Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-04-05
WASHINGTON LETTER.



WASHINGTON, April 2. 1900.
Are legal opinions made to order by United
States oflcialsg 1t is charged that Charles K.
Maeoon law officer of the division on insular
affairs of the War Department. first wrote an
opinion that the United states Constitution was,
by force of the Paris treaty extended over Porto
Rico and the Philippines. which he was COM
PEELED to suppress and then to write another
taking exactly the opposite stand. The last
opinion has been made the foundation for the
whole Republican imperialistc program and the
Senate has just ordered three thousand adj
ditional copies of it to be printed. Represen-
tative Richardson the Democratic leader Of the
House. desiring to get at the truth, has offered
resolution calling for copies Of all of the opin-
ions written by Mr.. Magoon.
| The administration program is to jam the Porto
Rican BILL tariff and all, through both Senate
and House this week 1t is certain that the SEN
ate will pass it tomorrow and probable that the
House will do likewise later Notwithstanding
the talk of Republican members that they
would vote for free trade if given another oppor-
tunity.
The Senate and all Washington are still laugh
ing and are likely to be for days to come, at the
humorous speech of Senator Pettus, in which he
held Senator Beveridge, would-be Demosthe-
nes up to ridicue. for his speech declaring his
opposition to the Porto Rico bill and his inten-
ton to vote for it. The Senate and galleries
were in a continuous roar of laughter from the
beginning to the end of the remarks of Senator
Pettus. After rubbing it In on Beveridge for
charging all those who didn't agree with him,
with enmity towards the government, Mr.. Pettus
said: s'The government In bis mind Isl
Me and my wife.
Ny son John and his wife
Us four
And no more
Mr. Pettus told this Biblical story at the close
Of his speech: THE Master once had to select
man to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt
and through the wilderness to Canaan. He did
not select an orator. No, he selected one of
those wise men, and his name was Moses. And
he was stuttering man, too But Moses told
his master to his face that he could not do it,
because he could not speak to the people, and
what was the reply? There is Aaron, he speaks
WE'LL And they took Aaron along, not in COM
mand, that was not allowed; but they took him
along as kind Of deputy. And when Moses. on
his Masters order, went up into the mountains
for the tables. the orator left in charge had a
golden calf framed and put all the people to
worshipping the golden calf. More people wor-
ship the golden calf now than they did In those
days But while Aaron and his people were all
down worshipping the golden calf, the man Of
God appeared, and he pulled out his sword and
demanded to know who is on the Lords sidef'
Then the orator jumped up from his knees, drew
his sword and got on Moses side and went to
killing the Israelites along with Moses. All these
orators win do the same thing-the last one Of
them
Representative Rhea, of Kentucky, made a
rafting good speech at a mass meeting Of
Washington Democrats, in which he referred to
Chairman Payne the Republican House leader
as 1.-THE statesman with the one-night- stand
state of mind. and to Representative Grosvenor
as the sgarrulous gabbIer, from Ohio who acts
as mouth-piece for the White House Sphinx. ;"
After picturing various phases Of admiHistra-
ton wabbling. which he likened to the track of
snake, Mr.. Rhea said; "Oh manhood, where
is thy shame? Oh, Mckinley, where is thy blush2
| Oh, Mckinley, you are the saddest spectacle
that ever ratified helplessly around in the.seat
| filed by Washington, Jeffer son and Jackson, and
which will be filled by Bryan. You are the
pitiful creature of the trusts, the combines and
the monopolies, which have made you, main
tanned you, and still feed you"
The Democrats of the House will antagonize
the Naval. Appropriation bill, as reported on the
grounds construction of ships in
government yards and the general extravaganza
of the bill, which carries SCI. 000, 900, against
$s2OO0.O0O for the current fiscal year. The
minority report favors the establishment Of q
government armor-plate plant.
1t is suspected that desire to increase the
Republican campaign fund for this year is be-
hind the announcement that the Cabinet is con
sidering the feasibility of recommending to
Congress- a reduction Of the war tayes, which
are piling up surplus in the Treasury, in spite
of the fact that the receipts from the DiDgley
tariff ARE many millions below the advance
estimate of the Republicans Without the war
taxes there would have been a deficit of more
than $50, 900 900, instead of a surplus consider
ably in excess of that amount. 1t is said that
the brewers are being sounded as to their will
lingness to contribute proportionate amount to
the Hanna corruption fund.- if the edministra-
tion will recommend reduction of the beer
tax to Congress.