The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1900-01-06

Washington, ID. g., News.
,m our Regular Correspondent.


tics everybody knows, but no
body ever expected to see Repub-
lican members of Congress trying
to get Democratic members to as
slst them in resisting what they /
call an underhanded attack on
the protective tariff system by the
Republican administration. Yet
that is precisely what is being
done. Republicans representing
sections which produce articles
affected by the several reciprocity
treaties, negotiated under the
Dingley tariff law, which require
the approval of the House as we'll
as the ratification of the Senate,
are trying to get Democrats to
help them defeat the treaties.
Mr.. Mckinley pulled off his
New Year reception without
a scrap between those who have
been fussing for weeks over
whether Gen. Miles or Admiral
Dewey should be given prece-
dence under the rule which has
always been followed.
There is another row on be-
tween Gen. Miles and Adjutant
General Corbin. It was started
by the recommendation of Gen.
Miles that this years West Point
class be graduated in February,
instead Of June, in order that
the graduates, instead of civil
appointees, might fill the nume-
rous vacancies in second lieuten-
antcies in the regular army. For
some reason, Gen. Corbin bitterly
antagonizes this recommended
tion-of course, he as Adjutant
General Of the Army, has ne per-
sonal interest in the appointment
of civilians to be second lieuten-.
ants in the regular army. Secre-
tary Root is said to lean towards
Cerbin little, although he has
not actually decided the question
yet.
While no one in Washington
seriously believes that the Repub-
lican caucus will dare to indorse
the bill of Representative Crum-
packer, of Indiaha, which pro-
poses to reduce the C0ngression-
al representation and the electg
raj votes, of number Of SeutheI1
States, Representative Wilson, bf
South Carolina, who is an fife
constitutional lawyer, has s>-Sh-
cred number of legal decisions
showing that Congress has no
| constitutional authority to do
what Mr.. Crurnpacker's bill pro-
poses, even if it had the inclina-
tion, which he doubts. Mr.. Will
son quotes several decisions of
the u. S. Supreme Court, one of
which.contains the following plain
Language: "The right to vote is a
privilege regulated by municipal
| law, and inhering exclusively in
the State. = He alse points out
that the right to vote has been
denied by d large number Of
States. For instance, educational
qualification is required by Maine,
Massachusetts, Co me cti leu t,
ISouth Carolina, Mississippi, Lou
isiana, Colorado and Wyoming
while the payment of certain
taxes is required before citizens
can vote, by Rhode Island, Pensyl-
|vania, Delaware, South Carolina.
lt1eorgia, Florida, Mississippi.
Tennessee, and Nevada. Mr.
Wilson says the educational quail
ifcation imposed by Massachu'
setts debars q larger number. o1
citizens than are affected by the
constitution OF laws of any South.
ern State, and. that he feels sure
/ the best sentiment Of the country
| regardless. of politics, sustainS
1.-THE solution which the suffrage
laws Of South Carolina and other
Southern States have secured tt
the people of intelligence of those
: States.
J, Secretary Cages expressed
willingness to answer any ques
tions Congress may ask him, CON
cerning his choice of a New Yorl
bank to receive on deposit al
+, moneys collected from interna
) revenue taxes, ,--abeut 81, 900, 900 |
day,-and to distribute the sam
to banks in all parts Of the ceun
try, as may be ofS,ered by the Sec
7 retary Of the Treasury, is ikel
: to be put to the test very soon, a
= there are several things abou
!. this transaction which many Sen
ators and Representatives woul
like to know. For instance, eve
!, among those who concede the le
!. gal right of the Secretar
of the Treasury to give the fre
use Of Government money t
some banks and net to Others
! which many do not, there is CT
= riosity to know why d bank cor
trolled by one of the biggest an
werst of the trusts-the Standar
aEOil Conapany-Wa was made the .dl'
: tributer Of these funds, and no
: long that bank is allowed to r
y tain the money before distribl