The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-12-07
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., December :;rd.

! Mr.. EDITOR:-The re assembling of
Congress found the Capitol full of ugly
and sensational rumors connected with
the Isthmian Canal question. Some of
| these rumors make charges entirely too
serious to be repeated without proof of
their truthfulncss, as to what has been &C
complished by the lobbyists employed by
thePanama Canal Company,in their efforts
to delay Congressional action authorizing
the construction of the Nicaragua Canal.
But there are some facts which speak for
| themselves. Sometime ago it was an
| nounced in a semi official manner that tic
| report of the Canal Commission would be
| strongly in favor Of the Nicaragua route;
now it is allowed to become known that
the report of the Commission will not
| specify preferable route, but will give
its estimates of the cost of the Canal by
| the Nicarauga route, and the cost of the
completion of the Panama Canal, together
with the terms upon which this govern
ment can secure control of the latter. and
leave Congress to decide for itself. What
brought about this change: That is the
question that the rumors deal with. The
President of the Panama Canal Company
had long conference with the Secretary
of Sta,e, and, of course, everybody knows
What the gentleman is in Washington for.
Although the Nicaragua Canal bill, which
passed the House at the last session, was,
by resolution of the Senate, made special
order for Wednesday Of this week, Il pro-
gram has been arranged by which the Ship
Subsidy bill will be used to side track the
Canal bill, unless the program is upset Ivy
a majority vote of the Senate. The Pana-
ma Canal Conn any has caused one great
National scandal, which dissraced emf
nent Frenchmen, and from present indi
cations it may cause another, that will
disgrace some prominent Anne. leans.
Nominally the two branches Of Congress
met to day and adjourned without wait
ing to get Mr. Mckinley's message, as
mark of respect to the late Senators Davis
and Grear and members Of the House who
have died since the last session, but in
|
pose Of giving the republicans a little
more time to try 10 reconcile their numer-
Gus differences and to get together on
legislative program.
The Jackson Democratic Association,
of Washington, is arrang ing for its annual
celebration of Jackson Day, January Sth
next, with as much enthusiasm as its
members could possibly have displayed
had the party been victors in the late cam
paign. The Jacksonians are of the same
undaunted brand as was "Old Hickory
himself, and tie result of campaigns cuts
no figure in their calculations when com
pared with the principles they value far
more than triumph
Representative Shaffroth of Colorado,
said of the contest for the seat which will
be vacated March 4th by Senator Woicott
1T promises to be the most interesting,
and the closest call ever known in that
section Three Of the strongest men in
the State are now candldates-Gov
Thomas former Governor Adams and
Thomas F. Patterson, and it is just posi-
bic that Mr. Charles J. Hughes, a promi-
nent mining lawyer, may enter the field
as the fourth
Although all knowledge on the subject
is denied at the War Department, many
persons in Washington believe the cor
rectness of the story that embalmed beef
Eagan will shortly be restored to duty as
Commissary General of the army by Mr..
Mckinley.
Representative Neville, of Nebraska,
who was re elected says he thinks Editor
Rosewater has too many republican enc
mics to succeed in getting elected to the
Senate.
Notwithstanding his previous humlliating
experience in that line, Secretary Root
has again smothered an important public
document on the ridiculous ground that it
is il confidential matter not intended to be
made public. The document in question
is the report made by an expert account
ant from the Treasury Department who
was sent to Cuba at Secretary Roots re-
quest to go thoroughly over the accounts
of Rathbone and Medley. The real rea-
son for not making it public is that it
shows the stealings in Cuba to have been
greater and more systematic than anybody
had supposed. A similar report was made
by the accountant to the Senate Committee
on Relations with Cuba, which has been
trying 50 hard not to comply with the
Senate resolution directing it to investl-
gate Cuban finances If these reports are
not made public, there is likely to be some
plain talk N Congress on the right Of an
official to suppress report made bv
minor official under orders and under pub
lie pay If such reports are not public
documents, pray what are?
\ treaty has been signed with Nicara-
qua, giving the United States the right to
construct and operate the Nicaragua |
Canal, which will be sent to the Senate |
for ratification, but whether the Panama |
lobby will allow it to be acted upon only |
tine can tell
A democratic caucus of the House is |
now in session, to decide upon the party
policy to be followed in dealing with the
army reorganization bill, which the repub-
licans will push at once
Senator Martin, of Virginia, said Of the
attitude of the democrats toward the leg
islation of the session: Il see no reason
for any captious objection or dilatory
tactics on the part of the democrats. | do
not mean that the minority has no respon-
sibility but that the democrats vii. be sat
sticd with statement of their objections
and with recording their votes against
bills they do not approve"