The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-04-18
Worrying the President.

Washington. April 10 Admins
tration senators and representatives
are wrangling fearfully over the
pIume made available by the Porto
Rico act. which goes into effect May
/. Nearly every one of them is
grabbing after the biggest and
juciest of these plums for q constitu
ent and they are making Mr McKiu
ley very weary by their persistency.
The selection OF Mr. C II Alien to
be governor was entirely personal on
the part Of Mr. Mckinley, just as the
sane gentleman was personally
chosen by Secretary Long to be as
sistant secretary of the navy when
"Teddy" Roosevelt resigned that
Office to become a rough rider If
some of the men who are after the
other places over there succeed in
getting them, Mr. Allen will have to
keep his eyes wide open to prevent
his administration of the affairs of
the island getting into the breakers
of scandal
1t ia little puzzling to understand
why the administration is preventing
actien on the Nicaragua canal bill at
this session of congress, but perfect
ly plain that it is doing 80, through
it's agents in both house and senate
There is something behind the desire
to postpone this legislation, which
has been endorsed by all the political
parties and by the public sentiment
of the country as we'll Of course,
Mr. Mckinley isn't openly antagoniz-
ing the canal bill, but it was admins
tration senators who voted down
Senator Morgan's motion to take up
the canal bill, and it has been admin
istration representatives who have
headed off Representative Hepburns'
several attempts to get date set for
its consideration by the house
Nothing could more surely show
the steady increase of public senti
ment in favor the election Of senators
by direct vote of the people than the
adoption by the house of a resolution
proposing constitutional amend
ment for 80 electing senators, by a
vote Of 240 to Is A similar resolu
ton has been adopted by the house
in previous congress, but not by
such large vote Whether the
senate will respond to public senti
ment by adopting this resolution is
yet to be seen, but it is doubtful
1t is bad enough for paid lobbyists
to engage in manufacturing public
sentiment iu favor or against pending
legislation in congress. but it is in
finitely worse for a bureau OF the
government to engage in such busi
ness The Interstate Commerce Com
mission has been sending out thou
sands of circular letters, printed and
mailed at public expense, asking that
letters be written to Senators and
Representatives to make them sup
port the Cullom bill, for the enlarge
meut of the power of that commits.
sion. The exposure of this official
lobbying has caused sensation in
Congress, and it ought to cause the
summary dismissal of it; but Mr.
McKinley's backbone is hardly equal
to such heroic treatment OF the case
A bill to make more republican
patronage, which can be utilized in
the comipg campaign, has been re
ported from the house census com
mittee. 1t provides for the creation
of census printing Office, with
superintendent at $500 year. and
large force of printers and book
binders In previous censuses, this
work has been done at the govern
meut printing Office, and there is no
other reason than greed for more
patronage on the part of republicans
why it should not be done there for
this census
Under orders from the republican
bosses who wish to keep down the
total of appropriations at this session
of congress. the house military com
mittee, which had previously agreed
to increase the annual appropriation
for the support of the National Guard
of the states to 81. 100000 has re
duced the amount to 81 100000
Only one democrat 10 congress is
publicly supporting Admiral Dewey
for the democratic nomination for
presiden: That is Representative
Levy, of New York, who is very
nice gentleman, but who has not been
recognized as one of the democratic
leaders Admiral Dewey now openly
says that it is the anti Bryan demo
Gratis fr ON be expects support