The Opelousas courier., 1900-02-17
Washington, ID. c., News.
From our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, Feb. II, 1900.

Congress, as a party, towards the
Niagara Canal treaty, which the
administration has negotiated with
England and sent to the Senate,
and the Porto Rico tariff bin, which
has been reported to the House,
and will be taken up this week and
jammed through as q party meas
ure, is thoroughly American,7 J and
consequently right. The treaty
gives more than it provides for our
receiving. 1t allows us to build a
canal with our money, provided
we agree to let every nation in the
world, even those we may happen
TO have war with, have exactly the
same privileges we take for our
selves in using it. That isn't the
old Democratic idea Of American
control of the canal, and it is really
surprising that there is a single
Democratic Senator who is willing
to vote for the ratification of the
treaty. Without Democratic votes it
would be bound to fail. One of the
strongest arguments in favor of
the construction of the canal, has
been the advantage it would give
us in a war with foreign power.
Under the present treaty we should
have no advantage, as our enemies
could make just the same use of the
Canal.
Imperialism is the real question
involved in the Porto -Rican tariff
bill. It makes one of the issues
upon which this years presidential
campaign will be waged. The Re
publicans in their sreport on this
bill, which imposes a Zoe duty on
Porto Rican products, have come
out dat-footed in favor of having
Congress assume the3 authority to
deal with the territory recently ac-
quired by the U. s. as colonies, and
with tLeir people as subjects. The
Democrats contended that the cons
titution is the supreme law of this
Republic, and that it recognizes
neither colonies nor subjects that
every foot of ground belonging to
the U. S., is part of the U. s. and
every resident of the territory be-
longing to the q. S., citizen.
The imperiaIists have the votes
to win in Congress, but it re-
mains to be seen whether they can
win before the people.
The Democratic substitute for
the Republican gold standard bill
is short and plain. 1t was intro
duced by Senator Jones, of Arkan-
sas, and it provides for the open
ing of the mints Of the u. S. to the
coinage of silver, as provided by
the act of Jan. 18th, 1887, upon
the same terms and subject to the
limitations and provisions of the
law regulating the coinage and le-
gal tender quality of gold and
that when the silver coin shall be
received into the Treasury, certi-
.fcates shall be issued them as now
prescribed by law. Unfortunately
the Republicans have the votes to
pass the gold standard bill-Chan-
dler is the only Republican who will
vote against it-but the subs
titute will give the Democrats
an opportunity to record their
votes in favor of "the dollar of our
daddies." The vote will be taken
on Thursday of this week.
Adjutant Gen. Corbin, who
gained some notoriety during the
war with Spain, through being
Algel's tool in carrying out the
several schemes devised for the hu-
initiation of General Miles, as well
as by lobbying during the last
Congress, for legislation TO give
himself the rank of Major. General,
is again playing the role of lobby
Iist for the same purpose. ].
He gave an elaborate Sundg
dinner, at suburban club houie,
to twenty odd members of b1e
House, including the Military CPm-
mittee. As Secretary Rootlalso
attended the dinner, it is ass.amed
that he is helping the effort of Coz
bin for promotion. 1.
Notwithstanding the indignant
.denials on the floor of the House
by Gen Grosvenor, and other ad-
ministration men, of the charge
made by Roberts, that Utah polyg-
amists had been appointed to Fed
eral offices by Mr.. Mckinley, the
House Committee on Postof1ices,
which has been investigating, now
has to report to the House that
| Postmaster Graham, of Provo, had
an Indictment for polygamy hang
ing over him when he was appoint
ed. In order to soften this proof
Of the charge Of Roberts, the Com
mittee accompanies it with u state
ment from the prosecuting attor-
ney of Salt Lake City, saying that
for various reasons it is not likely
that Graham will be brought TO
trial under that Indictment. 1t is
probable that the wishes of the Nc
Kinley administration are among
those 'sreasons" for not trying to
convict the polygaHnist postmaster
/ Col. Bryan stopped in Washing.
ton again to talk to Democratic
Senators and Representatives, about
what he learned of Democratic
prospects during his trip East.