of thu
Nicaragua route. Others do not, an(
among those others is said to be tn
President. Here is another point upor
which others do not agree with Mr.
Cannon; "The United States cannot af-
ford to enter upon this great work. un-
til it has acquired by treaty a zone o
territory wherein to construct b
same" Lawyers Of reputation hav
stated on the floor of the Senate ant
the House that no such treaty was nee
essary. The lobbyists who actually di'
prevent useful canal legislation ar
doubtless pleased at Mr.. Cannon's eff
fort to relieve them Of the responsible
ty and place it upon his party. but othe
members of his party are vigorously OBJ
jectlng.
An official of the Navy Department
said of the new batch of yellow yarn
about the terrible condition Of Adnira
Dewey's health: While it is not likel.
that a man of Dewey's age-almost 6:
and physique could remain in tropi
cal waters as long as he mas been Their
without showing signs of the effects 0
the climate, not to mention the nervou
strain he has been under since the frs
of last May, l have no fear of his re.
naming in Manila Bay until he break
down. He is there now simply becaus
he wishes to be, as for months he ha
had official permission to start for HON
at any time he desired to do so, He
too level headed to strain his strength
too far. You can set it down ss certain
that his physical condition is not as bat
as the yellows have painted it.
Gen. Fitz Lees withdrawal of hi
name as candidate for the Ssnste, wa
no surprise to the Virginia politician
who frequent Washington. They sa.
it has been evident for some time tina
Gen, Lee would cut no figure in tn
Senatorial campaign, and that Senate
Martin would be his own successor
An official statement prepared at tn
War Department gives the total num-
Der of deaths in orr army from May l
1898, to Feb. %, 1899, as 5,731. @
these 329 were killed in action, IL;
died of wounds, and 5,277 died of d.
seases.
Now that the President, the Vic,
President and their wives have gone tt
Thomasyille, Ca. as the guests of SEN
ator Hanna, 1t may be said that tn,
capital of the United States has beer
temporarily removed to Crackerdom
How long the Presidential party will
remain in Dixie will depend upon pub
lie business. The War Department II
expecting important news from the
Philippines, and its nature may deter
mine the length of the Presidents va
cation.