The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1900-05-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON LETTER.
Administration officials are taken all
ahark by Judge LOchren's decision that
the Constitution does extend. ex pro-
PHO, to Porto Rico end the new posses
sions. The President and ATTORNEY
tieneral expected. or at least. feared,
such decision in the future, but they
have heen straining eS cry nerve to pre-
vent its being handed down until after
the election. Although they protested
that the passage of the Porto kican bill
was necessary to enable test case to
he brought before legislating for the
Philippines they are now taking every
step possible to prevent case reaching
the Supreme Court before it adiourns
for the summer, which it viii do in a
week or two. Attorney General Griggs
has sought to minimize theeffect of the
decision by declaring that it was merely
n 'dictum.' Judge LOchren's an
nOuncement,n' said he, has no weight
whatever, as il does not relate TO the
case under discussion. The question at
Issue in the case was whether a state
of war existed and whether a military
tribunal had the right to try for the
crime of murder. We did not even ar
que the question OF the extention of the
Constitution, but dismissed it as irrele-
want and immaterial." 1t will be re-
membered, however, that the derisiOn
of the Supreme Court rendered in the
bred Scott case that the Missouri Com
promise was unconstitutional, was also
a 'dictum" not necessary to the case at
issue. Judge Lochren, by the way,
though appointed to Office by CIeve-
land l. an expansionist, indOrses the
policy of President Mckinley and
voted for him in 1896.
Mistakes in the PUro Rican act con-
tinue to crop mp. The latest is that
the law, as construed bY the Treasury
Department, puts an additional penal
ty on Europeans who desire to trade
with the island via United States ports.
IL a European sends goods direct to
Porto Rico from The old world, he pays
the Dingley rates; If he sends them to
New York for shipment to Porto Rico
he must pay the Dingley rates aud 10
per cent. additional. That is to say, the
Republican party in Its wisdom has d.
rectly discriminate against this coun
try as port of call between Europe and
Porto Rico, and has done its best to dis
courage steamship lines from the
United States 10 Porto Rico and to en-
courage direct lines from Europe 10
Porto Rico.
OF course, this is all very well for the
trusts that wish to control the Porto
Rican marcel, for their protection is in
creased 10 per cent. over the already
monumental Dingley rates. Whether
they had part in drawing the verbiage
OF the bill with the idea of getting this
additional duty or whether it was an
unexpected stroke of fortune for them,
cannot be said. In either case, il is
hard on the Porto Ricans.
Nobody here takes much stock in the
boom of Err Towne, of Minneapolis, for
Vice President on the ticket with
Bryan. The Democratic convention
will not be a cut and dried affair, in
whicb)the delegates merely ratify the
selections of their leaders, but real
convention Mr. TOwne is looked up
on as an able man, but the fact that he
could not carry his own district, if
nothing else, initiates him. When
Senator Jones, Chairman of the Nation
al Democratic Committee, was asked
about the Towne boom, he said: Il
read something about it in the head
lines of the papers this morning but
the matter was of such little import
ance to me that did not read what you
newspaper men call the story. | looked
for other things in the paper of more
Importance and general interest.
Further than this Senator Jones would
not express himself for publication.
The Hon. b f. Caldwell, of Illinois,
who has a considerable Vice. residen-
tial boom of his OWL to interest him,
said: Il don't suppose there is any
thing serious in the talk about TVwhe
The real sense of the proposition now
seems to be Dewey for second place
| believe the man who picks the Ad-
miral for Bryan's running mate will
show himself TO be prophet"
II action on the Nicaraguan canal is
secured at this session it will he over
the protest of Senator Hanna and the
national administration. This was made
Abundantly plain at the last meeting of
the Senate Committee ON inter-oceanc
canals, when Mr.. Hanna and Mr.. Sew
ell, of New jersey, both of whom have
been posing as friends of the canal as
long as they hoped that the House
would smother it, changed sides coin
pletely and set themselves against any
action, urging that nothing be done un-
I'll after the liay-Paucefote treaty. now
pending in the Senate, had been rati-
fed. MIR. llama particularly was in
sistend that it would be a piece of bad
faith and an affront to Great Britain for
this government to enact such meas
ure into law with so important a treaty
as the Hay-Paucefote convention bear
ing upon the same subject remaining
on the calendar Enacted upon. He
threw out hint that if The Committee
insisted upon making favorable re
port on the bill it would be antagoniz-
ell on the floor, and that the party ma
chin-ry would be brought to bear
against the proposition. In other words
| MIR. Hanna as much as gave his asso-
ciates on the Committee to understand
that if the Committee acted favorably
Oil the House bill, the steering commit
tee would refuse to give the measure
any standing. aud would prevent 1t
from coming to vote during this ses-
sion, at least. In tins Mr.. Hanna was
supported by Mr.. Sewell. Senator Nor
gan, however, has not abandoned hope
He will carry his fight to the floor of
the Senate. hoping that sufficient
number of friends of the canal will
stand to their cOlOrS to compel its be-
ing taken up even against the desires
of the President. OF course, McKin-
ley could Kill the measure at any time,
il he dared to do so, but he will I'M
doubtedly prefer to stay in the back
ground and oppose u in such a way
that be can change front in a moment
il necessary. He does not propose to
be caught in any more 'plain duty
tangles if he can help it. Hence, the
conclusion seems inevitable that the
Hepburn bill will linger in the Senate
along with the Hay aucefote treaty IN
ill the Presidential election is over. II
the bill should he reported by the
Committee. it Is thought Senator Nor
gan could manage to get test vote on
the measure, if he would press bis adj.
vantage with the view OF developing
beyond preadventure the Administers
TONS exact position on the canal ques.
ton in its relation 10 the trans-conti.
mental railroad interests that are known
to be opposed to it. and at the same
time this vote would expose the Ad
: ministration's understanding with
Great Britain. Aud this is just what
the President does not want.
NEW YORK Fashions.