The Press., 1900-11-29
Was hington Letter.
Washington, Nov. 26, 1901

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This government has once more taken
the diplomatic lead In Chinese affairs.
firing OF the seemingly endless deadlock
OF the foreign ministers at Pekin, and be-
lieviDg that their personal experiences had
aroused their prejudices to such an extent
that 1t would be we'll nigh impossible for
them to agree upon the demands to be
made upon the government of China, for
the punishment of the meters of the box
or troubles and the amount of the money
indemnity which should be paid the powers,
this government has boldly taken stand
In favor OF ending the deadlock by stop
ping the present negotiations and making
a fresh start by the appointment of repre-
| sentatives OF each OF the powers concerned,
to an international commission or con-
gress, to meet at The Hague, or some
other place outside of China, and formu-
late the demands which the powers shall
make upon China. The idea has been en-
dorsed by several of the powers and it
Is expected to get the approval of them
out of the mix-up In Pekin, which has
steadily been growing worse instead of
better.
Whatever the beer and tobacco men can
do on the floor of the house, where they
threaten to carry the fight, there is no
doubt Of their having been completely
routed in the first battle on the bill for
the reduction of the war taxes, made be-
fore the subcommittee composed of Rep
resentatives Payne, of New York, Dal-
zell, of Pa, and Hopkins, of ILL.,, which
has prepared bill, estimated to cut the
annual revenue between twenty and thirty
million dollars, without reducing the tax
on beer Or on any class of tobacco. The
Dill may, OF course, be changed before
being reported to the house, during the
first week of the session, but as it now
stands, 1t repeats only those stamp taxes
about which there has been the most COM
plaint 1t Is said that the beer men might
have got reduction had 1t not been for
the report SO generally circulated during
the campaign that Senator Hanna had
promised them a reduction in exchange
for campaign contributions. It was point
ed out by many influential party men that
II the brewers taxes were reduced 1t would
be accepted by the public as confirming
that report.
Representative Russell, of Connecticut,
a member of the house ways and means
committee, expressed this opinion of the
work OF the session II think the revenue
bill will be the first important measure
taken up. 1t will probably come ahead
of the appropriation bills and the army
bill, as it will be ready for presentation
the first day of the session. The army
bill may be the next important measure
taken up. Neither will require much
time and both should be disposed of with
out delay. I cannot see that any legisla-
ton will be necessary at this session, for
the Philippines or Porto Rico. A re-
apportionment bill should be passed be-
fore the end of the session, and believe
the ship subsidy bill should also be pass
ed. Little can be done for Cuba until the
result of the constitutional convention Ia
known"
1t has been expected from the first that
the canal commission would report In
favor of the Nicaragua canal and no one
was surprised when it was learned that
the preliminary report, now in the hands
OF the president, strongly favored the
Nicaragua route, because of its being
cheaper and easier to construct than 1t
would beto complete work on the Panama
route. The presidents message will prob
ably follow the recommendations of the
canal commission and 1t seems reasonable
to suppose that congress will do likewise,
but the Panama company's lobbyists now
In Washington, have by no means aban-
doned the field. They have succeeded In
heading off legislation for the Nicaragua
canal before, when congressional and
public sentiment was overwhelmingly In
favor of 1t. and they hope to do SO again.
1t Is fight for life with the Panama COM
pany, as 1t will be as good as dead the
minute that this government Is fully COM
mitted to and the money provided for the |
construction of the Nicaragua canal.
WANTED-ACTlvE MAN OF GOOD CHAR
acCer 70 deliver and collect In Connecticut for |
Dld established manufacturing wholesale house. |
e esaD year, sure pay. Honesty more than expe-