Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-01-19
WASHINGTON LETTER.
WHAT HARRIS NOTES AT THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL.

v. Mi.es.--BOom ia Export Of Mission
aues.--T'om Reeds Latest.--fIow e
DO the Impossible.
WASHINGTON, Jan Is.
FELLOW SUFFERERS Business ha'
dragged in Congress the past week.
suppose some progress has been made
but ifso it has been sidewise like 4
land crab. The House has ''puttered'
along with appropriation bills and ha,
disposed OF some Of them, but just rs
some actual and visible progress was
being made some wild-eved statesman
would leap into the arena with sick
ening thud and delivers thrilling and
impassioned Grafton on the goddess OF
liberty in the Philippines. eternal jus
tice. the bright jewels of consistency
and truth. the star-emblazoned banner
of the grandest republic on Gods
earth. he damnable crime of impe-
rialism and.etcetera and yet some more
etcetera Meanwhile nobody paid the
slightest attention 30 the orator, *
/ cept 10 keep out OF the way Of his way
inc arms. Some of the members are
/ in their seats writing letters or reading
q newspaper Some a-e knOtted to-
gether in groups Of from three 70 six
telling stories; dozens OF them are out
i'm the corridors or cloak rooms smok-
ING and chatting; some are downstairs
in the restaurant and some are asleep
or IL work IN heir committee rooms
Finally the speech is finished and the
regular order Of business Is resumed
The reading clerk drones along over
paragraph after paragraph and section
after section of an appropriation bill
The racket caused by the conversation
OF hundred members almost browns
him out, bat still he drones along.
Presently two OF three member, who
are actually trying to keep track of
the business start a discussion over the
propriety OF some paragraph in the bill
and the clerk has a chance 10 rest his
voice Meanwhile all the uproar and
disorder OF twenty Vermont town
meetings and "a half dozen county tairs /
continues.
The week in the Senate has been al /
most entirely devoted to discussions of
the Philippine question. One week /
ago last Saturday Senator Plat Of Com
necticut started the ball-although the +
subject had been previously laborcd
with by Caffrey and one or two other
chronic bores-and he certainly opened
up a warm time. Senator Plat i a
a great lawyer and one of
he ablest men In the Senate He adj
7ocated the retention of the islands in
such a learned argument as man of
his calibre would naturally make. He
vas followed Monday by Senator Hoar
# Massachusetts in opposition. Tues
lay by senator Mason OF Illinois in op-
position. Wednesday senator Foraker .
# Ohio in favor These are Intellectual
Rants and their remarks were an in
ellectual feast. The argument of the
nti-anneXationists. as presented by
senator's IIoar and Mason, is that we
ave no constitutional right TO acquire
nd govern outlying territory and no
loral right to govern people against !
heir will The text OF the arguments
'as senator MasOn's remark that YOU
lnnot inject freedom hypodcrmically I
18th thirteen-inch riiled cannon II
On the other hand senator Foraker .
by the most conclusive
1thorities that this country has right
} acquire territory anywhere by pur-
lasc. discoycry'or conquest, and the !
ght to govern the territory so ac-
hired is OF course a concurrent neces-
ty. Those Ia opposition can only {
lse their opposition on the ground
lat a government of the Philippines 8
7 force Of arms would be squarely IN :
lpositiOn 70 the spirit Of the constitu- 9
on and a fatal breach OF the principle /
at governments must be BY the CON
mt OF the governed. There certainly /
IN be no legal or constitutional OBJ
elton to our acquiring the islands
senator McLaurin OF South Carolina :,
'Oke Friday afternoon in rather pc
lliar vein on the subject He square
said that we did not want negroes or
or Malays or Filipinos TO take n
~ part whatever in the affairs of this L
)vernment. They must not be al b
we'd any share in the government Of {,
~ state, colony or territory. This is Il
white mans government That
rs the sole argument of the curly :
aided little South Carolinian. A few :
emocratic senators listened to him 1
Il only one Republican. Mason. paid I
~ sort OF attention 10 the South Car III
inian. y
The war investigation commission is ii
,lding a session every day. Some Of /,
EN- are hot, some warm and some il
lilly. The only result OF consequence h
US far is the red-hot row between o
en-. Eagan and Gen. Miles, which will "A
'obably lead TO a court martial of the d
rmer. Miles says the canned beef n
rs rotten, vile, unfit even for fcrtil- q
er. Eagan says Miles Is a id liar. n
here YOU have it. The committee an ID
'unces that it will be ready to report q
N few weeks iii
While passing the Senate restaurant h
the basement of the capital one DAY a
81 week-last Wednesday, think :,
" a party Of four gentlemen pass in ol
lunch. They didn't attract much at b
ntion from those who recognized 4
EN-, and none at all from those who nj
dn't. But then. they have been e.