Middletown transcript., 1900-11-24
Washington Letter.

o. DRESIDENT Mckinley has announced
o that ne will be unable to see any callers
er except those who have important busi-
N ness with him, until he completes his ara
u nual message to Congress, upon which he
y is now working. Only two weeks remain
z in which the message must be written and
printed, and it will necessarily be quite q
: long document.
d ~
1t is generally understood that Con-
!, gress will provide for a Trans-Isthmian
y canal at this session, but whether it will
l be the Hepburn Nicaragua Canal bill
: that passed the House at the last session
and which was by resolution of the Sem
ate made the special order for December
lO, will depend upon the recommenda-
: tions made by the Presidents message,
which will be accompanied by the report
of the canal Commission upon the most
feasible route, all things considered, for
the Canal The preponderance of senti-
ment in Congress favors the Nicaragua
route and that the Canal shall be con-
structed and controlled by the United
States government.
] ~
| When man yells before he is hit, it is
usually because he knows he deserves to
be hit. That is about what is the matter
with the Democrats who are bowling
about the intention of the Republicans at
this session of Congress to pass a reap
portlonment bill reducing the representa-
ton of those Southern states which have
disfranchised large portion of their
voters. They know that the Republi-
| cans in Congress have the power to do
this thing and they fear it will be exer- Vi
cised, as it would be by the Democrats II n
the conditions were reversed. If the
Republican leaders have any intention of
putting such legislation through Congress,
they are not giving any indication of it at
this time, although few of them have
publicly said that it would be no more
than just punishment for those states. 1t
is not at all likely, however, that the
punishment will be administered.
~
There is much anxiety in Washington
because of the serious illness of Senator
Davis, of MINI. In addition to friend
ship for him because of his many likable
qualities, there is a telling that his counsel
will be needed during the comiDe session
of Congress. His long experience as a
member of and as chairman of the Senate
Committee on foreign relations has made
him an authority on everything pertain
ing to the foreign relations of this govern
ment.
~
Attorney General Griggs is the only
member of the Cabinet who has yet de-
clined the Presidents pressing invitation
to the entire Cabinet to retain their port-
folios under his second administration,
and his declination was based upon per.
sonal reasons-he is poor man and feels
that he cannot afford to remain in office
where it costs him more to live than the
salary he receives, when there is {. -lSc=s-.. Z
tive law practice awaiting his attention.
There are two other members of the
Cabinet who are wayering between their
personal desire to retire and their wish to
please the President by remaining in ..of-
fee, while it is understood that the other
four have decided to accept the Presi-
dents invitation, although they have not
formally done SO.
~
The House Ways and Means Commit
tee will at once begin considering the
question of reporting bill to reduce the
internal revenue taxation, and Senator
Aldrich, Chairman of the Senate Commit
tee on Finance, will call meeting of that
for the same purpose. Sena-
tor Aldrich said of the probable action of
his committee: 'It is impossiblea at this
time to say whether we can accomplish
anything in the way of reduction. We
hope to do SO, but how much the amount
will be or what direction we will take in
securing the reduction, cannot be predica
led until the Committee gets together RndY
carefully reviews all the information
which is to be furnished by the Treasury
Secretary Gage estimates
she surplus Of the present fiscal year at
sSO, ,OOO, 900, and that of the year 5egin-
1ing July /, 1901, at $So, 1000, 900, q
after being based upon a continuatiG
present internal revenue taxes
#x*
Senator Hawley, Chairman of the
nittee on Military Affairs, expresse
opinion that the bill for the reorgal
ion of the army, which Congress
,ected to pass at the coming sesl
hould provide for at least 1000 z
ien. Miles, in his annual report,
ties his recommendation that the army
hall consist of one private for each
housand of our population.
*.*
Senator Spooner, whose bill for the
of the Philippines spending,
aid of probable action: 'fI believe that
ny bill ought to pass and I hope that
ction viii be taken. have not had an
however, to consult with
ny colleagues and cannot say what
Eill be done. 1t may be that they will
onsider it wiser to wait until the situa-
ion in the Philippines is clearer before
nacting any legislature at all.
~
Congress will have its attention strong
Y called to the necessity for an American
rans-Pacific cable by the annual report
I Gen. Greely, Chief Signal Officer Of
he army, and the report of the survey
or a route, which was successfully made
y the Navy Department, has cleared the
ray for immediate action There isyery
tile doubt that the cable win be pro-
ided for at this session Of Congress as
II as Honolulu, If not all the way to the