The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-03-01
WASHINGTON.
from our Regular Correspondent.

w w. SOS '1OO'
The Democratic National Com
mittee, which met in Washington
this week, to name the time and place
for holding the National Convention,
did not please everybody, but they
came about as near to it ds any com
mittee ever did. In the very nature
of things such decisions must always
cause some personal dlsappointments,
but the rank and file are pleased with
both city and date, and better pleased
with the reports Of the members of the
committee on the steadily increasing
brightness of democratic prospects.
Democratic speeches against the
Porto Rico tariff bill have made it
clear that the democratic construction
of the Constitution as it applies, or
should apply to Porto Rico, is the
proper one, and is upheld by the con-
tentions of long line of statesmen as
well as by decisions of the Supreme
Court. So many good speeches have
been made by democrats that it seems
unjust to mention any particular one
without mentioning others. but the
following words of Repl esentative
Swanson condenses what was said in
other words by a number of them and
is given as showing the line of demo
cratic argument: "If Congress shall
govern the Territories and new poss-
essions without the constitutional
limitations, it will create a Congress
sional despotism precisely similar to
that claimed by Great Britain at the
time of the Revolutionary War The
power claimed to enact this bill is
precisely the power that was claimed
by the British Parliament for the enact
ment OF the stamp act. The present
bill, denying, as it does, to the lnhabi.
tants of all Territories and new poss
essions any of the rights of citizens
and imposing heavy penalties on them,
will have tendency to give new life
TO the insurrection IN the Philippine
Islands and make the inhabitants have
little faith in receiving justice from
this country. The passage of the pend
ing bill will end the history of the Re
public and open the history of the
empire" The republicans have call.
ed al alcaucus for the purpose of whip
ping the republican opponents of the
bill into line.
The fact should not be lost sight o.
that 1t was republican objection thai
knocked out the proposition to set {
day for the consideration of the Hep
bum Nicaragua Canal bill by the
House. After asking Mr.. Hepburn
whether there was anything in the bill
recognizing the existence of the Clay
ton -Bulwer treaty and being assured
that there was not, Representative
Richardson, the democratic leader
stated that there was no objection or
the democratic side to setting a tim,
to take up the bill. Then Representa-
tive Cannon objected, and later, whel
another attempt was made by MI
Hepburn, Representative Payne OBJ
jected.
The Democratic Congressiona
Campaign Committee is now read
for work, having this week elected tn
following officers: Chairman, Repre-
sentative James d. Richardson, c
Tenn. Secretary, Hon. James Ken
Of Pa. Treasurer, Mr.. James L
Norris, of Washington; Sergeant-a'
arms, Mr.. George Rae, OF Texas
Headquarters will be opened in Wash
ington in few days.
Col. DENLY, who was a member {
the old Philippine Commission, ha
declined appointment as democrati
member of the new commission, an
Gen. Luke E. Wright, of Tenn, hs
been appointed.
Representative Richardson ha
pointed out way to curb the trust
under recent decisions of the U.
Supreme Court He has offered tw
resolutions, one prohibiting the tran
portation of sugar owned by the sug;
Uust and the other prohibiting Il
transportation ofwood pulp and prln
ing paper owned by the paper trus
until the Interstate Commerce Cor
mission are satisfied that the pric
charged for such articles will not vie
the manufacturers thereof net prot
OF more than q per cent.
Recognizing that this Congress
inclined to be favorable to schem
for grabbing public money, gang
Washington spectators have revive
the scheme to sell the governme
the Improbable marshy ground on t
south side of Pennsylvania Avenu
rom the Capitol to the Treasury,
STATE OF ONO, CITY OF To- CO
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