The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1900-03-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent

I The Senate did not take kindly
to the proposal to pension eX
| Queen IiliOukalani, of Hawai-
and after some plain talk from q
number Of Senators, the amend
ment to the diplomatic appropria
ton bill, offered by Senator Hoar
providing for the payment OF $50.
900 to the ex-Queen, and $4,000
a year for the rest of her life was
laid on the table. Several Sena-
tors expressed willingness to vote
for an appropriation OF money to
be given to the ex-Queen as a
gratuity, but very decided opposi-
ton to pensioning her; but on the
whole there was so much opposl-
tion that the amendment was
tabled without a division. Sena-
tor Tillman voiced the sentiment
of many when he said that if this
woman had any claim at all, which
he doubted, it was upon the peo-
pie of Hawaii, and not upon the
US.
1t is certain that the Porto Rico
bill will have to be amended to
get it through the Senate. 1t is
proposed, and the proposal is like
ly to 90 through, that all goods
from the u. S. shall be admitted
to Porto Rico free of duty. 1t is
also proposed that the 10 per cent
duty on Porto Rican products
shipped to the e. S., shall be still
further lowered, but the chances
are against that proposition going
through. Those who were instru-
mental III putting the bill through
the House talk as though they
didn't care particularly how the
/ bill was amended, so long as the
principle of the House bill-that
Congress has the right to impose
duties upon the products OF the
| DOssessIOns of the U. S.-be kept
in the bill.
: Contested election eases are
rather costly to the country, ant
something ought to be done t.
either make them fewer or les:
costly. For an entire week, th'
House has been engaged Ill dis
posing of two of them, one from
Alabama, and one from Virginia
while more important matters hay'
to wait.
The plans of the friends OF th'
Nicaragua Canal bill in the Hous'
u were somewhat upset by the re
0 quest of the President that it b.
e not taken up for consideration b,
the House, until after the Senat'
disposes of the Nicaragua Cana
J treaty. At first, it looked a.
! though compliance with the Presi
dents request would prevent an,
canal legislation at this session
| but tire action of the Senate Com
/ mittee on Foreign Relations, IL
a amending the treaty so as to glv'
0 the U. S. control of the canal II
time of war, made it. certain tina
the treaty would be ratified will
very few adverse votes. While i
is possible that England may ob
; ject to the treaty, as amended, j
is not regarded as probable tha
/ she will, as the amendment to th'
o treaty is practically copy OF
iclalU of the SueZ Canal treaty
but almost the unanimous opinion
in Congress is that tie acceptanc
or rejection of the amended treat
by England will not be a factor i
canal legislation: that public ol IL
e ion has decreed that there Shall b
n canal between the Atlantic an'
VI Pacific Oceans, and that Congress
will act in accordance with tha
: decree.
: Opponents to the French r
o ciprocity treaty believe they lav
succeeded in shelving the treat
for this session, If not permanen
y ". Secretary Hay has, it is undel
70 stood. asked the French govern
L ment to consent to extenday. tn
time within which the treaty ma
- be ratified, one year. Meanwhile
&c the treaty will be considered .
= tbe Finance Committee of I'll
.e,,ncially of the effect