The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-01-19

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGToN, D. c., January 18th

AsHINGToN, ID. c., January 18th.
MIR. EDIToR:-If the republican grum-
blers in the House had nerve in proper
ton to their dissatisfaction the Mckinley
muzzles would be quickly thrown aside
and the House would do some business in
stead of wasting time, as has been done
ever since the reassemhling of Congress,
waiting until the Committees have pre-
pared some bills in accordance with their
instructions, as the democrats stand ready
to help them at any time to restore the
proper functions of the House. They
stituents are interested that they would
like to get action upon, but they dare not
move without permission. When the re-
publican floor leader neglects to move an
| adjournment promptly enough Speaker
Henderson prods him by saying: The
gentleman from New York moves that
the House do now adjourn AS Mr.. Nc
kinley's agent Speaker Henderson is out
Reeding Tom Reed right along
That the republican leaders do not feel
sure oftheir ability to jam the ship subsidy
job through Congress is shown by the
presence in Washington of Ex-senator
Edmunds, who has been employed, he
says, by the shipping interests to lobby for
the bill. Mr.. Edmunds has made elaborate
arguments before the committees of the
House and Senate in favor of the bill, but
| those arguments were not intended for
| the committees, majority of both having
been persuaded to support the bill long
ago by Boss Hanna and his assistant push
ers. Mr.. Edmuntls is not Il cheap man.
and he would not have been employed if
his services had not been considered nec-
essary. His arguments are expected to
brace up the weak kneed republicans who
have candidly acknowledged themselves
to be afraid Of the ship-subsidy bill, as
well as to furnish texts for the republican
editors to preach from.
Democrats in the House were by no
means satisfied with Secretary Cages al
.eyeI explanation of his relations with two
| National Banks in New York city. and
Representative Su!zer offered il resolution
| providing for committee of nine to in
vestigate. The republicans had the reso-
luton referred to the Ways and Means
Committee, where they can either smother
it or fix it up, as their orders may be. By
the way, speaking of Gage and the National
Banks, one of his assistants-Mr Wander
| Iip-has had the nerve to say that such
letters as the one from New York Ma
tional Bank, calling attention to the polit-
ical status and work of the members of its
Board of Directors, as a reason for de
handing favors from the Secretary of the
| Treasury, are often received. If Mr..
| NanCerlip's statement be correct it I'M
covers a shameful state of affairs, which
| furnishes the strongest sort of an argu-
ment in favor of the democratic Conten-
ton that the United States Treasury should
be absolutely divorced from the bankin =
system of the country, and the democrats
IN Congress should demand copies of
every such letter received by the Secretary
of the Treasury, in order that the names
of these political bankers may be known
to the people of the country.
1t begins to look as though the opposi
ton to the reciprocity treaties, negotiated
under the Dingley tariff act, might be
strong enough to defeat them all Mr.
kasson, who represented the United States
i'll negotiating them and who has been
active in trying to get favorable action on
them, has gone to Florida for his health,
and they are now at standstil. 1t is
said that he will return later in the ses-
sion and resume his efforts in behalf of
the treaties, but their opponents claim to
| be gaining strength all the time
| Senator elect Blackburn spent Sunday
in Washin gton, receiving the congratula-
tions of his friends, but returned to Ken
| lucky to-day so as to be present at his
second collection to morrow which will
be gone through SO as To leave no room
for casting doubt on the legality of his
election. When he comes back To WASH
ngton, to resume his duties as Senator,
| he will be z wen a complimentary dinner,
promises to be an old-fashioned demo
cratic love feast, participated in by all the
democrats in Congress and by many others.
The friction between General Miles and
Ad jutant General Corbin has reached an
acute stage, and Miles has flied vigorous
protest with Secretary Root, in which he
asked whether he or Corbin was in COM
mand of the army, and cited instances
where Corbin had pigeon -holed orders,
which did not suit him. instead of i>suing
| them.
1t seems that one of Boss Hannas chief
literary agents, First Assistant Postmaster
General Perry Heath, has also been
sharing in the administration financial
favor. Last June Perry Heath became
| the largest stakeholder in the Seventh
| National Bank of New York city, of
which his brother became Vice President,
and that Immediately that bank was made
the depository for post Office funds in New
York. OF course. neither politics nor
| Heath's official position had anything to
| do with it. Whoever heard of one of the
Hanna school of politicians working his
official position for his personal profit,
O-..> -!ENIIO.