Catoctin clarion., 1899-12-28

Gen. Wheeler appointed origaaler
general in the regular army, and at
once retired, seems not to progress. The
opinion is growing that there will be
strong opposition to the seating OF Gen
Wheeler should he return to Washing
ton and ask to be sworn in as a member
Of the House.
Washington is one of the best places,
and during Christmas Congressional
recess one of the best times to see the
statesmen as they really are when they
are off duty. In other places they al
ways seem to be posing, but in Wash
ington posing would only get them
laughed at; consequently they are seen
for Just what they are, and that is just
about what the same number Of men in
any calling are. AS usual, consider
able rumber Of Senators and Represen
tatives are spending their holiday in
Washington. AS rule they are doing
no work, but Speaker Henderson is one
of the exceptions; he remained in Wash
ington to do some work that he could
not get time to do while Congress is in
session. The members of sub COM
mittee of the Roberts Committee are
prepared to take some additional testi-
mony in the Roberts case, but no wit
nesses have arrived.
The recommendation Of Inspector
General Breckenridge, in his annual re-
port, for the creation Of joint army
and navy beard. for the purpose of ar
ranging for a more thorough co opera
ton between tie two branches of the
service, is highly commended as a step
in the right direction. There were sew
eral times during the war with SPAN
when the lack of intelligent co.opers-
ton between the army and navy, nota
bly, the landing Of Gen. SKATERS army
in Cuba, would have led to serious and
disastrous consequences had we been
opposed by more alert and vigorous
enemy than the Spanish. Recently the
two branches of the service have worked
we'll together in the Philippines. but it
is known that there were times, juet af-
ter the arrival of our army at Manila,
when they did not.
Some of the friends Of the Nicaragua
Canal in both House and Senate, are de.
termined to try to push IL bill providing
for the construction of the Canal
through at this session of Congress,
without waiting for the report
Of the canal commission, which
will not be made for at least year. 1t
is perfectly we'll understood. as it was
at the time, that the sole object in view
when the Canal Commission was legis-
lated for by Congress, was to delay leg
islation for canal. 1t is also believed
that a majority in both House and Sen.
ate would vote for a bill to construct a
canal, if given an opportunity 10 do so,
but. owing to the approach Of the Pres
idential campaign, and the fact that
large appropriations for other purposes,
will be absolutely necessary, it is very
doubtful whether the leaders vii allow
a canal bill to be voted on at this ses-
sion; they will quiet those who would
like to vote Tor the bill by telling them
that little time will be lost by waiting
until the next session, when the report
OF the Canal Commission will be ready.
Prof Richard G. Ely, of the Univer-
sity of Wisconsin, read paper on trusts,
at meeting of the Washington econo-
mic society, which has attracted more
than passing attention. After telling
how trusts were formed and operated,
and pointing out that the consumers
always have it in their power to make
the trust charge fair prices by refusing
to buy their goods, he said Of remedies
for trusts: "The 80 called antitrust leg.
islation, in my opinion. has produced
harm, and can produce nothing but
harm. So far from lessening the con-
centration Of production, it has rather
increased it. Lovser forms Of combina-
tion In the face of anti trust legislation
has made way for closer and more ef-
fective unions. Among remedies, first
Of all, I would mention education. I
would have general education 80 de-
yeloped as to prepare every boy and
girl for life. Another class of remedies
is found in the regulation of the trans
mission Of property from generation to
generation, and this must be brought
about in part by taxation. in part by
laws which aim otherwise to secure
wide diffusion of wealth. | have no
sympathy with any proposal to abolish
or limit private corporations. would,
however, bring them under effective
public control, the sole purpose of which
should be honesty and individual re-