The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1900-02-17
WASHINGTON LE1tRR
(From Our Regular Correspondent

Congress, as a party, towards the
Nicaragua Canal treaty, which the
administration has negotiated with
England and sent to the Senate,
and the Porto Rico tariff bill, which
has been reported to the House, and
will be taken up this week and lam
med through as party measure, is
thoroughly American. aid eonse-
quently right. The treaty gives
more than it provides for our
receiving. 1t allows us to build
a canal with our money, provi-
ded we agree to let every nation in
the world, even those we may hap
pen to have war with, have exactly
the same privileges we take for our
selves in using it, That isn't the old
democratic idea of American control
OF the Canal, and it is really surpris-
ing that there is a single democatc
Senator who iswilliag tt vie for
the ratification of the treaty. With
out .demoeratics votes, il would be
bound to tail. One of the strongest
arguments in favor of the construe-
ton of the canal, has been the advan-
tage it would give us IN war with
a foreign power. Under the present
treaty we should have no advantage,
as our enemies could make Just the
same use of the Canal. Imperialism
is the real question involved in the
Porto-Riean tariff bill. 1t makes
one of the issues upon which this
years presidential campaign will be
waged. The republicans in their re-
port on this bill, which imposes a %
per cent duty on Porto Riean pro-
ducts, have come out flat-footed in
favor of ignoring the Constitution
and of having Congress assume the
authority to deal with the territory
recently acquired by the I. S. as
colonies, and with their people as
subjects The democrats contend
tina, the Constitution is the supreme
law of this republic. and that it rec
ognizes neither colonies nor subjects
that every foot of ground belonging
to the I. S. is a part of the U. S.
and every resident of territory be-
longing to the L. S., a citizen
The imperialists have the votes to
win in Congress, but it remains to
be seen whether they can win be-
fore the people,
The democratic substitute for the
republican gold standard bill is short
and pla~f 1t was introduced by
Senator Jones, Of Arkansas, and it
provides for the opening of the minis
of the U. S. to the coinage of silver,
as provided by the Act of Jan. 18th,
1887, upon the some terms and sub
ject to the limitations and provis-
ions of law regulating the coinage
and legal tender quality of gold and
that when the silver coins shall be
received into the Treasury, certifi-
Gates shall be issued for them as now
prescribed by law Unfortunate
ly the republicans have the votes
to pass the gold standard bill
Chandler is the only republican who
will vote against it but the sub
stitute will give the democrats an
opportunity to record Their votes in
favor of "the dollar of our daddies.
The vote will be taken on Thurs
day of this week.
Adjudant Gen. Corbin, who gain
ed some notoriety during the war
with Spain, through being Ayers
tool in carrying out the several
schemes devised for the humiliation
of Gen. Miles, as well as by lobby
ing during the last Congress, for
legislation to give himself the rank
of Maj. Gen, is again playing the
role of lobbyist for the same pur-
pose.
He gave an elaborate Sunday din
ner. at a suburban club house, to
twenty-odd members of the House,
including the Military Committee.
AS Secretary Root also attended the
dinner, it is assumed that he is help
ing the effort OF Corbin for pro-
motion.
Notwithstanding the indignant
denials on the floor of the House, by
Gen. Grosvenor, and other admins
tration men, of the charge made by
Roberts, that Utah polygamists had
been appointed to Federal Offices by
Mr.. Mckinley, the House Committee
on Post Offices, which has been in
vestigt Ainp. now has to reDort tn