The Press., 1901-01-10
Washington Letter.
Washington. Jan. 7 1QOO

gress and lasted until the holiday recess
 has gone glimmering into the linn bo of tn,
 past. Representative Littlefield, of Me.
 wno has the knack of creating furor.
 every time he speaks, got into personal
 altercation with Representative Hopkins
 or uls., author of the committee reappor
 tionment bill, which will reduce Maine's
 representatives by one, and they swappee
 such epithets as ''pettifogger" and "crim
 inal," while acting Speaker Dalzell, rap
 ped for order and the house uproariously
 appaauded or jeered. MT. LittlefielG
 favors the Burleigh bill, which reduces
 the representation of no state and which
 Is giving the committee bill hard fight
 AS TO party question is involved, the de-
 bate will continue in the house until g
 majority orders the previous question
 The supporters of both bills are claiming
 majority, but it is not clear at this time
 which really has it.
 The old, old question of the respective
 power of the executive and legislative
 branches of the government has caused strained relations between the administra
 tion and 8 number of senators, owing tC the refusal of the secretary of war to furnish the senate copy of a report made on Cuban finances by an expert account. ant. A resolution practically censuring the administration for the refusal has been offered, but it will hardly be adopted as the majority is in accord with the admin istration in other matters.
 The debate in the senate on the army reorganization bill, which will probably be passed this week, has brought out one striking truth-that this government is up against a hard proposition in the Philip pines, and that pacification is much furth CT than official statements have led the country to suppose.
 The cruiser Baltimore, which figured creditably in the battle of Manila bay and which has been lying at the New York navy yard since its return from the Philip pines. is to be reconstructed at a cost of $5OO, poo, and to be given new battery of six-inch guns. This decision has just been reached by the naval board of con- struction. It will take about a year and a half to do the work.
 There was quite race for the honor of making the first application for U. s. patent3in the twentieth century, It was won by Dr. Calvin J. Pollock, of Kirks- vile, Mo-, who was wise enough to en- ploy Q. A. Snow & Co.,, the wide-awake Washington firm of patent lawyers.
 TheFeport on the river and harbor bill says that although the amount appropri- ated is large -$59, ,935 ,415, appropriations were Eaade only when justified by the re- Of navigation, and to prevent injury to unfinished work It points out that the total number of projects provided for is 405, of which 232 are rivers and 146 barbors, and that these projects were se- lected from improvements upon which es- inmates had been made by U s. army engineers amounting to $500, OOO, 1000.
 Hearings on the oleomargarine bill are going on before the senate committee on agriculture, and some very plain talking is being indulged in, particularly by the supporters of the bill. For instance, Dairy Commissioner Black burn of Ohio told the committee that he had found it almost impossible to successfully prose- cute Attractions of the oleomargarine law In the large cities of Ohio, because of the Influence of the oleomargarine dealers with the press and because of their so- l1citation of jurymen. The opponents of the bill are also quite aggressive. One of them H. c. Pirrung, of Columbus, Ohio, boldly took the ground that the so-called natural butter is nothing less than manu- [actured product. It is regarded as practically certain that the bill will be 'avorably reported to the senate, but there Is wide difference of opinion as to wheth- er it will be voted upon at this session. If not, all the work done in getting it through the house will have to be done 'ver again at the next congress.
 Senator McComas, who belonging to he opposition party, can speak without prejudice, said on the subject that is being much discussed in political circles Bryan is an able man, with much mag letic and mental force, and he is certain 'lways to have following of some magni- ude. Beyond all mere political beliefs, however, Bryan is socialist. Anyone who has studied the growth of socialism Europe, has seen it take positive hold 'f dermany and Belgium and France, has its progress in England, where it las developed to degree which interferes with British commercial supremacy, must eallze that the day Is not far distant vhen socialism will sweep through the U. l }. When that day comes, Bryan will be he great socialistic leader. He will have ollowers from the republican as we'll as he democratic and populist parties, and hard times should come, arousing envy md jealously, Bryan would be danger us candidate. This, in my judgment, is | o be Bryan's future to become the great ocialistic leader in the U. 5.
 Professor F. H. Parsons, of Boston, resented arguments before the industrial l commission, in favor of government | wnership of all transportation facilities, | nd, in fact, of all public utilities. He aid railroads had reduced through rates, ut that there had been scarcely any re- uction in local rates during the last | hirty years.
 Thousands Sent Into Exile,
 Every year large number of GOT suf. arers whose lungs are sore and racked