Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-03-15

price now demanded they are invited to
submit to the committee statement as
to the reasons why it cannot be furnish
ed at lower rate with fair profit, such
statement to give the details of the cost
of manufacture, etc. Certain members
of the committee insist the time has at
last arrived when the government can
no longer submit to the extortionate de-
mands. The present price of armor is
S545 ton, although the Bethlehem
works has in the past made it for much
less for foreign firms.
new and interesting bit of political
gossip is that Mr.. Mckinley is seriously
thinking of making a scapegoat of
Secretary Hay, with the hope of squar-
ing himself with the numerous and in-
fluential Republicans who have beeH
making vigorous protests against tho
too-English foreign policy Of the ad-
ministration. 1t would be nothing new
for Mr.. Mckinley to sacrifice a friend
to serve his own political interests, but
in this particular case it is doubtful
whether the sacrifice would do more
than add to the countrys belief in the
adroitness OF Mr.. Mckinley in looking
out for Ne. /. Mr.. Hay is inviting the
sacrifice by his talk against the amend
ment of the Nicaragua canal treaty.
t / t
The amendment OF the Nicaragua
canal treaty, giving this country the
right to defend and control the canal in
time of war, although proposed by
Republican, Senator Davis, was
Democratic triumph, because the
amendment is an unqualified endorse
ment of the position taken by the
Democrats when the treaty was first
made public. As amended, the treaty
will probably receive the votes of
enough Democratic senators to make its
ratification reasonably certain, although
there are features in it that will pre-
vent some Democrats from voting for
its ratification.
/ / /
The presidents New York speech is
meeting with severe criticism among
public men here, who laugh at his
declaration that all Americans are op-
posed to imperialism and suggest that
he had better define what he means BY
the word before he talks about it. II it
is not imperialism to govern far away
Islands from Washington, without al
lowing them any control over their
tariff and taxation systems, and with
the grant of only such civil rights as
congress may see fit to bestow, Demo-
Gratis would like to know what it is.
/ / /
In order to get Republican votes
enough in the senate to pass the Porto
Rican tariff bill, numerous amendments
have been agreed to, among them one
to admit all goods from the United
States to Porto Rico free of duty. And
1t may be necessary to reduce the duty
on Porto Rican products below the fif-
teen per cent provided for in the house
Dill. 1t will be long time before the
hard feelings aroused among Repubi-
cans by this bill pass away, and Repub-
licans admit that it is likely to cost
them number OF seats in the house.
/ / /
A joint resolution, intended to give
General Miles promotion, has been Of
Tered in senate and house. 1t provides
that the senior major general, when in
command of the army, shall have the
rank and pay of lieutenant general and
shall be retired with that rank. The
administration has quietly opposed all
legislation along this line, because of
the pull of Adjutant General Corbin,
who is bitterly hostile to General Miles.
and it will probably do the same in this
case.