Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1899-03-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.
T SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MONITOR.
Washington, March 9th, 1899.

! The new Army bill IS satisfactory to
President Mckinley, wh,ch is alone
sufficient proof that the democratic
claim of having compelled its accept
ance by the republicans is bit of
m oonshine. The simple truth is that
| the democrats were clearly outgener-
aled by the republicans. In their
anxiety to escape censure from the
people for trying to tie the hands of
the administration, by opposing the
Hull army bill, the democrats offered
to vote for bill that gives practical
ly everything the Hull bill would have
given, except that it only provides
for the additional men for two years
from next July, instead of leaving it
discretionary with the president how
long the additional men should be
kept in the army. President McKin-
ley nd the republican senators took
advantage of the opportunity thus
presented to prevent an extra session
of congress. Their objecti in doing this
is obvious. First, they avoid an extra
session, which no one wanted; second,
when it la needed, and last, but by no
means least, the next congress can
be depended upon to pass any per-
manent army legislation that may be
re co mmenned by President McKin-
ley. 1t will seem therefore, that the
claims of victory by the democrats is
just about as substantial as that setup
by the Spaniards after Dewey had de-
stroyed their fleet at Manila and later
when they announced that Cervera
had won great victory. President
Mckinley has won double triumph;
secured the soldiers he needs, and
| avoided an extra session of congress.
So far is Secretary Long from en-
teri aiming a feeling of i'll will towards
A dmiral Schley that he has caused
! it to be announced that in the event
Of the failure of the senate, to act
| upon Scheley's nomination to be Rear
Admiral. which he does not expect,
the navy department will not allow
Scheley to be forced out of the service,
although failure of the senate to act
on the nomination would leave
Schley without official status, as an
other man had been nominated and
confirmed to succeed him as Commo-
dore, which leaves no vacancy in
that grade.
Representative Johnson, of Ind,
made another speech attacking the
president probably his last, as he
retires frem public life at the end of
the present week-which was effect
ually replied to by Representative
Lands, of the same state, who de-
clared that Mr.. Johnson had beer re-
pudiated by his constituents whose
sentiments he did not represent in
any sense, and supported the declara-
ton by reading extracts from repub-
lican papers in his district. "Those
editors,'' said Mr.. Lands, ''are the
men who thirty five years ago, up
held the hands of Oliver P. Norton,
ag ainst the assaults of the copper
! heads. If the gentleman returns to
his district, he will be crucified by
public opinion and spat upon with
indignation"
Senator Warren made a successful
fight for an amendment to the River
and Harbor bill that means much
to those who live in the arid sections
of the country. 1t provides for the
establishment of a group ofreservoirs
in Wyoming and for surveys to dem
onstrate the practicability of creating
other reservoirs in arid and semi
arid states, especially along the head
waters of the Missouri.
/ How strong the Nicaragua Canal is
in the senate, was shown by the fact
that only three votes were cast against
the River and Harbor bill, containing
an amendment providing for the con-
struction of the canal The only thing
that can prevent the amended bill
| going through the house is lack of
time, and that can probably be ar
ranged.
When Senator Sewell expressed
| the fear that we could not satisfy the
| Cubans, no matter how much was
done for them, and that we should
sooner or later have them fighting us,
he said what many have been think
| ing without saying, although hoping
that the Cubans would in the end
justify the high opinion which Sena-
tor Foraker and others hold of them.