Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-03-26
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Republican senators are showing a
disposition to get together on the
Porto Rican bill. While it cannot yet
be stated to certainty what changes
will be made, it seems likely that the
bill will be amended so as to provide
for the free entry of all American
! goods in Porto Rico.
The action of the senate committee
on foreign relations in amending the
Nicaragua Canal treaty so as to reserve
to the u. s. authority to defend the
canal in any way it may see fit in time
| of war seems to meet with general
approval There is no reason to sup
pose that the amendment will be OBJ
jected to by England. In fact, it
cannot very we'll be objected to since
the amendment is in almost the exact
language of clause in the treaty I'M
der which the Suez Canal was con-
structed.
In view of its effect upon our
treaty with France to the senate
finance committee for consideration
and report before voting upon it,
seems sensible move. There is much
guessing going on as to when the
treaty will be voted upon, but those
who ought to know, believe that it
will be acted upon at the present
session.
Representative Hepburn, of Iowa,
has introduced short bill that would,
if enacted into law, put an end to
prize fighting in this country. It pro-
vides that no picture or description
of any prize fight Or pugilistic en-
counter, or any proposal for betting
on fight, shall be transmitted through
the mail or by any common carrier
engaged in Interstate commerce,
whether newspaper or periodical, or
in any other form. Without public
ity, prize fighting. could not be made
to pay, and the money made out of it
is the only reason for its existence.
Senator Lodge thinks the officer
commanding our army should have a
higher rank than any other officer,
and has introduced a Joint resolution
giving to the senior major general,
while commanding the army, the rams,
pay and emoluments of lieutenant
general. Representative Moody, of
Mass, offered the resolution in the
House.
representative Brosius, of Pa, who
has earned a reputation for level
headedness, voiced the opinions of
many republicans when he said:
''There is a difference between phil
Osopher and statesman. A states
man must keep his feet on the ground
while the philosopher may be per-
mitted to do more or less theorizing.
Therefore [ regret this tendency to
yell out against the republican party
at this time, particularly on the part
Of some very prominent republicans.
[ firmly believe that the republican
party is able to meet successfully any
problem that confronts it, and we
ought to be willing to wait with pa
tience for the solution of the great
our new islands,"
Col. George Bohon, of KY, who is
credited with knowing the politics Of
his state, said to group of friends, in
a Washington hotel: "Unless the
Goebel law is repealed, Kentucky will
go republican as sure as candidates
for the Office of president are nomi
mated, and the state will go republican
so hard that it will never get back into
the democratic ranks"
An object lesson on the credit of
nations was furnished by the action
of the British government in Offering
English consols, bearing 234 per cent.
interest, to American investors-the
first time such an offer was ever made
at SO ga per cent. of their face
value, and by the finance bill, devised
by the republicans, which will this
week become a law. This bill pro-
vides for refunding the entire bonded
Indebtedness of the y. S. into 2 per
cent. bonds, lower than any nation has
ever foated bonds, and assurances
have already been received that the
new bonds will be gladly taken at par
by the holders of the old ones That
is the sort of craftsmanship the re-
publicans give this nation. They were
not satisfied that our credit should be
as good as that of any other nation,
but have made it better than that of
the best.
The passage by the German Reich
stag, of the bill aimed at American
meat products, has not produced a