Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-12-28

Decision as to Whether the Constitution Fol
lows the Flag Into Our New Possessions vii
be Against the Administration. Notwthstand
ing Attorney General Grigss' Opinion Diff
ciaI Recognition Of Failure to Run the Bluff
on the Sultan of Turkcy-The Senate Substi
tute Army Bill Restores the Canteen Con
eressmen Admit the Pension of Boutelle Set.
Bad Precedent
tfrom our regular corrcspondent)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 81, 1900.
Mr.. Mckinley is eating the crow
prepared for him by the Senate when
it thoroughly AmeIicanized the Hay
Pauncefote treaty before ratiiying it al
though he enjoyed crow as much al
he did Christmas turkey. But that
isn't strange. He is alway in favor Of
what the majority favors. He has
heard from the people as well as from
the Senate, and will direct that the
a mended treaty be forwarded to the
British government with as much
complacency as though it hadn't been
amended at all. Secretary Hay made
it easier for him by giving out an Of
fetal statement saying that he was
personally responsible for the wording
of the original treaty, and that it was
agreed to by the British Ambassador
without the crossing of st" or the
dotting of an al" This action of Mr..
Hay was but following the example of
Alger who made himself a scapegoat
to save Mr.. McKinley's feelings. 1t is
the belief of most Senators that Eng
land will accept the amended treaty,
but many of them do not hesitate to
say that it is perfectly immaterial to
them whether she does or not.
Senator Hanna took occasion before
Congress adjourned until January 3,
for the holiday recess, to do some Wig
orous cracking of the party whip over
the heads of those Republican Sena-
tors who have dared to express oppo-
sition to the Ship Subsidy bill. He
threatened them with all sorts of
things if they did not get into line for
the bill by the time Congress reassem-
bled, and added that no Republican
who opposed the bill need expect any
favors from the administration.
Whether those tactics will win cannot
be told until the Senate is again in
session.
Extravaganza is in the Washington
atmosphere, and all sorts and cOndi-
tons of men are trying to get some OF
the Treasury surplus which they ex.
pect Congress to appropriate at this
session. When the House committee
on Rivers and Harbor met, at the be.
ginning OF the session, it was under
stood by the members that the bill to
be prepared should not carry a total OF
more than $40,OO0,OO0. That under
standing was knocked into cooked hat
by the provisional agreement by the
committee to items in the bill which,
with provision for continuing con-
tracts, nearly doubled the amount
first named. That frightened the
committee, and decision was reached
to cut the total of the appropriations
carried by the bill down TO 100000
600, which will in the opinion of most
persons, be stable amount
Close friends OF the administration
admit that Mr.. Mckinley and his
Cabinet are in state OF anxiety con.
corning the decision that the United
States Supreme Court will hand down
in the cases involving the constitu-
tionality of the Mckinley policy
toward the islands acquired from
Spain, which were argued this week
in other words, whether the Constitu
ton follows the flag where it is per.
manently raised. Attorney General
Griggs made the argument against
that contention, and lawyers say il
was one of the ablest he ever made
1t is not known, OF course, what the
decision, which is expected some time
in January, will be, but the prepon.
derance OF legal opinion, entirely out.
side OF politics, seems to be that il
will be against the administration
That opinion is privately held by
many who support Mr.. Mckinley.
Mr.. McKinley's nomination of Mr.
J. G. A. Leishman, of Pennsylvania
to be United States Minister to Tur
key, is considered to be an official &C,
acknowledgements OF the failure of the
series of bluffs, beginning with the de.
parture from Constantinopls of United
States Minister Straus and ending
with the call of the battleship Ken.
lucky at Smyrna, Turkey, to make
the Sultan pay the claims of Ameri
can missionaries for property de.
stroyed by Turkish mobs, leaving the
Sultan the winner, as the claims have
not been paid.
The Senate Committee on Military
Affairs has knocked out the Army Re.
organization bill passed by the House
which was prepared by Gen. Corbin
and credited to Secretary Root. by
preparing a substitute which will be
reported to the Senate when Congress
reassembles. The substitute provides
for the same number of men as the
House bill, but in the organization
follows the recommendations OF Gene.
raj Miles. 1t also provides for con.
tinuance of the army canteen, which
the House voted to abolish to please
the ladies of the w. c. T. u, who
were at the Capitol in force when the
vote was taken, only STIMULATING that
beer shall be the only intoxicant sold.
Although the resolution authoriz.
ing the retirement as Captain in the
navy of Representative Boutelle, oil
Maine, who is now in a sanitarium
suffering with an incurable brain
trouble brought on-everybody knows
how-went through the House and
Senate without objection and is now
in the hands of Mr.. Mckinley, there
are lots of Senators and Representa-
tives who believe it to be bad prece-
dent for Congress to set, but who dis
liked to oppose it for fear that they
would BIZ charged with lack of feeling
for a poor fellow, whose friends only
asked that he be provided with a gov.
eminent salary for the rest of his life
u