The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1900-04-27
Legislative Movements In House
and Senate and Their Polit-
ical Significance.
BILLS SIDES ARE sTsusslIHs oyts.
Costly victory OF Republicans I'm the
Porto Rican Anair = Democrats
want Armor Plate Factory Man
sged by Gsverament-Hepre-e"fH-
tive Dicks ExpIasation, Etc.
[speclaI correspondence.I

what IN need OF repairs since inc P"o-
sage of the Porto Rican bill Ii was
one OF those victories more costly than
defeat.
The house intends to contine its at
tcntion 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 il to be the proposed. adjourn
ment by the middle OF June
The naval appropriation bill will en-
gage the attention Of the house al
once. Then there are the post office,
sundry civil and general deficiency
measures. The latter win be held
back until the last moment because IL
contains material for pointed demo
cratic criticism. IL is the epitome of
the expensive blunders which the adj
ministration has been committing.
The consideration OF the naval ap-
preparation bill will precipitate biz
ter struggle Ia the house over the
question of armor plate. The MAORI
~ will contend for a free hand" as
Senator Beveridge would say. II is
willing to pay S5f5 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 s200 a ton.
and that IL IL In the interest OF econ
omy 20 have this work done by the
government instead of by trust. The
democrats will also urge the building
Of ships ia government yards rather
than by u subsidized combine. The
republican majority will. of course.
vote down both p-opositiors. but the
debate viii be an Instructive one. and
close understanding and sympathy
the democrats win be allie 10 show the
with trust interests which underlies
the republican reques; for big naval
appropriation Just here IL may bc
noted that the combined army aud
navy appropriation asked by the ul-
ministration approximates closely 10
500, 600 600 for the fiscal year.
Th~ Porto Ri~an Natser.
The administration forces have felt
that il would be the part Of wisdom
TO let The Porto Rican matter. drop
out Of sight, now that the bill is
passed. II is recognized that II popu-
lar agitation continues ON the matter
il Win seriously endanger the chances
Of republican success in the coming
presidential campaign.
But the people of shc country will |
rot be quiet. Congress is simply del
uged with letters and newspaper al
tacks-from republican sources. too
expressing the. utmost indignation at |
the passage OF the measure.
So desperate has become the condi- |
ton that the suaye and ingenious Rep |
resentatise Dick. secretary OF the re-
publican national committee. has !
deemed II advisable TO have himself |
interviewed and TO explain" the
measure.
The democrats think that he is
scarcely as happy as usual in his /
choice Of arguments. He saws that /
the Porto Rican tariff will be prece-
dent in our legislation for our new |
possessions in the Philippines" he |
goes on at great length 10 point out
the dangers 20 American industry and /
labor unless various unconstitutional /
barriers are raised against the new |
possessions
The democrats pointed out the dan
gers in the beginning They ques-
toned the advisability of the sort of
expansion which takes IN millions of
people OF alien races and entirely diff
ferent character OF civilization from |
our own. The democrats assumed
that II such people were takea at all
they must be under the protection of
the constitution and entitled 10 the
rights guaranteed by that instrument.
IL the new possessions could not come
TO ms in that way the United States
was better of without them.
Representative Dick shows very
clearly in his Official statement that
the republicans desire TO institute
system Of colonial possession. over
which an irresponsible congress and
administration shall be the dictator
irresponsible. because acting without
the guidance or control of the consti-
tuition. He intimates plainly that the
republicans are striving 90 establish
the precedent that the constitution
does not apply to the insular posses
sions.
The democrats are entirely willing
TO go before the people with ii-perial-
ism thus clearly defined. and they are
rather pleased that Representative
Dick thus foreshadows 80 definitely nj
this lime the republican attitude in
the campaign
Running Mate for Mckinley.
Mara Hanna has been conducting a
lively campaign to find framing
mate for Mckinley. Mr. John d.
Long. secretary of the navy. Is
now said 20 be the favored candidate.
The search this time is not so much
for the modest citizen who will con
tribute literally 10 the campaign fsnd
In return for the honor OF the nom
nation, ms for some one who will boil
ster up Mr.. McKinley's reputation and
bring into line the thousands upon
thousands OF republicans who regard |