The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-03-16
FROM THE CAPITAL.
Our Correspondent Talks in
General About Wash
ington.
WASHINGTON.
(Conlnun'Cate6).
March -, 1900.

The amendment of the Near
aqua Canal treaty, giving this
country the right to defend and
control the canal in time of war,
although proposed by Republi-
can-Senator DaviS-was a Dem
ocratic triumph, because the
amendment is an unqualified en-
dorSement of the position taken
by the Democrats when the treaty
was first made public. AS amend
ed, the treaty will probably re-
ceive the votes of enough Demo
cratic Senators to make its rati-
tication reasonably certain, al
though there are features in it
that will prevent some Democrats
from voting for its ratification.
Are the majority of the Senate
afraid OF England? Their action,
when Senator Mason compelled
the Senate to take up his resolu
ton, expressing sympathy for the
Boere, certainly looked that way.
The majority refused to allow the
resolution to be discussed in open
session, because things would be
said that might offend England.
Ye Gods! this sort of talk in the
American Senate, where men
who cringed to no foreign friend
or foe, once upon "a time fearless
ly expressed their opinion and
time after time have spoken in
favor of down-trodden peoples,
without stopping to consider
whe Their their Oppressors would
like it or not. Now, as soon as
anything affecting England is
even mentioned, the majority or
ders the doors closed. What Il
picture for the American people
to contemplate. Even i'll secret
session, the administration Sena
tors are afraid to allow Senator
MaSon's resolution to be squarely
voted upon. Their programme is
to throttle it by having Il majority
vote to lay it on the table. If the
so-called era Of friendship with
England is to result in sqnelching
our AmericaniSm and our love for
liberty, the sooner it comes to an
end, the better for us as d people.
Whether General 10 e p Ii
Wheeler takes his seat lii the
House depends upon Mr.. Mckm-
ley. Under date of November
2Sth, 1899, General Wheeler Tor
warded his resignation as IL Big
adler General of Volunteers from
the Philippines to Mr.. MckHIey.
If Mir. Mckinley accepts the ~
ignation to take effect upon that
date, which was before the as
sembling of Congress, no ohjec-
ton will be raised 10 General
Wheeler taking his seat IN the
House.
In order to get Republican
votes enough in the Senate TO
pass the Porto Rican tariff bill,
numerous amendments have been
agreed to, among them one to ad
NIT all goods from the United
States to Porto Rico tree of duty.
And it may be necessary to re
duce the duty on Porto Rican pro-
duets below the fifteen per cent.
provided for in the House bill.
1t will be long time before the
hard feeling aroused among the
Republicans by this bill will pass
away, and Republicans admit
that it is likely to cost them d
number of seats i'll the House.
AS though there were not al.
ready sufficient number of dit.
terences between Mr.. Mckinley
and his party in Congress, new
and serious one has turned up in
the reciprocity treaty with France
MIR, Mckinley is insisting thai
the Senate shall ratify the treaty
at the present session, while lead
ers in his party in the Senate
knowing the extent of the oppo
SitiOn party to the treaty, wiSl
to let the matter go over until th'
next session, under the pretens'
that the Committee on Finance
wishes time to make an eXhaus
tive investigation into the etfec
the treaty will have upon our rev
enues if ratified. Neither sid
has yet won, but the Senator
know that they have only to hole
on to make Mr.. Mckinley bacl
down, as he has done III ever
controversy he has had with hi
party leaders i'll Congress.
A new and interesting bit Q
political gossip is that MIR. Nc
Kinley is seriously thinking 9
making a scapegoat of Secretar
Hay, with the hope of squarin
himself with the numerous an
influential Republicans who hay
been making protests against th
too English foreign policy of til
administration. 1t would b
nothing new for Mr.. Mckinley t
sacrifice a friend to serve his ow
political interests, but in TIN
particular case it is doubtfl