The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-05-10
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c., April Z, 1900.

~ J"hitcs III congress. Iney
profess confidence that they will have
three fourths or more of the Kansas
City convention, but they cannot
hide their fear of the result of the
plotting of the anti-Bryan Democrats,
which everybody knows to be going
on. Anti-Bryan Democrats drop into
Washington and let fall mysterious
hlnts about great political surprise
that is going to be sprung on their
party in the near future, and it is
known that conference is to be held
by them in New York City inside of
ten days; but it is hardly likely that
they expect to be able to keep Mr..
Bryan opt of the nomination. What
they are really after is probably to
brighten the Bryanites into agreeing
to modification of the Chicago
platform, especially the Is to plank.
Speculation is rife as to the cause
OF the action of some Senators in op-
posing the speedy disposition of the
resolution declaring Senator Clark,
OF Montana, not entitled to the seat
he now holds, and all sorts of stories
are being circulated, some of them
not complimentary to some Senators.
Mr.. Clark and his friends would be
very glad if the case should be allow
ed to go over to the next session, and
it is said to be the hope that it may
be which has prevented Mr.. Clark
rendering his resignation. He would
be willing to do almost anything to
keep from giving the governor of
Montana a chance to fill the seat with
a temporary appointment.
The time within which notifications
of the Nicaragua Canal treaty NAV
be exchanged has been extended
seven months from Aug. 5, next.
This action was taken because of the
certainty that the Senate would not
act upon the treaty at this session.
AS leader who does not lead, Sena-
tor Jones, of Arkansas, is a shining
success. Less than week after he
had publicly declared that the Demo-
Gratis would keep Congress in session
all summer, before they would allow
the propositions favorably endorsed
by the Military Committee, to make
the senior Maj. General, commanding
the army hold the rank and draw the
pay of Lieutenant-Gene to give
the Adjutant General of the Army
the rank of Major General, to in
crease the artillery branch of the reg
ular army and to add 100 cadets to
the number now appointed to West
Point,-to go through the Senate.
the bill was passed. Probably be-
cause he saw that his bluff had failed,
Senator Jones absented himself when
he knew the army reorganization
bill, which contained all of the above
propositions, and more, looking
toward the betterment of our army.
was to come up, and the bill was pas
sed without a division. The Demo-
Gratis mustered eight votes against
the lieutenant generally clause of the
bill and thirteen against the West
Point increase, which convinced them
of the uselessness of further opposi-
ton.
The Senate Naval Committee has
decided in favor of an amendment to
the Naval Appropriation Bill, auth
orizing the purchase of five subma-
rine torpedo boats of the Holland
type, and the sentiment in both Sen
ate and House indicates that the
amendment will go through.
Representative Brosius, Chairman
of the House Committee on Banking
and Currency, made an interesting
statement, based upon official figures
furnished by the Treasury Depart
ment, on the working of the financial
law enacted by the present Congress.
1t showed that the total amount of
bonds refunded, under that law, up
to May 1, was $3.50, 020, 750, upon which
the saving in interest was $32, 699, 1876,
and the premiums paid $26, O34, ri.
leaving the net saving to the govern
ment by refunding $6,664, 454. The
net saving represents the difference
between the amount of interest the
government will pay upon the bonds
refunded to the date of their respec-
tive maturities, and the amount of in
terest the government would have
been obliged to pay had the bonds
not been refunded. The report shows
that the total number of applications
for charters for National Banks, un-
der the new law, which have been an
proved. is pa, with capital of S.
$4,000. The total number of appli-
cations on file for authority to organ
ize National Banks, is sos, the total
applications for the conversion of old
banks into National Banks, is 3S2,
making a total of all kinds of new
bank organizations of 800. Mr.. Bro
sius estimates, based upon their ex-
pressed intentions, 1921, 1888, S5S as the