Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-11-28
WASHINGTON Letter.

| u.
1t will not be put in type until next
| week. In fact, it will not be ready for
| the printers before then, as the presi-
dent is very particular about carefully
revising the phraseology of his mes
sages.
Matters in China are not progress
ing to suit the president. 1t looks as
though that Anglo-German agreement
had more in it than appeared on the
surface, and that there was danger of
it's being operated to injure American
commercial interests in China. This
is only surmise as yet. The ap-
parent trouble is the failure of the
powers to agree upon the demands to
be made on the government of China
Minister Conger has been instructed
to make plain the opposition of this
government to any impossible demands
upon China, and as we have done once
before, to hint to the powers that the
United States will act alone in dealing
with China if the actions of the other
powers make it necessary to protect
American interests.
Governor Stone, of Pennsylvania,
who was in Washington this week, said
of the senatorial contest in that state
''Mr. Quay won his fight before the
people, and he will win it before the
legislature. Enough men were elected
who will abide by the caucus to insure
Mr.. Quay's return to the senate. He
will be elected soon after the legisla-
ture meets and there will not be a long
fight.
In answer to the sensational stories,
about the volunteers being compelled
to remain in the Philippines for an in
definite period, Adjutant General Cor
bin authorizes the positive statement
of the intention of the war department
to bring every one of the volunteers.
who cares to come, back to the United
States in time to muster them out of
service on or before the first of next
July, when their term of enlistment
expires. This is official and should put
an end to the stories. but, of course,
it will not. As long as there is a de-
mand for misstatements they will be
made.
AS the recommendation in the presi-
dents message as to reduction of some
OF the internal revenue taxes imposed
on account OF the war with Spain and
consequent expenditures will neces-
sarily be based upon. Secretary Cages
report, it is very safe to say that the
statement made by Secretary Gage to
the house ways and means COM
mittee, now holding daily sessions to
prepare bill, came very near to fore
shadOwing what the president will
say in his message on the subject.
Secretary Gage, assisted by Internal
Revenue Commissioner Wilson, went
carefully ovec the schedules Of the
law providing for the war taxes, and
gave the committee their ideas of
what reductions could best be made,
and answered a number of questions
In his statement to the committee Sec
rotary Gage said he thought that
$50, 900, 900 of the 500, 100000 a
year produced by this law, or nearly
one-third, could be dispensed with
without embarrassment to the govern
ment. The committee also called
in body on President Mckinley to
get his ideas of the reduction The
president did not, OF course, go into
details about what reductions should
be made, but he made it very plain to
the committee that he favored making
the reduction as large as possible with
out hampering the treasury. The Re-
publican members of the committee
will decide in what schedules the re-
auctions are to be made, and draft the
bill before consulting the Democratic
members.
Bryanites continue to get it rubbed
into them by such remarks as these.
made by Representative Wilson, of
Brooklyn, who is a Democrat: 1.-The
East would not trust the party on
account of Mr.. Bryan's radical views
on finance. Mr.. Bryan can never
again lead the Democratic party to
defeat, but | should not be surprised
to see him the candidate of the Popu-
lists in 1904. -
don. Frank Loomis United States
minister to Venezuela, says of the sue
cessful conclusion of the project that
brought him to Washington: Il ann
very much pleased with the success of
my mission, and [ shall return with
good news. It may seem a small
thing, this agreement of both re-.
publics to handle as mail matter all
packages not exceeding four pounds
in weight, but in reality it is a big
move for both countries. Ihave been
figuring carefully on the matter, and
| find that it means an increase in the
mail order business of the merchants
of the United States which will
exceed 81, 100000 per annum. This
is worth looking after, and at the same
time it will greatly benefit the citizens
of the South American republic.