The evening times., 1900-03-01
POLITICAL NOTES AND GOSSIP.

ToL1IIUAL NUTES AND GUSSlP.
The Porto Rican Bin.-For several
days the statement has been quietly cir
eulated and has gone unchallenged that
that faithful servitor Of the trusts. the
Hon Elihu Root wrote the Porto Rican
Tarin bill. II is known that a few weeks
ago Secretary Root was as heartily in ia
vQr Of absolute free trade for the suffering
island as the Presidents strong expression
Ia his message showed Mr.. Mckinley to
be. When. therefore. Chairman Payne and
beyy Of other members OF the Ways and
Means Committee. upon whose sensitive
intellects there suddenly flashed "new
light" called upon Mr. Root for aid in
again setting the party on proper terms
with the trusts they were as much de-
lighted as they We're pleased by the Sec
retary OF War pulling from a pigeonhole
Of his desk carefully prepared bill COW
ering the subject. The story is that Mr.
Payne introduced the bill just as il had
been written by MT Root It is suggested
that the next duty with regard to Porto
Rico the Secretary will be called upon to
perform viii be the displacement Of Gov
Ger who VIII be too wise TO persist in call
ing the attention OF the world 10 the pitt
full sUfierings Of the helpless Porto Ricans
under the cruel exactions Of their new
masters. II is conceded that the tariff
bill will make CT the fair little island a
yeTitabie PrCmetheus. and Il will not do
to have in the chief place at san Juan a
synFs;hetic official who is liable 10 cry
out against the trust vultures that win
no iock there and plunge their beaks
iEt2 the Quivering flesh of the defenceless
victims. An immediate and direct effect
CT the Taria bill will be the depreciation
OF all land values on the Island. and the
trust baruns can now go in there and buy
for a song property that for ages has been
held az stG values. IL is thought that IL
Governor General Davis is wise AID val
Ues his position he will soon discover some
beauties OF the operation OF the law to
descant upon in the hope Of Gllaying sus-
piCiOn and salving the national conscience.
Otherwise ii is being freely predicted that
ample excuse will be found TO remove him
Inc Jefferson Dinner.-It appears
that Secretary Mexican. Of the National As
sociation Of Democratic Clubs. TO whom
mas been entrusted the arrangements f0r
the annual jefferson dinner in this city on
April Is, is preparing TO make OF that az
fair quite expensive and somewhat pluto
cratic function. 1t has become the fash
ion OF late 10 keep the cost OF all Demo-
cratic dinners down 10 the becomingly
modest figure Of one dollar. Secretary Nc
ke2n. however. announced without a blush
Of shame thar the Jefferson dinner viii
cost 50 a plate. Naturally some OF the
leaders OF the party are kicking They
think they discern lurking behind NJ. Nc
kean's gigantic charge a finely laid
scheme 20 have al the dinner none lut the
afiiUgut Of epiCurl an tastes. and. therefore .
hostile 20 some OF the main purposes Of
the party. The secretary is being bonn
barded with complaints Il is considered
20 be not impCssbl that iU The interest
OF harmony he viii have 90 reduce the cost
90 a. least s. ~ this cost IL is believed
fully TAO thousand guests would attend
The dinner. and ii is argued that six hOu-
sand dollars ought TO buy enough f0oI for
even twice that uumbe. OF Democratic
statesmen, so that each ticket holder Will
be privileged 20 Invite 20 the dinner some .
friend - hO is too poor 20 give up three f.
dollars days wages OF three laborers- .
for a feed threat has been made to 1
appeal TO Colonel Bryan IL Secretary Nc /.
kean does not yield 20 the cianor for q
less expensive spread.
Hepburn's Bill Dead:-An incident in 4
passage yesterday OF the Porto Rican tariff /
bill is being construed as meaning that the I
Administration has al last become enbol- |
dened 10 openly oppose the Hepburn Nor |
gan Nicaragua Canal bill. As soon as 4
Speaker Henderson had announced the pas
sage OF the Tariff bin he recognized Mr.
Hepburn. who asked unanimous consent for |
his Nicaragua Canal bill to be made the +
special order for March IS. Mr Terry OF 4
Arkansas asked this pertinent and Demo I
cratic question: Does the gentleman's bill 4
provide for American ownership and con-
troll OF the canal2'' Very promptly and I
WITH a show Of pride Mr.. Hepburn replied /
1t does 4 CTaCkle Of handclaps on the I
Democratic side greeted the announcement 4
Then the stiffness Of death fell over the j
chamber while Mr. Hepburn was still 4
standing with the bill in his oGtstretched !
hands. Suddenly the quiet was smashed /
with tremendous chatter and bang by the 1
stCntorian voice Of the Hon. Theodore Z. /
Burton CT Clcveland-Mark Hanna's town 4
euquiriug: rs the gentleman aware that 4
there is now pending in the Senate q treaty
pertaining 10 the proposed Nicaragua Ca
nal?" Il have no official information OF .
such treaty, replied Mr.. Hepburn. Then /.
I object" defanty yelled Nr. Burton. This
settled IL. Unanimous consent was refused. 4
The Hepburn Morgan bill viii now be held
up by the House until the Republican re-
calcitrants are brought around 10 the SUP
port Of the HsHua-Payue Ship Subsidy
scheme. u is considered not at all proba-
bic that they can be brought around al
this session because they want 10 be re-
ii hav
constituents.
THE BUBoNIC PLAGUE.