The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-05-12
AS VIEWED AT WASHINGTON.
tBy @. A. EDWARDS


Washington. May s.--(stat Specially
The decision by a United States judge in
Minnesota that the constitution extends to
Puerto Rico and. In fact. that It goes
with the nag Is just now causing the lead
ers OF the republicans party to squlrm and
wriggle in very lively fashion.
The fact that the decision says In ef.
fect that the congress has no right to
lcgisiate for foreign territory, which
Puerto Rico is, unless the constitution goes
into effect there. has caused the trusts to
curl up like cut worm. They are afraid
now that this decision will come up before
the supreme court before they will have
chance to make platform lndorslng the
action Of the republican party in con-
gress. They know chat IL the supreme
court ever gets a whack at the Puerto
Rico business II will knock their game
higher than Gilderoy's kite and affirm
the decision OF the Minnesota court. I'm
less 1t Is reversed. OF course 1t will stand
as the decision of a man who is supposed
to know the constitution. and 1t will stand
as a rebuke to the administration all
through this campaign.
If this administration can keep the SUI
preme court from rendering decision on
this question before the campaign ID
ended the people will know why 1t was
done, and they will act accordingly. II
the supreme court ever does get the
ton away goes the Puerto Rican infamy,
and down goes the trust beneliclaries OF
it. Then let's see Hanna and his gang
defend their course in congress. They
fully realize their danger from the SUI
preme court and you may gamble on it
they will not allow any decision to be
rendered by that court il it be possible to
prevent It, They are trembling in their
boots and well they may be, The people
will not forget and they will know how
to punish when the time comes.
4 ~
There is great interest here today in the
populist conventions, one in session at
Sioux Falls, S. D., and the other at Gin
cnnati. 1t is generally agreed that the
convention at Cincinnati will be far and
away the more interesting one of the two.
1t will be the most remarkable as
semblage OF men ever got together as
members OF National convention to nom
mate a ticket for the SURFACES of the
people OF this or any other country. The
country has been secured for the last two
al - -. ~.
publican party to obtain a big attendance
at this convention. The railroads hive
contributed their share of the expense by
hauling the delegates to the convention
free OF any charge.
The leaders of the Cincinnati convention
have been in the employ of the National
republican committee for the past four
years in anticipation Of the present stu
alton. The republicans think that the So
called middle Of the+rcad popul.sts really
amount TO something and that they have
following, when the truth of the mat
ter is that they are the kickers and the
irresponsible element of the populist
party. They broke loose from the real
populists OF the country because they
could not control the organization.
The convention at Sioux Falls will
amount to something and be a factor in
the next campaign, 1t Is foregone con-
clusion that 1t will nominate Bryan.
1t is believed here that the platform O.
the populists at Sioux Falls will not be an
more radical than the one OF 80 and that
1t will have added to it only such planks
on Imperialism as the democratic pow
ers here would have In the democratic
platform. The crowd at Sioux Falls Will
be made up OF some of the bralnlest OF
the reform forces of THE country, and they
~ Of Vtitb he Ire
erection that will appeal 10 the men VINO
are working to better the people % the
Nation
The vice presidential question is still
bothering the republicans. No man has
a clnch on the job up to date. 1t looks as
though all my predictions concerning
Teddy Roosevelt will come true and that
he will positively refuse the nom nation
even II rendered to him by the conyen-
ton that will meet in Philadelphia. It Is
understood now that Senator Lodge will
nominate Secretary Long before the CON
vention and then at the proper time be
win withdraw him and cast the Long
strength for Hon. Jonathan Prentiss Dol
| liver of Iowa. 1t is a fact that the Doll
| liver stock has risen here several notche:
in the last few days. Tim Woodruff IL
still candidate and 1t all depends on the
way Plat treats him as to whether he vii
cut any ice in the convention or not. i
Plat says "go 1t, Tim" why, then, Tn
VIII be factor. II he says init" iheI
Tim will shrivel up like jellyfish on tn,
Texas coast on hot day, and you viii
hear OF Tim no more forever.
Imagine some man in Texas with tn,
power to make or unmake men, How lonf
would such dlctation such boss-ship live
under the blue skies of the Lone sta
state? Several men who attempted il
Texas to get what Plat and Hanna have
are now under the political sod so deer
that Gabriel will have to loot powerful
hard for them to hear him.