The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1900-05-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Prom our regular eorre.ronasntl

this session of Congress. This has bcch
plainly indicated on the floor oil the oeh
ate where tbe mower of the minority -
not a tradition but an insurmoun'ap'e
fact. This is Presidential year ana me
minority scent politics in every measure
of importance. In other PresiderH"'
wears. the majority has fought Tor meas
ures, not to pass them but I" euPH"S'"e
political issues; but this year, the MAJOR
iiy seems to regard fighting unneeesS"'!
for that purpose aud to he anxious 10
hurry the necessary business through ana
adjourn. That is the situation today n
single speech on either side may upset All
calculations and precipiiate po'''c"'
fight, which NAV lengthen the session be-
yond the early June days in when "u-
iournment is now con6dents expected
The House will this week take up ana
pass the Nicaragua Cana BILL and SEN
ator Morgan is confident that 1t viii pass
the Senate, but others are not so confident.
# IS an open secret in Washington that
the administration would, for severa'
reasons prefer that the Senate leave the
bill Enacted upon at the present session.
although it will not 60 to the extent oil
openly antagonizing measure that Is so
popular, but there are tricks in all trades
and /, will he an easy matter for expert
cnced parliameutarians to so manipulate
the business of the Senate that the Canal
bill will not get to vote in the Senate,
at the present session, without seeming to
he seeking to delay that measure
II is denied NV officials Of the Depart
ment of State that any intlmation mas
been received OF objection OH the part oil
Russia or of any other European govern
ment, to pressure being excrtcd by this
government to COMPEL the Sultan Of
Turkey to paw the claims for American
Missionary property DESTROYED by Turks.
There has been much gossip because OF
the nomination of the President and con-
frmation by the Senate of Rev. John D.
Girimondi. of Mimi, r Catholic priest,
to he L. S. Consul at Santos, Brazil.
About the only reason for the gossip APP
nears 10 be that no other Catholic priest
has ever been given place in our Con-
sular or Diplomatic service. An olhcIa'
connected with the Department OF State
said of that phase of the matter "A l.
5. Consu's only duties are commercial
and if Father Girimondi is the first Cath
Ollie priest to he given the position, 1t IS
probably ONLY because he is the first one
who has applied with support enough TO
attract the favorable notice OF the APP
nointing powers, as the selection OF min
listers of other denominations to he Con-
/ suls has been quite common, aud no
reason exists to nv knowledge for dis
eliminating against the Catholic clergy
I'm this particular case it is probable that
American merchants doing business with
Brazil, asked for the appointment belIev-
ing that it would he good policy to have
their commercial interests represented by
Catholic in country where the inhuen-
tial elements are catholic" 1t is the
Catholics wko are doing the most talking
about this appointment, and some OF them
are predicting that the Church authorize:
will interfere and prevent Father Girl.
mondi accepting the position.
The vote of - against and for the
motion Of Senator Pettus, of Ala, to send
resolution declaring Senator Scott Of
West Virginia, entitled to his seatr back
70 the Committee on Elections, with in
structions to investigate further, makes il
certain that the Senate as at present com
posed fully accept the doctrine that Tho
Senate has no legal right to so behinC
the election of a Senator by a state legis
lature. The three dissenters were Nor
gan and Psttus, of Ala, and Turner, o
Washington.
Under the Rules of the Senate, it is i'm
possible to force d vote upon any measure
opposed by determined minority. Sen
ator Jones, of Ark, the leader of thu
democrats, has publicly stated that the
Army reorganization bill, which provides
for making Gen. Miles lieutenant gen
eral, ard Gen. COrbin, a major-general
for increasing the Artillery branch of thu
regular army, and for doubling the mum
Der of cadets at the West Point Militar,
Academy, will not he allowed to pass a
this session Of the Senate. The admins
tration has been pressing this bill TO
sometime, and it was to quiet some Of tn,
opposition thereto that the promotion 0
Gen, Miles, who is not fayorite of thu
administration, was included therein.
Considerable interest has been displayed
in Congressional circles in an officia
statement of Gen. Wood, showing tina
1863 men in Cuba have registered them
selves as citizens of Spain, temporary
residing on the island, in accordance will
the clause of the Paris treaty, giving al
foreign born residents Of Cuba, one-yea
to decide whether they would retain thei
allegiance to their mother country, or he