Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-02-26
WASHINGTON LET TER.

ESPECIAL CORRHsFONDENCE THE MONT COR
Washington, Feb. 10Th, 1900.
President McKinley's willingness to
subordinate his personal opinion when
it doesn't agree with that of the COM
bined leaders of the party in congress,
is one of the reasons why he is more
popular with congress than any other
president has ever BEEN A case in
point is the Porto Rican tariff bill,
which Chairman Payne, of the ways
and means committee, called up in
the house today and which will be
kept before the house until it is
passed. President McKinley's opin-
ion, as stated in his annual message,
was that Porto Rico should have free
trade with US, but when the party
leaders in congress concluded that it
was best to put a small duty-One-
fourth Of what foreign countries pay,
on Porto Rican products, he at once
stated that he would not attempt to
place his personal opinion above that
of congress, but would sign any bill
passed by congress. The principal OBJ
ject Of the duty is to raise money to
be spent for the betterment of Porto
Rico.
1t is absurd to say that the failure
of the republican caucus put the Quay
case on the legislative programme of
the senate, was either defeat or
victory for Mr.. Quay, as some persons
have said since the caucus was held.
The reasons why the case was not in
cluded in the programme was simply
because a question involving the right
of senator to his seat is one of the
highest privilege and can be called
up at any time; it needed no place on
the programme.
The personnel of the conference
the house financial bill, passed before
Christmas, and the senate substitute
therefor passed last week, make it
certain that the differences between
the two measures will be settled in
manner satisfactory to the republican
party, and in accordance with the
policy of President Mckinley. The
republican members of the commit
tee are Senators Aldrich and Allison
and representatives., Overstreet and
Brosius. The democratic members
are Senator Jones, OF Arkansas, and
Representative Cox of Tennessee.
Secretary Hay has begun an in
vestigation to ascertain whether the
charge of Charles E. Macrum, who
practically deserted his post as y. S.
Consul at Pretoria because this gov
eminent did not take sides with the
Beers, that his official mail was open
ed by the British Military Censor at
Durham, was true. The first that
Secretary Hay, or anybody in Wash
ington heard of this serious charge
was when Mr.. Macrum published a
statement, over his signature, giving
his reasonsf or running away from his
post. If the charge be true, an
apology will, of course, be demanded
from the British government.
The bill providing territorial form
OF government for Hawaii is now the
s'unfinished' business of the senate,
and will remain such until passed. A
similar bill has been favorably report
ed to the house.
At the fourth annu al banquet of the
West Virginia republican association,
Representative Pearre, of Maryland,
who spoke to the toast, president
| McKinley-one good turn deserves
another" aroused great enthusiasm
! by naming Senator Elkins as a suita
bic man for the second place on the
ticket; also when he said that VIM.
Mckinley was the great contructive
leader of the great constructive party
of the country.
| The joint resolution providing for
a constitutional amendment, disquai-
| flying polygamists for election as
senators or representatives, and pro-
hibiting polygamy and polygamist
associations between the sexes, has
been favorably reported to the house
by the committee on election of pres
ident and vice president. The report
says the proposed amendment to the
construction is designed to remove
! all doubtful construction of the law;
that, while the house decision in the
Roberts case established a precedent,
it is not one OF absolutely binding
/ force, and a constitutional enactment
is desired.
Secretary Root, in response to a
! senate resolution, sent statement of
the receipts and expenditures in Cuba.
/ r f,AaH a naaorohor
It shows total receipts have been $16,-