The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-11
MINUTE TdLkS
WITH MEMBERS.


The question Of apportionment sits
heavily on many State delegation IN the
House these days. II Is discussed among
members everywhere. ana the fiddling for
advantage Is spirited. The leaders on the
Republican side are adverse TO Increasing
the membership. but they will meet with
resistance. A plan in favor With them Is
a member for every 11s. 40 population.
That would keep the membership az about
s5l as az present.
Representative Kiutz. Of North Caro-
lima, 8 member Of the Census Committee,
says he has no fear Of the passage OF the
Crumpacker bill. which Is the most con-
spicuous measure yet offered FOR appoe-
tior.uent. II do not believe he declares.
"t1st the bin will ever get out Of the
House Census Committee. II is an IN
warranted measure. which. as law.
would be both unfair and unconstitutional
The constitGtiOnality OF North Carolina
franchise law is mot yet settled, and the
Constitution Of the United States ex-
pressly provides that apportionment shall
be according 10 population. There Is
large negro vote in Indiana. which ho.ds
the balance OF power between the parties
Judge Crumpacker's bin is intended %
cater TO Northern sentiment"
There's a man down in the Southern
end Of Alabama whose name . John ID.
Burnett. and he came near getting me
+ into trouble" said Representative John
+ L. Burnett. II Gadsden. the shortest mar.
I in the House. He ran as an elector on
/ the Democratic ballot and took so vo es
away from my ticket for Congress. Io1
/ can imagine how that scared me. for 40
years ago l had two opponents, whose
/ combined vote was LOO more than mine
! This year the two forces fused against
me, but l pulled through by safe ma
/ jority."
/ Since he came TO Congress Mr. Burnett
/ has been indefatigable in urging improve
ments for the Coosa River. which is
mighty waterway, and which. after
/ great deal &C advertising in the news
papers, Mr.. Burnett says is now a very
well-knOwn stream. Delegations from the
House have gone into the Southland TO
| study its navigability and remarkable
water power, and now Alabama is waiting
/ 10 see what will be done for the 9oOsa
in the river and harbor bill.
Representative McCalrs somewhat sur
prising speech Wednesday against the
army bill was no off-hand effort. The
| Massachusetts, member has a reputation
/ for going pretty thoroughly into ques-
tons on which he undertakes TO address
the House. He has studied the colonial
| system and its phases. and. however
much some men may disagree with him,
there are statements in his speech which
will command attention.
Il cannot bear in silence" said Mr..
Mccall yesterday in referring 10 his
speech, the statements that are current
about the Philippines. Tropical colonies
the world over have never been profitable
for any country, and they never will be
profitable for us. Already this can be
easily demonstrated as regards our own
possessions. If you examine authorita-
/ tive French statistics you will find that
France has spent $40 in maintaining her
tropical colonies where only 81 has come
back in trade Our pensions and our mil
itary establishment now cost more an
nually than both Germany and France
spend each year for their enormous
standing armies, and at the present rate
of advance it won't be long before the
United States will be spending more
| money for pensions and for standing
army than three of the greatest powers
or Europe pay for their standing armies.
IL is the merest theatric and spectacular
display 10 declaim about economy. The
continuation of this policy of Asiatic en-
pire will Law broad and ueep the founda-
ton for a system of expenditure that viii
rest heavily on future generations.
Representative Amos Allen, OF Maine
has been very attentive to the Treasury
Department of late for the purpose of
heading off any would-be smugglers in
IN ha- fcn talr fAt
several additional inspectors. who will,
very naturally, be appointed from the good
Republicans in his district, and who will
patrol the harbor between o'clock at
night and o'clock in the morning to see
that Uncle Sam is not defrauded of his
lawful dues.
"The largest merchantmen that sail the
Atlantic now touch at Portland, which
has become the winter port for a vas;
amount OF Shipping engaged in the trans
portation of goods TO and from Canada,
saws Mr.. Allen. The land and water IA
cilities for transportation have been great
ly Enlarged at Portland to accommodate
the traffic, which, however, brings little
extra revenue TO the government, because
the goods pass through Maine in bond
The customs officials at Portland must
keep account of all this. and for the last
year or two they have been taxed 10 the
utmost 10 keep up with the work. SO
pressed has the collectors employees been
that there is no one TO watch at night lest
goods be smuggled ashore.
'sThe Canadian shippers attempted Il
establish port on the Atlantic near thC
St Lawrence and also near Nova Scotia
lmt tie harbors froze over in the winter
and Is a result almost the entire com
nerce OF the Dominion for three or foul
months Of the year crosses the Pine Ire,
State"
Talking Of campaign stories. Senator
Scott, of West Virginia, was relating I,
his colleagues yesterday the telegraph.
| correspondence which passed between hin
and Vice Chairman Payne, of the Ma
tionaI Committee. about two weeks befor,
the election.
Senator Scott vas responsible only fol
the campaign In the East, but heard som
things about the situation in wyominl
! which made him serious He wired Mr.
, Payne as follows:
have received information from source whiel
. Is usually accurate and which leads me % secep
the statement true. that the wooi-growers o
Wyoming disaheeted and need 20 be l0Oket
after al
Now II there was one Western State o.
which the Republicans on the Chicago enf
OF the committee felt perfectly sure. +
was Wyoming. Mr.. Payne absolutely re
fused 10 be disturbed. On the contrary
he wired back 10 Scott:
have received information from source whiei
is usually accurate, and which leads Hae 70 seesp
the statement as true that the maple sugar grover
in Vermont are disaaseted and need % Be boxes
after ~ once.
Senator Scott received the telegram
laughed, and threw II IN the waste-basket
He didn't trouble himself about Wyomini
afterward.
e The Georgia members Of Congress wen
D 10 the White House yesterday morning d
! ask the President 20 reappoint Intersfat
! commerce Commissioner Clements. Rep
8 resentatlye Bartlett was the spokesman
) and presented a number OF reasons wh
; Judge Clements should be retained Tn
4 other members Of the delegation echoe
Z / A.