The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-12-14
Washington Letter
From our regular Correspondent.

|
| WASHINGTON, December 1O.-There isawar
on between the men who bossed Mr.. McKiu-
| ley g Campaign and Mr.. McKinley's Cabinet
The men who bossed the campaign compelled
| the Republicans on tine House Ways and
Means Committee, TO make a reduction Of %
cents net, barrel in the beer tax, although ii
| made the total of the Revenue Reduction bill,
| now before the House, exceed S4O,000,0uo,
| instead of keeping it inside of S30,000,000 as
| recommended by Mr. Mckinley. The Cabinet
objects and has been even talking of fighting
the bosses in Congress, but word frum MIR.
Mckinley will probably result in making it
| plain to them that the bosses are not doing
more than they were bound to do. One Re
publican, speaking of the Cabinet kicks, sad:
why instead of kicking, these men ought 10
be thankful that the brewers are not demand
ing the 81 barrel reduction they were led 10
believe before the election, that they would
get; these men in the Cabinet would know IL
whole heap more about practical politics il
they would work for while with men who
raise the money for a national campaign. OF
course, Mac will quiet them; he knows" Some
are predicting that the bill will be lowed to
fail in the Senate. Representative Richardson
presented the minority report on the Revenue
Reduction bill. 1t does not oppose any OF the
reductions made, but favors a more extensive
reduction in war taxes.
The Senate has always been an extravaganza
body, especially in its expenditures for its own
luxury, and the fact that the Committee on
Finance has just paid S4,709 for refurnishing
and redecorating the room in which it meets.
shows that it is growing more so.
1t was an Unexpectedly large majori;y-19S
t,,O
garine bill. Political lines were not drawn at
all. If any line was drawn, it was the agricul-
tural against the manufacturing.
That everything is being Done that can posi-
bly, influence votes for the Ship Subsidy bill, is
apparent TO everybody. Even the bidding for
the construction of the six armored cruisers
and the five batt!eships authorized at the last
session of Congress, was utilized for that pur-
pose. In order to create the impression in
Congress that the shipyards of the country
were all on the hunt OF work, which the Ship
Subsidy bill would give them if enacted into a
law, these schemers had a whole lot of small
fry establishments, which would be taxed to
their utmost capacity to build light draft gun
boat. put in bids for cruisers and battleEhips.
Senators are not showing much anxiety to
rush the Army Reorganization bill through the
Senate, which railroaded through the
House last week. To give the Senate Repub-
iicans chance to rush it, the House leaders
made the bill a substitute for one that was
passed by the Senate at the last session. The
Senate could have sent the bill to a Conference
at once, but it didn't. The bill was referred to
the Military Committee, and senator Hawley,
Chairman of that Committee. says the usual
routine will be followed IN the consideration
of the bill which began today. The anti
cauteen amendment, adopted by the House to
please the W. c. 7. U, is already being made
the basis of much contention. The chances
favor its being struck out by the Senate.
The story of Rathbone's extravaganza with
Cuban funds, which was quite as disgraceful
as Medley s stealings, is fully told 10 pamphlet
of 1872 pages, now in the hands of the Senate
Committee on Relations with Cuba. Although
Rathbone paid the money out on vouchers,
they were vouchers which he knew that no
honest auditing officer would pass. In fact,
vouchers amounting to S69,6l9.21 have been
thrown out by the auditors because of the
nature of the goods for which they charged,
such as S11O month for rent for coachman's
house, enameled bath-tub and other house
fitting for one Madam Jorrins and household
furnishings of all kinds, including such items
us "lning furniture with brocaded silver and
gold" and harness and other stable parapha-
MALTA. Although these vouchers have been dis
allowed, the money bad already been paid
from the Cuban funds. 1t will in common
honesty have to be made good, as well as the
Eeeey stealing, and it is likely that the task of
making good will fall entirely on the U. S., as
there is no probability of recovering any con-
siderable sum either from Rathbone or Medley.
Senator Teller, struck those who believe or
pretend to believe that we cannot construct
the Nicaragua Canal without the consent of
Great Britain, solar plexus below when ne
said in a speech advocating action on the part
of the U. S. that would be absolutely indepen-
dent of England, that to ask England's assent
to the construction of the canal was to admit
that the country had right to express its
dissent. He warned the Senate that such a
position would not be accepted by the people
of this country. At the last session of Con-
gress the administration demanded the ratih-
cation of the Hay-Pauncefote treaty without
amendment. Now, its personal representa-
tives In the Senate, gladly agree to have a
vote taken on the Davis amendment, which
provides that nothing in the treaty "shall
apply TO measures which the U. s. will find il
necessary to take for securing by its own forces
the defense of the U. S. and the maintenance
of public order,' next Thursday, when they
know that it will be adopted. The sdministra-
ton is now willing to accept the amendment
simply because it knows that the treaty could
not be ratified without it.