Middletown transcript., 1901-03-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.

DRESIDENT MCKINLEY doesn't pal
ticularly favor the idea of having Con-
gress lay down conditions for the accept
anee of the Constitutional Convention of
Cuba, in advance of the action of that
convention, which is now considering a
supplementary declaration, setting forth
the relations that shall exist between
Cuba and the U. S., although he is not op-
posing the attempt that is now being made
in that direction with the hope of escap-
ing an extra session of Congress. The
Presidents present plan is to take no ac-
ton on the Cuban Constitution, which
General Wood has been instructed not to
officially forward to Washington, until
the Convention has acted upon the sup
Elementary declaration it is now consid-
ering. As soon as that shall have been
made, it and the Constitution will be
forwarded to Washington and President
Mckinley will issue call for an extra
session of Congress to consider them,
provided, of cour:e, that the action of
this Congress has not made one unneees-
sary The House has everything in
good shape for the last week CT the ses-
sion, but only legislative experts can un-
tangle the mixture in the Senate. For
tunately, many of the Senators are legis-
lative experts, and when they say that
all of the appropriation bills, with the
possible exception of the River and Har-
Dor bill, will get through, the layman
m ust perforce take their word for it and
watch and see.
~
In the Senate, the House bill, appro-
priating S., 100000 for the St. Louis expo
sition, before being passed was amended
to provide for closing the exposition
on Sunday, and to appropriate $250,0OO
sor a government exhibit at the Charles |
ton, S. c., exposition.
~
Senator Morgan stirred up some bad
blood in his efforts to get the Nicaragua
Canal bill before the Senate, by charging
the Republicans with trucking to Great
Britain, because they had decided that it
would not be courteous to act upon the
bill while the Hay-Pauncefote treaty was
Enacted upon by Great Britain. Senator
Spooner reminded him that it was the
Senate that made the delay by amending
the Hay-Pauncefote treaty, and that the
Senate could not pass the Canal bill
while its own amendments were being
considered by Great Britain, without
breach of international courtesy and de-
cency.
~
President Mckinley has issued pro-
,lamation calling the Senate in extra ses-
sion, March 4, at IL o'clock noon. This
Is always done in inaugura.io ion years,
he Senate being called together to act
lpon executive nominations, and has
nothing whatever to do with the con-
emplated extra session of Congress. II
-
1t cannot be denied that there are a
reat many wide-awake office seekers in
his country. Within twenty-four hours
{ the publication of the death of Mr..
Wildman, who was United
tates Cnosul at Hong-Kong, and his
amily, through the sinking of the steam i
hip Rio de Janerio, outside the Golden
iate, no less than seven applications for
lis place has been fled at the Depart
rent of State. !
~ :,
Everything is in good 81 ape for the c,
Inauguration of President Mckinley and p
ice President Roosevelt, next Monday. oi
laces have been assigned in the parade n
organizations, military and civic, num- fr
,ring nearly forty thousand men. W
hanks to the public spirit of Secretary 81
ong, the Navy will be more largely rep I'll
sented than in any previous Inaugr- ci
| parade. The crews of seven vessels p,
the Navy will march in the parade. "
- gi
Opinion differs as to whether the 0leo- u
bill will reach vote in the
nate. 1t is generally admitted that if
ted upon it will be passed. =.
~ h,
Under a resolution adopted by the W
ouse, Speaker Henderson appointed a re
mmittee of FIVE, three Republicans, II
BODY, of Massachusetts,, Overstreet, of h,
diana, and Long, of Kansas, and two bc
Bailey, of Texas, and New G.
ids, of New, to investigate the pay roll m