The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-29


hood to do So With such definite pur-
pose established and understood the
/ fate of the treaty becomes of little
| consequence. The Republicans have the
power. either in this senate or the next,
| to ratify. Let them do so. if they see
| hit. They must account to the Ameri-
can people. Such is the Democratic
view; and for such reasons did Mr..
| German cheerfully agree with Mr..
Davis that the vote should be taken
| Feb. g.
The Republican motives in setting
this date are numerous and mixed The.
administration appreciates that the sit
uation in the Philippines is becoming
intolerable; 1t breads the effect of the
imminent first shot," it fears the in
reference Of foreign nations. 1t is ap-
prehensive that the sober second
thought of the people is growing more
and more hostile Hence, it feels that
arguments have failed and that action
must prevail. The ultimate reason Of
| force Is force.
The administration realizes that rati-
| f1cetion this session is uncertain. Twen-
ty-four senators are surely opposed to
| it. The following are considered doubt
| full: Daniel. Hale, Harris, Heitfeld,
Jones. New; Kenney, Martin, Mason,
Mitchell, Money, Turpie and Yelling
| ton. With three or four exceptions
these comprise the lightweights of the
senate. Is the influence of the admin
of these immaterials over to the rati-
| fication side? 1t seems prudent to try.
| Even If the treaty should be reject
! ed. the administration would neither
yield nor despair. An extra session of
| the F1fty-siXth congress would be
promptly called, to meet directly after
| the 4th Of March, and the treaty again
| presented for ratification. 1t has not
| been generally understood that this
| could be done. but it must be remem-
| bered that the president is primarily
| the treaty making power, the senate
| merely acting in an advisory capacity.
The language of the constitution is as
| follows: The president has power, with
the advice and consent of the senate,
| to make treaties provided two-thirds
of the senators present concur" Hence
| 1t is claimed that unless the president
! should notify Spain of the adverse ac-
| ton of the senate he can hold the
| treaty and refer it to the considera-
| ton of the next senate.
EAGAN'S FATE.
The Eagan court martial has acted.
1t remains to be seen whether the
| president will show the mercy which he
seems to confidently expect. The feel
Inc jS or "a
he had the moral support of the head Of
the war department in the outrageous
attack he made upon Gen. Miles. Per-
haps he also got strength from the
beef which he supplied. 1t certainly
had plenty to give and to spare. This
embalmed-b beef question promises to
become Of national Importance. Sup
pose the soldiers should conclude to
express their views concerning it by
their votes; there would be little balm
in Gilead for those who approve Of
boric acid as a condiment and salicylic
acid as a sauce.
CONSTITUTIONAL PUZZLE.
The house may have a constitutional
| puzzle to solve if the judiciary COM
| mittee renders a report regarding the
status Of those members who have been
holding military and civil offices. Gen.
| Wheeler made strong plea as to his
right to hold commission both as a
| commander and a congressman. He
| showed that three members of the
| house and two of the senate were ap-
| pointed as visitors to West Point, and
received pay for such services; that
| ten members were on the labor COM
mission, six on the mail transportation
| commission, three each on the Cana
| dian commission and the Hawaiian
| commission, and three senators on the
peace commission. He claimed that he
had found over 1900 instances where
| congressman had been appointed to
| civil offices without objection.
So far as precedent is concerned the
general undoubtedly had the stronger
side. Indeed, if the judiciary commit
tee does report. the ventilation which
may ensue would be a good thing as
showing an increasing evil. Congress-
men have a greed for commissions.
Perhaps if they attended to their Off
cial duties more strictly they would
not have this superabundant energy
for soft snaps. At least this seems to
have been the view of the trainers of
the constitution on this subject, since
they embodied therein the following
very explicit provision: mo person
holding any Office under the United
States shall be a member of either
house during his continuance in Office
But, after all, what difference does the
constitution make among friends?
CENSUS REPORT READY.
The house census committee is now
ready to report. The bill constitutes
the census Office a separate bureau,
Independent of any executive depart
ment. 1t will be remembered that the
| last census was taken under charge of
/ the interior department. The bill also
provides that census supervisors are
to be appointed by the president, with
out confirmation by the senate, which
may diminish the number of senatorial
appointments. The Office is exempted
from the operation of the civil service
law, and may establish its own ex-
aminations. Candidates are to be ap-
pointed for general efficiency, irrespect-
i've of party-this sop for reformers
must have been borrowed from the
statutes of Utopia. The ordinary re-
ports must be published within two
years.