The Press., 1901-02-14

Washington, Feb. II, 1901.

Washington, Feb. II, 1901.
The senatorial battle over the ship SUBJ
sidy bill, which ragged for the greater par
OF the past week resulted In no apparent
advantage for either side. Night sessions
were abandoned, after several had been
held, because 1t was evident that they
were doing nothing more than to keep the
senators who attended them In a bad |
humor. Friends of the bill still profess
to believe that an arrangement will be
made whereby 1t will be voted upon
this session, but Its opponents are very
positive In saying that they are fully de- |
termined that II the bill must be passed
it shall be done at an extra session. That
10 the, situation as viewed from the out
side, but attempts are being made In
private to arrange deal which will allow
the bill to be voted upon, and some of
them may succeed. ts.
Republican leaders in the senate are
making it plain that they are anxious to
avoid an extra session of congress. They
appropriation bill. giving the president
authority to establish and maintain a
civil government In the Philippines, and
they are now preparing an amendment to
the same bill, informing the Cubans just
what congress considers necessary for
them to do before the military authority
of the U. s. Is withdrawn from the island.
1t is claimed that If these two amend
ments go through, there will be no excuse
for an extra session.
The revenue reduction bill is in danger
OF failing, because of the wrangle In the
house over the senate amendments to
the bill, which besides being obnoxious
to some of the house leaders are claimed
to be an infringement upon the right of
the house to originate revenue legislation.
Gossip has mixed the American Tobacco
trust, which will profit largely II the SEN
ate amendments become law, up In the
wrangle. 1t Is known that the adminis-
tration would not grieve any over the
failure of the bill, because Of the reduc-
tions being largely in excess Of the recon-
mendations of Secretary Gage.
The eight Kansas members of the house
were asked to express their opinions of
Mrs. Nations saloon smashing crusade.
Representative Curtis said: sin my
judgement, a vast majority of the people
of Kansas regret that the conditions are
such In the state as to furnish cause to
Mrs. Nation to enter upon the crusade
I have always been of the opinion that
the prohibition liquor law could be en-
forced II the officers desired to enforce It,
am also satisfied that Mrs. Nation and
her followers think that the crusade is
doing good. The difficulty Is that people
outside the state do not understand the
local situation and her action is giving
Kansas great deal of undesirable noto-
riety." Representative Calderhead said ::
| sit is not aiding the cause of te nperance
nor suppressing the saloon" Represent
ative Bowersock said "The woman with
| the hatchet will no more abolish the
saloon than the woman with the ballot
will purify politics. Ultra-temperance
people In Kansas approve of Mrs. Ma
tons work, but 1t Is we'll to remember
that cranks do not predominate In our
state. Mrs. Lease is on record, l know,
as having said that they can raise more
hell In Kansas than In any other state In
the union, but believe we should stick
to raising corn, wheat and potatoes. "
Representative Ridgley said: From the
governor down to the local officers, there
is no disposition to enforce the law.
With this state of affairs there has been
a plan to see If the state would also pro-
tect those who take the law into their own
hands, to abate these nulsances. There
is method in this program of smashing
saloons" Representative Miller said
II believe the effect of Mrs. Nations
crusade will be that the prohibitory law
will be enforced hereafter better than II
has been for several years. While we all
deplore the method adopted by Mrs. Ma
tion, we cannot help but admire her cour.
age" Representative Bailey said: "Mrs.
Nation is very radical woman. She Is
injuring the cause with conservative
temperance people. I don't want to be
understood as defending the violaters oi
the law, but I do not approve of meeting
violations of the law with lawlessness
1t Injuries the reputation of the state
abroad" Representative Reeder anc
Long declined to express opinions fol
publication.
Friends of the senior officers of Gen
Leonard Wood, whose nomination to be
brigadier general In the regular army
jump him over more than five hundred
of his senior officers, and of Gen. j
Franklin Bell, whose nomination to bt
brigadier general jumped him over more
than one thousand, are trying to preven
the confirmation of these nominations, al
we'll as that Of Fred Grant, who is not IL
, the regular army at all, to be a brigadie
general. They have succeeded In tenn
porarily hanging up those three nomina
} tions, all of those which accompanied
them, including that of Gen. Miles to b,
lieutenant general have been favorably
reported to the senate. The objection i
that the military record of the three mel
does not justify their promotion over old
er and more experienced officers.
The attitude of the president towart
Cuba has been made plain recently. On,
} of several senators who called on him tn
} other day remarked: "The flag mus
never be pulled down In Cuba. 9Th
president at once replied: Indeed, l
must. Just as soon as the Cubans ar
: ready to attend to their own affairs w
must turn their government over t,
I them" This Is by no means a new atti
tude on the part OF the president, either
as reference to his message sent to thii
congress at its opening session In Decem
Der 1899 will show.
, 1.----.-- -, = =,