The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1900-05-05
legislative Movements in House
and Senate and Their Polit-
ical Significance.
BILLS SIDES ARE STRUGGLING OVER.
cos,ly victory of Republicans in the
Porto Ricnn Anair Democrats
want Armor Plate Factory MANI
aged ny ACCOMPLISHMENTS
tive Dicks Explanation, Etc.
Especial Correspondence

saoe of the Porto Rican bill. 1t was
one of those victories more costly than
defeat.
The house intends to confine it's at
tention strictly to the appropriation
of money for some time. There are
three big bills and any number of
minor measures that must be sent to
the senate by the middle of May if
there is to be the proposed adjourn
ment by the middle of June.
The naval appropriation bill will en-
gage the attention of the house at
once. Then there are the post office,
sundry civil and general deficiency
measures. The latter will be held
hack until the last moment because it
contains material for pointed demo-
cratic criticism. 1t is the epitome of
the expensive blunders which the adj
ministration has been committing.
The consideration of the naval ap-
preparation bill will precipitate a bit
ter struggle in the house over the
question of m plate. The MAORI
ty will contend for a Stree hand" as
Senator Beveridge would say. 1t is
willing to pay $545 a ton and as much
more as the Carnegie company may
demand,
The democrats will contend for an
srmor plate factory built and man
aged by the government. 1t has been
shown that the best armor plate can
be manufactured for about $500 a ton,
and that it is in the interest of econ
omy to have this work done by the
government instead of by q trust. The
democrats will also urge the building
of ships in 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 understanding and sympathy
the democrats will be able to show the
with trust interests which underlies
the republican request for a big naval
appropriation. just here it may be
noted that the combined army and
navy appropriation asked by the adj
ministration approximates closely to
5000, OO0, 900 for the fiscal year.
The Porto Rican Matter.
The administration forces have felt
that it would be the part of wisdom
to let the Porto Rican matter drop
out of sight, now that the bill is
passed. 1t is recognized that if popu-
lar agitation continues on the matter
it win seriously endanger the chances
of republican success in the coming
presidential campaign.
But the people of the country will
not be quiet. Congress is simply del
uged with letters and newspaper at
tacks-from republican sources, too
expressing the utmost indignation at
the passage of the measure.
So desperate has become the condi-
ton that the suave and ingenious Rep
resentative Dick, secretary of the re-
publican national committee, has
deemed it 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 says that
the Porto Rican tariff "will be q prece-
dent in our legislation for our new
possessions in the Philippines" He
goes on at great length to point out
the dangers to 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
1erent character of civilization from
our own. The democrats assumed
that if such people were taken at all
they must be under the protection of
the constitution and entitled to the
rights guaranteed by hat instrument.
III the new possessions could not come
TO us in that way the United States
was better off without them.
Representative Dick shows very
clearly in his official statement that
the republicans desire to institute a
system of colonial possession, over
witch 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 to establish
n precedent that the constitution
aoes not apply to the insular posses
sions.
IN
The democrats are entirely willing
10 go before the people with imperial
ism thus clearly defined, and they are
rather pleased that Representative
DICK thus foreshadows SO definitely at
this time the republican attitude in
the campaign.
Running Mate for Mckinley.
Mark Hanna has been conducting a
hvely campaign to find a running
mate" for Mckinley. Mr.. John d.
Long, secretary of the navy. is
now said to be the favored candidate.
The search this time is not SO much
ior the modest citizen who will con-
tribute literally to the campaign fund
IN return for the honor of the NOM
nation, rs for some one who will boil
KIN.