Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-12-19
Washington Letter.

made as good business record as IL
did in it's first week. 1t has passed
one of the regular appropriation bills
and the revenue reduction bill. The
latter was passed just as reported by
the committee, after the Democratic
substitute directing that the bill be re-
turned to the committee with instruc-
lions to increase the total of the reduc-
tions made from $40, 100000 to $780,
100000 year, was voted down by
the Republicans.
The senate has made some progress
with the ship subsidy bill, and has
amended the Hay-Pauncefote canal
treaty in manner to emphazlze the
right of this government to protect
the Nicaragua canal in it's own way
after it is constructed. There has
been lot of rot printed in connection
with the attitude of President McKin-
ley and Secretary Hay toward this
amendment That they did not con-
slider the language of the amendment
necessary is, of course, obvious from
| the fact that the treaty was sent to
| the senate without it, but that either
| of them sought by threat or otherwise
| to prevent senators voting for the
amendment is absolutely false.
Senator Hanna gained such a repu-
tation as a speaker by his campaign
talks that his excellent speech in the
senate in favor of the ship subsidy bill
| did not surprise those who heard it.
His idea in convincing oratory is to
talk only about what you know and to
ask others to believe in only what you
believe in yourself. That is what he
did on the stump with such good effect,
and that is what he has done in the
senate To increase the American
merchant marine is one of his great
est desires, and his faith in the ship
subsidy bill as long step in that
direction is as strong as was his faith
in the reelection of President McKin-
ley and the endorsement Of his policy
by the American people.
The remarks of Chairman Payne. Of
the house ways and means committee,
on the Democratic substitutes proposed
for the revenue reduction bill, just
of them. He said: '.Some members
of the minority of the committee have
proposed to abolish all the war revenue
and Offer in place thereof an income
tax. OF course. it is perfectly obvious
to every thinking man that this would
cause an immediate deficiency in our
revenues It would mean a loss of
new income tax law would not furnish
dollar of additional revenue. We
have already an income tax law upon
the statute books. The supreme court
has decided it unconstitutional. What
reason is there to suppose that new
enactment of this kind would meet
with any other tate? Another prop
osition has been made by the min
GRITTY to abolish the entire additional
tax upon beer. This would result in
an additional reduction Of $23, 600, O00
1t would produce the greatest injus-
tice. What argument in favor of re-
ducing the entire tax on beer which
does not apply with as great force to
the reduction of the entire tax on to-
bacco, amounting to $18, 900, or
the tax on bankers and brokers'
amounting to nearly 81, 100000, and
the remaining taxes, amounting to
5000, 900? Certainly the tax upon
beer should never be wiped out until
every other vest4ge of the war tax is
removed.
The celebration of the centennial of
the establishment of the capital of the
United States at Washington, held
this week. was big success, as well
as most interesting historical event.
It began with a reception in the White
house. by the president. in honor of
the twenty-five governors of states,
who attended, followed by an address
by Colonel T. A. Bingham, superin-
tendent of public buildings and
grounds, who exhibited and explained
a model of the proposed additions to
the White house; an address of well
come by Commissioner MacFarland
and reply on behalf of the governors
by Governor Shaw, of Iowa. The out
of door part of the celebration con-
sisted of military parade. under COM
mand of General Nelson A. Miles,
which was reviewed from the east
front of the capitol by President Nc
Kinley. Later, a commemorative
meeting was held in the hall of the
house of representatives with congress
sitting in joint session, presided over
by Senator Frye, and attended by the
president, the cabinet and all of the
prominent visitors. At this meeting
addresses were delivered by Senators
Hoar, Daniel and McComas, and Rep
resentatives Payne, of New York,
and Richardson, of Tennessee. The
celebration closed with an evening re-
ception to the governors in the Cor
coran gallery of art.
General James H. Wilson, who has
just returned from China, said of that
unfortunate country: ''The trouble
with China is the poverty of it's peo-
pie. They are down-hearted, dead
minded, despairing. What China
needs is a government with a strong
and decisive power behind it, In case