The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-12-07
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent /

Washington D. c., Dec. I'd, 1900
Senators Allison, Hanna, Spooner,
Hale, Mcmillan, Elkins, and Wolcott,
each man of wide experience in both
business and politics, compose the
steering committee that will arrange
and direct the republican legislative
programme in the Senate, which must
be arranged with much more care
than that for the House, where an Or
! der from the committee on rules can,
at any time, limit the debate and set a
time for voting on a measure. With
such pilots in charge, there is no pro-
bability-hardly possibility-that any
mistakes will be made in the Senate
end at this session of Congress. The
Nicaragua Canal Bill, which passed
the House at the last session is already
provided for, the Senate having agreed
that it should be taken up Dec. 10
and given the right of way until dis
posed of. Which of the more import
ant bills will follow will be decided by
the steering committee, but the deci-
sion will depend to an extent upon
! which gets through the House first.
Although the shipping bill is already
upon the Senate calendar, and the sew
eral propositions for an army reorgan-
ization bill were carefully gone over
by the Senate Military Committee at
the last session, it is likely that the
House will be given an opportunity to
pass both before they are brought be-
fore the Senate.
1t is the expressed intention of the
republican leaders of the House to pass
the army bill and the shipping bill be-
fore the holiday recess, although one
Or both may be referred to a caucus
first. Chairman Hull, of the House
Military Committee, has been in
Washington nearly week conferring
with the President, War Department
officials and army officers on the de-
tails of the army bill, upon which his
committee will get to work this week,
in order that it may be reported to the
House at the earliest possible NOM
ent.
Representatives Payne. Dalzell and
Hopkins, acting as sub-com mittee
of the House OF Ways and Means
Committee, have completed the first
draft of a bill to reduce internal rev.
enue taxation. The bill will not be
made public until approved by the
committee, and possibly not until it is
reported by the House, which will be
during the first week of the session,
but it is practically known that it
deals almost exclusively with the
stamp taxes which have proven a
source of worry and Inconvenience, al
though 'cheerfully paid by the public
because it was known that the money
was needed by the government, and
that it does not touch the tax on beer
| or on any kind of tobacco. The beer
and tobacco interests have already be-
gun to howl, but the committee will
probably stand by the work of the SUBJ
committee. In accordance with the
advise Of Secretary Gage, the aggregate
reductions made by the bill, will be
inside of $50 ,00O, 900 year.
President Mckinley and Secretary
Hay added another to the several Dip
lomatic triumphs they have scored
for the U. s, iii connection with the
Chinese troubles when they took the
initiative in breaking the deadlock in-
to which the foreign ministers at Pc
kin have gotten themselves, by sug
gesting to the other powers that the
negotiations be taken out of the nands
of the foreign ministers and that an
international commission be assemb-
led outside of China, preferably at The
Hague. for the purpose agreeing upon
! the demands that the powers shall
make upon China. Favorable replies
have already been received from sew
eral of the powers and 1t is considered
probable that the suggestion will be
acted upon. 1t is notthe idea of the
President that there should be any
negotiations with China at all, but
that the international Commission
shall determine what demands it would
be fair and reasonable to make upon
China, and that China shall then be
notified to ce IMPLY with them. He be-
lieves that something between the
punishment the Chinese government
wishes to administer to those who in
stigated the Boxer troubles and the
wholesale beheading Of prominent men
demanded by some of the powers will
| be about right, and that the money
ldemnity shall be fixed At figure that
China can pay, rather than At The inn
possible amount named BY Germany.
S. :.