Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-12-13
WASHINGTON.


day. at the end of a long sitting, passed
the army reorganization bill by vote
of 1866 to 1873. Three Democrats-Messrs
Hall of Pennsylvania and Underhill and
CLAYTON of New York voted with the
Republicans for the bill, and Mr.. Mccall
Republican of Massachusetts,, with the
Democrats against it. Otherwise 1t
was strict party vote. The amended
bill as passed prohibits the ''canteen
system.
Bids for five battleships and SIX
armored cruisers were opened by the
Sec'y. of the Navy, last Friday. The
vessels without their armor and equip
ment will cost about fifty millions, and
completed about seventy millions.
There are now eight firms in this
country capable of building these things.
On Friday the House passed the Grout
Oleomarganrine bill by vote of 1856 to
90. The substitute offered by the
minority of the Committee on Agricui-
ture, which imposed additional restric-
tions on the sale of oleomargine to pre-
vent its fraudulent sale as butter and
increased the penalties for violators,
was defeated by vote of lib to l'o.
The bill passed makes all articles known
asolemargarine butterine, imitation but
ter or imitation cheese transported into
any State or Territory for consumption
or sale. subject to the police power OF
such State or Territory, but prevents
any State or Territory from forbidding
the TRANSPORTATION or sale of such pro-
duct when produced and sold free from
coloration in imitation of butter.
Senators agreed to vote on the Davis
amendment to the Hay-Paunceforte
treaty on Thursday. 1t is considered
practically certain that the amendment,
which gives the United States the right
to fortify the Nicaraguan canal, will be
adopted, despite the desire of the
administration that the treaty be rati-
fed in its original shape.
The administration is not in accord
with the feeling manifested in Congress
in favor of large reduction OF the war
revenue taxes. That the Ways and
Means committee bill provides for
$40, 900, 600 cut. while certain proml-
nent Republican Senators favor one OF
from $50, 900, 900 to $7O,OO0,OOO, causes
some alarm. But the President and
Secretary Gage recommended reduc-
ton of S3G, 900, 600 and they do not like
the prospect of a'greater one. There is
uncertainty as to conditions in the
Philippines, Cuba and China. and if the
army is reorganized on the 1OO, 600 basis
the cost will be $4,000, 900 more
annually than was required before the
Spanish war. With less than one-half
of this fiscal year expired, the ex-
penditures for the army amount to-day
to over ST.. 900, 900. and the surplus reye-
nues thus far are only $13, 76O, 600. The
extra war revenues amount to but little
over 800, 900, 900 annually, and If they
are reduced $4,000, 600 only, as the
President and Secretary Gage recon-
mended, the balance will no more than
nav the additional army expenses.
Neither can estimates of revenues made
a year ahead of their collection be al
ways relied upon as accurate.
The Republican Representatives from
Pennsylvania conferred on the ap-
portionment question, and while their
action was entirely informal, it trans
pired that with the exception OF Mr..
Sibley, they favor ratio of 2O9,OO
which will keep the membership OF the
House at 357, the present number, and
also give Pennsylvania the same repre-
sentation it has now. Mr.. Sibley said
that he had promised the delegations
from several States. the representation
of which would be decreased if the ratio
is fixed at 209 900, that he would vote
against the bill establishing that ratio
and that, moreover, he believed in in
creasing the membership and thought
that 400 would not be too many. The
other members are opposed to any in
crease, some of them on the ground that
multiplying of Representative decreas-
es their importance in the public estl-
nation. They point to the fact that
there are only 80 Senators. about one
fourth as many as there are Repre-
sentatives, and that for this reason the
members of the upper branch are re-
garded as of much more Importance
than are the members of the House. 1t
is doubtful whether this is a sound
argument. The membership of the
Senate is not likely to be increased more
than six by the admission of Arizona.
New Mexico and Oklahoma as States,
unless Texas is divided, or Senators
come from Porto Rico, Hawaii or the
Philippines, and that is most remote
contingency.
There will be Congressional inves-
point and unless the Investigators utter
ly disregard the temper of the colleagues
il will be such searching one that all
the facts will be disclosed. The House
took up the matter Tuesday morning
Immediately after the reading of the
journal 1t refused to choke off debate
and overturned the Committee on Mil
itary Affairs by adopting a substitute
for the briggs resolution, offered by
Representative Wagner, providing for
an investigation by a select committee
of FIVE This committee is to submit
its report within go days.
The Waldersee- Chaffee incident it is
believed at the War Department, will re-
suit in definition of the relations be-
tween the German and American COM
manders before it is closed. There is a
belief at the department that General
Chaffee has already defined it in such a
way as to satisfy the Field Marshal
that his exceptions to the tone of Gen
eral Chaffee's note of protest is none of
his business. The officials of the de-
partment say that the Count is evident
lr laborlng under the impression that
Chaffee is under his orders which he is
not They are of the impression that
General Chaffee has informed the Field
Marshal of that fact, and from that ex-
PLANTATION. it is thought. arises the Ger
man report that Chaffee has apologized.
The Senate is a queer body One
Senator talked four hours the other day
on the Hay-Paunceforte treaty and even
Il II ,-1, L.. n Tr,aa