Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-12-24
WASHINGTON LETTER.
ESPECIAL copREsFoNDEnoz OF TIE NoHIrO7.l j
Washington, d. c., Dec. 18th, 1900

Washington, d. c., Dec. 18th, 1900.
President McKinley's attitude to-
ward the amended Hay -Pauncefote
treaty has been so persistently mis-
represented that the assumption is
fair that much of it has been inten
tional The United States constitu
ton gives the senate equal power
with the president in the making of
treaties. Therefore, when the senate
in its wisdom saw fit to amend the
treaty with Great Britain that bad
been negotiated by the executive
branch Of the government, it was only
exercising it's constitutional right,
and it is ridiculous to say it thereby
furnished any legitimate cause for
objection, either on the part Of Pres
ident Mckinley Or of the government
of Great Britain, and it was an insult
to the intelligence and patriotism of
Secretary Hay, who was the presi-
dents personal representative in the
negotiation of the treaty, to circulate
stories of his having threatened TO
resign because the treaty was amend
ed. Why, the author of a bill passed
By the house which is amended by the
senate would have as much justifica-
ton for resigning. The large majority
of the senate, which adopted the
Davis amendment to the treaty, by
which this government reserves the
right to control and defend the Mica
ragua Canal in its own way spoke
for itself, and the other proposed
amendments, including the abrogation
of the Clayton Bulwer treaty will
doubtless get as large a vote in the
senate. President Mckinley does
not re gard this as any reflection on
himself or Secretary Hay, and when
the amended treaty is ratified, which
it is hoped it will be before the Christ
mas recess, he will at once forward it
to the British government. IF the
British government rejects it, that
will be its own affair. Opinion differs
as to whether the rejection of the
treaty by Great Britain would delay
the Nicaragua Canal. 1t might delay
very certain that the delay would
only be temporary, as it would arouse
public opinion in this country to
pitch that would make the speedy
completion of the Nicaragua Canal
certainty. -
The house opened the third week of
the session by taking up and passing
the regular pension appropriation bill,
which carries little more than S145,-
100000.
The house ways and means commit
tee scored a triumph when the reve-
nue. reduction bill was passed by the
house just as reported from the COM
mittee, with the exception of one un
important amendment striking out
the clause which abolished one sixth
and one-eighth beer barrels. Chair
man Payne has received many con-
gratulations.
The senate is still considering the |
ship subsidy bill. When the session /
opened, it was expected that this
measure would be passed before the |
Christmas recess, but now vote is I
not expected until well along in Jan
uary. One reason for this is that |
some senators who are interested in |
trying to get amendments for further
reductions in the revenue reduction
bill, think they have mora chance for
if the ship subsidy bill is not /
passed before the other is taken up.
There has been no attempt on the
part of the friends of the ship subsidy
bill to force a vote, but no other