Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-03-15
WASHINGTON Letter.
tFrom our Regular Correspondent,

(From our Regular Correspondent)
Washington, March 11.-Senator
Hanna's project for making the Sen.
ate one man body. by the adoption OF
Reed rules, has been postponed, but by
no means abandoned. The kicking
was 80 vigorous at even the mention OF
the project that it was apparent to
Mr.. Hanna that the Senate would be
kept In extra session all summer, with
no certainty Of success in the end, if
the attempt were made to put the pro
ject through at this time. So it was
decided to let it 60 over to the regular
session, and to spend the recess in
pulling wires to make voters for it.
The adjournment of the extra session
Of the Senate was hurrie~ to prevent
the growth of sentiment in favor Of a
reorganization Of the committees.
which would have deprived number
OF Senators OF some of tho patronage
they now control.
Although the published news from
Cuba indicates much kicking against
the conditions laid down by Congress
for the withdrawal of American au-
thority, members Of the administra-
ton, claim to have secret information
which causes them to expect an early
acceptance of the conditions by the
Cubans. The rumored intention of
the administration to send more troops
to Cuba is strongly denied in official
circles.
Other seekers after official plums are
saying unprlntable things about the
greed of ex Senators, who are going
after all the desirable places and land
ing them, too. Ex-senator Carriers
appointment as Commissioner of the
st. Louis exposition has been officially
announced, and three other ex-Sena-
tOrs-Lindsay, Thurston and Mcbride,
ARE understood TO have been prOmisd
places on the same commission.
Tom Carter's appointment, which
| carries S., 900 year for three years,
| with not very much work to do, was
his reward for having, at the request
| OF Mr.. Mckinley, talked the River and
HarbOr bill to death in his last Sena-
tOrial hours. Senators are recalling
| the statement of Senator Hanna, re-
garded at the time as bluff, that I'M
less the Ship Subsidy bill was passed,
the River and Harbor bill should not.
| A subcommittee of the Senate Com
mittee On Military Affairs, has been
appointed to investigate, during the
Congressional recess, under the Petit
grew resolution, adopted by the Senate,
the charge that Lieut.-Col. IL. o. s.
Heistand, was interested In scheme
to corner the hemp supply OF the Phil
ippines through official favoritism.
Whether the investigation Is to be a
withdrawing affair or is to get at the
real facts, is not yet apparent. If it
be the latter, there are reasons for the
belief that sensational looting scheme
OF large proportions will be uncovered.
The administration hangs on to the
reciprocity treaty with France, not
outstanding the determined OPPOSE
ton IN the Senate, that caused it and
all the other reciprocity treaties
negotiated under the Dingley tariff
law, to be left unratified. and an agree.
ment has been signed by Secretary
Hay and the French Ambassador, ex.
tending the time in which the treaty
with France may be ratified to Sept.
"a. 1902.
In an answer to the Senate resolu.
ton, Secretary Long admits that com.
mlssioned officers In the navy, promot
ed from the ranks, are not allowed tC
wear the same uniforms worn by of.
hcers OF the same grade graduated
from Annapolis, but denies that the
discrimination is made because one
officer went through the Naval Acad.
envy and the other didn't, but be fail
ed to give any other plausible reason
therefor. He further admits the JUS
tice Of the complaint of those discrimi
mated against, by stating that the Navy
| ltQn4rtnant NJ
form regulation book, showing all
uniforms and permitting officers
; promoted from the ranks to wear Ger
J tain insignia and uniform, not now
; worn by them, but which are permit
} ted Tor other commissioned officers.
: All OF which shows how thoroughly I'm
pregnated with Sampsonian snobbish.
ness our Navy Department has become
} and the necessity for Congressiona
action to restore American methods
, and destroy the illusion in many Ma
J val officers minds that course at An
napolis makes them better than the
, people who put up the money for that
, course.
Senator Morgan, who told some plail
: and bitter truths about British influ
, ence having been used to make Re
publican opposition to the Nicaragua
Canal, in his speech advocating hi
: resolution, declaring the Clayton-Bu
, wer treaty abrogated, says he has re
: ce1ved personal assurance from sui
ticIent number of Senators, to max,
him certain that bis resolution will b.
adopted at the regular session of Con
gress, and that the Nicaragua Cana
bill will be passed whether the ad
!, ministratiOn changes its attitude to
, wards the project or not.
Ex-senator Pieffer has turned up II
Washington, and 1t is said that he il
after an Office, as a reward for his hav
ing abandoned the Populists and help
ed the Republicans to carry Kansa
last fall.