The Press., 1900-12-13
Washington Letter.
Washington, Dec. 10, 1900.

washington, Dec 10, 1900.
The senate did not take up the Nicar-
aqua canal bill to-day, in accordance with
the resolution adopeG at the last session,
because, with the votes of many friends
OF the canal bill, the ship subsidy bill was
last week made the regular order of the
senate. The friends of the canal bill will
wait until the Hay -Pauncefote treaty is
acted upon before pushing that measure.
They say they have the votes pledged to
pass 1t whenever they get ready and that
there Is no reason to rush 1t now.
When congress is good, it is very good,
and It has been very good indeed since
this session opened. There has not been
tfss slightest wrangle on the floor of either
senate or house, although the latter de-
bated and passed the administration army
Reorganization bill, providing for regular
army of from 58, 600 to 100, 600 men. in the
presidents discretion. which under ordi-
nary circumstances might have been ex-
pected to have aroused the minority.
Doubtless the failure of the minority
faucus 10 agree upon party policy had
something to do with the calmness of the
debate.
Thursday on the Davis amendment to the
Hay Pauncefote treaty, 1t made it practic-
ally certain that the treaty would be rati-
fed. This amendment which was pre-
pared by the late Senator Davis, is short
and merely declares that nothing in the
treaty shall apply to measures the U. s.
may find it necessary to take for the de-
Tense of its interests and the maintenance
Of public order. In other words, the U.
~, will defend the Nicaragua canal after
it is constructed. Senator Teller wishes
to make that fact more CONSPICUOUS by
striking out the following sentence in Sec
tion Z, article 2 of the treaty: "No forti-
fication shall be erected commanding the
canal or the waters Adjacent" and will
offer an amendment to that effect, but a
majority of the senators seem to regard
the Davis amendment as all that is neces-
sary.
Congress is likely to find itself involved
in financial discussion shortly, in con-
nection with an administration bill provi-
ding system Of coinage for the Philip
pines, where the Mexican dollar, CONNER
cial value 80 cents, is the popular unit of
value, under U. S. control, as it was
under Spanish control. No bill has yet
been introduced in congress on the sub
ject, but from talk at a cabinet meeting,
lone Is likely to be that will provide for
the purchase of silver bullion to be coined
into pesos, or Philippine dollars, each to
contain about fifty cents worth of silver,
or little less than our standard silver
dollar. et@
- That fhe aGitation by the dairy interest
was effective was shown by the large vote
1876 to 80, by which the Grout bill for q
tax of ten cents pound on oleomargarine
was passed by the house. The principal
argument advanced for the bill was that
it was necessary to protect the dairy inter.
cts of the country
A far-reaching measure has been intro.
duced by Representative Taylor, of Ohio
and referred to the house judiciary CON-
mittee. Mr.. Taylor's primary object was
to prohibit polygamy, but in proposing q
constitutional amendment for uniform
laws on marriage and divorce, he has gone
further. This matter may be pushed al
this session, but it is not likely to gel
through, owing to the short time in which
to reach any sort of agreement among
those who hold widely divergent opinions
not only on marriage and divorce, but on
the question of the wisdom of federal
law to deal with them. Statee' rights are
involved in the last.
The senate committee on military affairs
today began the consideration of the army
reorganization bill, passed by the house
last week. The house, with view to ex
pediting the measure, made It's bill sub.
stitute for one passed by the senate al
the last session. The idea being that the
senate would order the bill sent to confer
ence. Senator Hawley, chairman Of the
committee, says there will be no confer
ence on the bill as it now stands that his
committee will consider 1t, grant hearings
| II necessary and then make report ir
! the usual way. The temperance people
: are working hard to get the flat-footeo
anti-canteen amendment inserted in the
bill by such an overwhelming majority o
the house, kept by the senate, but theil
success is doubtful. 1t is openly charged
that many members of the house voted
for the amendment because the W. G. T.
U. happened to be in session in Washing
ton, and with the hope and expectation
that the senate would cut it out.
The investigation of the election O.
Senator Clark, of Mont, cost the senate
about $25, 900, of which Mr.. Clark drew
$444, 10 as witness fees and mileage.
When the house committee on ways anc
means added a net reduction of twenty
II five cents barrel in the tax on beer. be
fore reporting the revenue reduction bill
| to the house, it made the total reduction
4 $40, 100000 which is about % per cen
i greater than the administration wishes il
70 be. The bill will be put through thu
house during the present week.
II A Woman's Awful Peril.
'"There Is only one chance to save you
life. and that Is through an operation,
4. IA