Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1900-12-13

Many OF the strongest supporters OF the
Nicaragua canal bill think that both Of
these treaties should be ratified before
the canal bill is seriously taken up by
the senate.
There is constan. watchiulness on the
part Of senators to get better seats for
themselves. Applications are often filed
by senators for the desirable seats held
by retiring senators, several years in
advance OF the date OF their retirement,
and for senator who has good seat,
to get sick, is always the signal for
applications 10 be filed for his seat, In
case it should be vacated. Senator
Hanna, who has had a less desirable
seat, lied claim for the seat occupied
by the late Senator Davis, about two
years ago, and ii is now his. He did
not dream. however, that the seat
would come to him through the death OF
Senator Davis. The claim was filed
because Senator Davis had filed one for
the seat Of Senator Hoar, who at the
time talked OF retiring on account OF his
health.
Representative Shaffrotb, OF Colorado,
is an enthusiast and an expert on the
subject Of irrigation. He has introduced
bill providing for the construction Of
reservoirs in the arid sections OF the
West and for the disposal OF the pub.
lie lands reclaimed thereby under the
homestead law. He thinks it an
erroneous idea that money spent in
irrigation only benefits the state in
which it is spent. In his own words :
"What benefits one state largely profits
another. Thus enriching now idle and
useless ground would result in the
providing for homes and a great future
to thousands and thousands, of home
less, helpless and penniless men in
every state in the Union"
Captain Carl Reichmann, U. s. A.
who has just returned from South Africa
where he was sent by the war depart.
ment to observe the military operations
of the Beers, said OF the Boer com.
msnder, whose recent successes have
revived hopes among the friends OF the
Boers ''De Vets dandy. lie is a
little man with clear, fierce eye and a
stern visage, and wears small black
hat. One would not pick him out in a
company OF men as warrior; and he's
a butcher, or his brother was, but he
knows how to fight" Captain Reich
mann says that although the Beers are
fine hunters and good marksmen, they
are not good soldiers, because they are
not susceptible to discipline"
The story is very persistently asserted
around Washington, although denied
by war department officials that the
president has promised to set aside the
sentence of the court martial, suspend
ing him from duty for six years. and
restore General Eagan TO active duty as
commissary general OF the army. Eagan
is in Washington, but he declines to do
any talking about his case.
No one seriously doubts that there
will eventually be practical flying
machines, but that doesn't prevent
money being invested in railway and
steam ship lines. Yet, level.headed
man like Chairman Hepburn OF the
house committee on inter state and
foreign commerce, who at the last
session reported and urged action on a
bill for Pacific cable is quoted as ex.
pressing the opinion that the claim Of
Marconi, whose previous experiments
with wireless telegraphy have not been
entirely satisfactory even for short
distances, to have discovered system
by which messages can be sent across
the ocean, without cables, will prevent
action on the cable bill.
There may be some significance in the
remark Of Senator Allison, who Is in the
front rank OF the majority leaders, that
the only legislation which must abso'
lutely be disposed Of at this session in
order to prevent an extra session Of the
next congress, outside Of the fourteen
regular appropriation bills, were the
army bill and the reapportionment bill
and all the other proposed legislation
was subsidiary and could II necessary
be laid aside until the next congress