Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1900-02-15

Platt, of Conn.,, whose constituents
raise considerable tobacco. says be will
offer an amendment in the Senate to
make the duty at least 30 per cent.
The principal opposition to the BILL
however, is political, based upon the
principal that it is unconstitutional;
that Porto Rico being now part of the
United States is entitled to free trade
with all other parts of the United States.
The question is an interesting one, and
it is really regretable that it could not
be discussed and decided without the
drawing of political lines, but that has
already been made impossible. The
supporters of the bill say that it is in
tended for making precedent for put
ting duty on the products of the Phil
ippines; that free trade cannot be
granted to our island possessions, with.
out abandoning the protection system
of the government. 1t is already ap-
parent that the question is going to fig
ure extensively in this years national
campaign.
The habit of Senators coming on the
floor late gave some of them quite a
shock Saturday, when with only about
dozen in their seats, Senator Allen
offered resolution declaring sympathy
for the Beers and expressing the belief
that this government should offer med
iation, and asking unanimous consent
for immediate consideration, by his own
vote alone had it declared adopted.
Laughing heartily at the discontinue
of the Senators who began to rush into
the chamber from the cloak rooms. Sen
ator Allen, at the request of Senate r
Fry, agreed that the vote be reconsid-
cred and the resolution sent to the Cal.
endar.
Judging from the amount of talk by
Senators, Representatives and other Of
ticlals, about the Nicaragua Canal treaty,
now before the Senate committe on For
eign Relations, the canal is the most
important subject now before the coun-
try. Although it is not yet absolutely
certain that the treaty will be ratified
without material amendment, 1t is prob
able, notwithstanding the efforts of
shrewd lobbyists to fan the discomfort
with which the treaty was at first re-
ceived, bscause of its providing for the
neutrality of the Canal and forbidding
its ratification. Second thoughts have
made friends for the treaty among
those who were at first disposed to be
its enemies. The neutrality of the
canal is recognized by the conservative
as good move, not only in the inter-
ests of peace between the United States
and foreign nations, bat in the interests
of American commerce. Some of the
treaty's opponents concede that theo-
retically, but still insist that the treaty
is practically humiliation on the part
of this government, and that public
opinion would force this government to
violate the neutrality clause by closing
the canal to the war ships of any nation
we might be at war with; that it recog-
nizes the Clayt .Bulwer treaty, which
American Secretaries of State have in
sisted was abrogated years ago, and
that it is entirely too English. Every
body appears to be of the opinion, ex-
cepting those who are lobbying against
it, that the treaty has made certain the
passing OF bill at this session of Con-
gress, authorizing the government to
construct and operate the Nicaragua
Canal.