Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1900-02-16
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 18th. 1900

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondents
WASHINGTON, Feb. 18th, 1900.
The attitude of the Democrats i'm
Congress, as party, towards the
Nicaragua Canal treaty, which the
administration 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 jammed
thorugh as party measure is thor
oughly American, and consequently
right. The treaty gives more than it
provides for our receiving. 1t allows
us to build canal with our money.
provided we agree TO let every nation
IN the world, even these we NAV
happen to have war With, have ex-
actly the same privilege we take for
ourselves in using it. That isn't the
old Democratic idea of American
control of the Canal, aud it is really
surprising that there is single DEM
ocratic Senator who is willing to
vote for the ratification of the treaty.
Without Democratic votes, it would
be bound to fail. One OF the strong
est arguments in favor of construc-
ton of the canal has been the adj
vantage it would give us in war with
foreign power. Under the pres
ent treaty we should have no advan-
tage, as our enemies could make lust
the same use of the Canal.
Imperialism is the real question in
volved In the Porto Rican tariff bill.
1t makes one of the issues upon
which this years presidential cam
paigO will be waged. The Republi-
cans ia their report on this bill, which
imposes % per cent duty on Porto
Rican products, have come out flat
footed in favor of ignoring the Con-
stituuon, and of having Congress
assume the authority to deal with the
territory recently acquired by the U.
,. as colonies, and with their people
as subjects. The Democrats contend
that the Constitution is the supreme
law of this republic, aud that 1T rec
ognlzes neither colonies nor subjects;
that every foot of ground belonging
to the q. s. is part of the U. S. and
every resident of territory belonging
to the q. s., citizen. The impe-
riallsts have the votes to win in Con-
gress, but it remains to be seen
whether they can win before the
people.
The Democratic substitute for the
Republican 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 u. 5. TO the coinage OF silver.
as provided by the Act of Jan. 18th,
1887, upon the same terms and sub
ject TO the limitations and provisions
of law regulating the coinage aud le-
gal tender quality of gold; and that
when the silver coin 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 stand
ard bill. Chandler is the only Repub-
lican who will vote against it but the
substitute will give the Democrats an
opportunity to record their votes in
favor of "the dollar Of our daddies''.
The vote will be taken OH Thursday
of this week.
Notwithstanding the indignant de-
malls on the floor of the House, by
Gen. Grosvenor and other admins
tration men, of the charge made by
Roberts, that Utah polygamists had
been appointed to Federal offices by
Mr.. Mckinley, the House Committee
on Post Offices, which has been in
vestigating, now has to report to the
House that Postmaster Graham. of
Provo, had an Indictment for polvg-
amy hanging over him when he was
appointed. In order 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 be brought to trial
under that indictment. 1t is prob
able that the wishes of the McKin-
ley administration are among those
'reasons" for not trying to convict
the polYgamist postmaster.
1t is only by the magninimity of
Senator Allen that to-day's Congress
sional Record does not place the
Senate on record as sympathizing
with the Beers aud believing that
this government should offer medi-
alton. Senator Allen offered reso-
luton to that effect and through
the absence of some Senators and in
Offence of others, it was put before
the Senate and declared adopted
without a dissenting vote. AS soon
as they realized what had been done,
the administration Senators fiocked
upon the floor. The yeas and nays
were demanded, but Mr. Allen OBJ
lected, and the objection was sus-
tanned. Later, Senator Allen good
naturally agreed that the vote should
be reconsidered and the resolution
sent to the calendar.
Col. Bryan stopped in Washing
ton again to talk to Democratic Sen
ators and Representatives about what