The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-04-27
NOTES FROM washington
Legislative Movements in House
and Senate and Their Pclit-
ical Significance.
6ILLs SIDES ARE STRUGGLING OVER.
Costly Victory of Repubiica In the
Porto Hican AFFAIR = Dc mccra
Want Amor riate Factory MAN.
aged by Governmeut-Repre senta-
live Dicks Explanation. Etc.
[specLal corre. poal.nce.l


Especial CORES oadence.l
The house republicans feel some
what in need of repairs since the pas
sage of the Porto Hicau bill. II was
one OF those victories more costly than
defeat.
The house intends To coEiinc its at
teution strictly 10 the appropriation
OF money for some time. There are
three big bills and any number Of
minor measures that must be sent 10
the senate by the middle OF May II
there is to be the proposed ADJOURN
ment by the middle OF June.
The naval appropriation bill will en-
gage fhc attention of the house al
once Then there are tile post office,
sundry civil and general deficiency
measures. The latter will be held
back until the last moment Accause IT
contains material for pointed demo-
cratic criticism. II j. the cpitome OF
the eNpt nsive biunders which the adj
minisiration has been committing.
The consideration OF the naval APP
propria ticn bin will Drecipitate a Bit
ter struggle in the house over the
question OF armor plate The majori-
IL Will contend for a free hand. IS
Senator Beveridge wolld say. II is
willing TO pay S5i5 a ton and as much
more a. the Carnegie company may
demand.
The democrats will contend for an
armor plate factory built and man
aged by the government. II has been
shown that the best armor plate can
be manufactured for about $500 ton.
and that il is in the interest OF econ
omv 20 have this work done by the
government instead Of by trust. IT,
democrats will also urge the building
Of ships ia government yards. rather
than by a subsidized combine. The
republican majority Will. OF course.
vote down both propositions. but the
debate will be an instructive one, and
close undcrSta ding IN. sympathy
the democrats v n be allie O show the
with trust interests which underlies
the republican request for "a big naval
appropriation. Just here il may be
noted that the combined army and
navy appropriation asked by the adj
ministration approNimates clos, v 70
5000. CCC Geo for the fiscal year.
The Porto Ricnn Matter.
The administration forces have felt
that il would be the part Of wisdom
to let the Porto Rican matter droI
out of sight. now that the bill i
passed. Ii il recognized that If popu
lar agitation continues on the matter
it Wiz seriously endanger the chances
Of republican success in the coming
presidential campaign.
But the people Of the country vii
not be quiet Congress Is simply lel
uged with letters and newspaper AZ
fachs-from republican sources. too
expressing the utmost indignation q
the passage Of the measure.
SO desperate has become the condi
ton that the suaye and ingenious Rep
resenfativc Dick. secretary Of the re-
publican national committee. ha
deemed ii advisable 10 have himsel
interviewed and 70 "eNplain" th
measure.
The democrats think that he
scarcely as happy as usual in hi
choice az arguments He says tina
rhe Porto Eican tariff will be- prec,
dent I'm orr legislation for our ne'
possessions ia the Philippines" II
goes on al great length TO point on
the dangers to Amcrican Industry an
7 labor unless various unconsiiiution;
barriers are raised against the ne
possessions.
, The democrats pointed oui the dai
gers in Tie heginrng They cue
toned tho advisahiliiy * the sort {
expansion which takes ia millions
people of alien races and entirely di
ferrnt character o. civilization fro
> our own The democrats assume
: that II such people were taken ~ q
they must hc under Ia protection I
: the constitution and ctiiiled 10 4
!. rights guaranteed BY that instrumcr
II the new possessions could not con
TO Us IN that way the United stat
/. was better off without them.
Representative Dick shows vel
: clearly in his official statement N
4 system o. colonial possession. ov
1 which an irresponsible congress al
y administration shall be the dictat,
D irresponsible. because acting witho
y the guidance or control Of the cons
q tuition. lie intimates plainly that I
" republicans are striving 10 establi
8 TIE precedent that the constitute
y does not apply to the insular posse
% sions
~ The democrats are entirely will
9 20 60 before the people with imperi
Y ism thus clearly defined. and they a
o rather pleased that Representa-
" Dick thus foreshadows so definitely
D this time the republican attitude
" the campaign.
D Running Nate for Mckinley.
N Mark Hanna has been conducting
y lively campaign 10 find a "rtnni
n mate" for Mckinley. Mr.. John
Y Long. secretary Of the navy.