The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-02-16
8. Brepfv IS the
Souf OF wit. -
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.


WASHINGTON, D. c., February 12th.
MR. EDIToR:-The attitude of the demo-
Gratis in Congress, as party, towards the
Nicaragua Canal treaty, which the admin
istration has negotiated with England and
sent to the Senate, and the Porto Rico
tariff bill, which has been reported to. the
House and will be taken up this week and
damned through as party measure, is
thoroughly American and consequently
right. The treaty gives more than it pro-
vides for our receiving. 1t allows us to
build a canal with our money, provided
we agree to let every nation in the world,
even those we may happen to have war
with, have exactly the same privileges we
take for ourselves in using it. That isn't
the old democratic idea of American con-
troll of the Canal, and it is really surpris-
ing that there is single democratic Sena-
tor who is willing to vote fol the rattica-
ton Of the treaty. Without democratic
votes it would be bound to fail. One of
construction of the Canal has been the adj
vantage it would give us in war with a
foreign power. Under the present treaty
we should have no advantage, as our enc
mics could make just the same use of the
Canal
Inn criali>m is the real question involved
in the Porto Rican tariff bill. 1t makes
one of the issues upon which this years
presidential campaign will be waged. The
republicans in their report on this bill,
which imposes a % per cent. duty on
Porto Rican products, have come out flat
footed in favor of ignoring the Constitu
ton, and of having Congress assume the
authority to deal with the territory recent
ly acquired by the United States as colo.
MES and with their people as subjects
The democrats contend that the Constitu
ton is the supreme law of this republic,
and that it recognizes neither colonies nor
subjects; that every foot of ground be-
longing to the United States is part of
the United States, and every resident of
territory belonging to the United States a
citizen. The imperialists have the votes
to win in Congress, but it remains to be
seen whether they can win before the
people.
The democratic substitute for the repuh
lican gold standard bill is short and plain
1t was introduced by Senator Jones, OF
Arkansas and it provides for the opening
of the minis of the United States to the
coinage of silver, as provided by the Act
of January 18th, 1887, upon the same terms
| and subject to the limitations ard provis-
| ions of law regulating the coinage and
legal tender quality of gold: and that
when the silver coins shall be received
into the Treasury certificates shall be
issued for them as now prescribed by law.
Unfortunately the republicans have the
votes to pass the gold standard bill
Chandler is the only republican who will
| vote against it-but the substitute will
give the democrats an opportunity to re-
cord their votes in favor of the dollar of
| our daddies." The vote will be taken on
Thursday of this week
Adiutant General Corbin, who gained
some notoriety during the war with Spain
through being Ayers tool in carrying out
the several schemes devised for the humil-
! iation of Gen. Miles, as we'll as by lobby
| ing during the last Congress for legisla-
ton to give himself the rank of Major
General, is again playing the role of lob
byist for the same purpose. He gave an
elaborate Sunday dinner at suburban
club house to twenty odd members of the
| House, including the Military Committee.
AS Secretary Root also attended the din
ner it is assumed that he is helping the
effort of Corbin for promotion.
Notwithstanding the indignant denials
on the floor of the House, by Gen. Gros
yenor and other administration men, of
the charge made by Roberts that Utah
polygamists had been appointed to Fed
eral offices by Mr.. Mckinley, the House
Committee on Post Offices, which has been
| investigating now has to report to the
House that Postmaster Graham, of Provo,
had an indictment for polvgamy hanging
over him when he was appointed. In or
der to soften this proof of the charge of
Roberts the Committee accompanies it
with a statement from the prosecuting at
torney of Salt Lake City, saying that for
various reasons it is not likely that Graham
will he brought to trial under that indict-
ment. 1t is probable that the wishes of
the Mckinley administration are among
those reasons" for not trying to convict
the polygamist postmaster.
Col. Bryan stopped in Washin ston again
to talk to democratic Senators and Repre-
senatives about what he learned of demo
cratic prospects during his tri :, East.