Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-11-08
From our regular corrcspondent)-

Protection OF the PreS0em Dy statute.
From our regular correspondent)4
WASHINGTON, Oct. 81, 1901.
President Roosevelt is doing some
very hard thinking these days and
the results are by no means reassur-
ing. A month ago he had no con-
ception of the dilemmas a man who
desired above all else to be true to his
country, his party and his own chances
of a second term, would find in the
White House. He is, however, hav-
ing these things thrust upon him.
He finds growing demand in the
West for a reduction OF those sched-
ules OF the tariff which are protecting
the trusts, and this demand is being
fed by such men as Babcock, to whom
local issues and the demand of his
own constituents seem TO be all i'm.
portant. On the other hand, he finds
that he is almost powerless to effect
any relief from present conditions.
He is beginning to realize that, after
all, Presidents power is limited in
many ways and 10 many directions.
The party leaders have, in response
to the Presidents request, been COM
ing to Washington, and most OF them
tell him that it will be simply impos-
sible to secure any legislation by the
coming Congress that does not meet
with the entire approval of the trusts.
They tell him that while reciprocity is
excellent as ga talking point" it will
not go" with the Senate. They tell
him that he must not try 10 effect
any legislation which will prove of ad.
vantage to Cuba because the party is
pledged to protect the sugar interests
in this country. On the other hand
he is too keen judge of human ma
ture to minimize the danger of per-
hitting the coming eminently Re-
publican Congress to pass into his
tory with a record of having invari.
ably either legjslated or failed to legis-
late in accordance with the desires of
the vested interests.
Senator Aldrich OF Rhode Island
81 read the riot act" to the President
on the subject OF those reciprocity
treaties and Mr.. Roosevelt appreciates
that practically all hope OF their rati-
fication must be abandoned. He also
spoke very plainly on the subject OF
Cuba and pointed to the party plat
forms OF the last decade as evidence
that sugar interests must be protect
ed. Mr.. Henry p. Oxnard has been in
Washington this week and has given
notice that any legislation inimical to
the sugar interests will be met with q
bitter fight. Mr.. r. q. Kerens, the
member of the Republican National
Committee from Missouri, called at
the White House and dwelt with
much stress upon the western de.
mand for tariff revision. The Presi.
dent has. it is said, requested Score.
tary Wilson to 60 out West and try
and forestall criticism based on the
failure OF the reciprocity treaties. At
all events Mr.. Wilson left for Iowa
yesterday and before going he told me
that he intended to explain to the
people OF Iowa the situation in regard
to :" the continued need OF protection
and "the true basis of reciprocity"
The Pfesidenk haa takA. Aiso buft by
the horns and instructed Secretary
Root to try and get along without
sending any more troops to the Phil
ippines to take the place OF the 10000
men whose terms of enlistment are
about to expire. l understand the
President spoke pretty plainly about
the reports that had been given ont as
to qualification" etc., and also called
attention to the fact that the Samar
affair showed sad lack OF precaution
on the part OF the officers.
The story OF very earnest Cabinet
meeting held last week has also leaked
out. The story is that the President
opened the Cabinet meeting OF last
Friday with few very pointed inqui-
ries Of Secretary Long 10 regard to Of.
fairs 10 the Navy Department, and the
Secretary had TO acknowledge lack
Of personal information and an
amount of trust in his subordinates
which wassurprising. The President,
90 the story goes, Immediately and
pcremptorily demanded Admiral
Crowniushield's resignation as Chief
Of the Bureau of Navigation. Secre-
tary Long replied that Admiral Crown
inehield had already offered his resiR-
nation and that he had remained at
his, Longs request until after the
Schley Court Of Inquiry should reach
. finding. That did not effect the
President. He wanted the reeipna.
ton Immediately. Finally Secretary
Gage stepped in a. peacemnker and
suggested that perhaps . transfer that
would be in the nature Of = promotion
would satisfy the Presidents demand
without sacrificing Secretary Longs
dignity. This was finally accetled TO
and the result was the Admiral's pro-
motion to the command OF the Euro
pean station. The rumor is now cur
rent that Admiral Corowniushield's
flagship will be manned by the men
who were antagonistic to Schley. at
least that the quarterback will.
The Commission for codifyinp the
Federal Statutes will. l understand,
report to the next session of Copgrese
2 law covering all attacks on thu
President. II was found on examina-
ton that in parts of the country an
attack on the President which did not
prove fatal could not be punished and
to remedy this peculiar condition this
law was drafted. The law concerus
only attacks made on the Chief Exec.
utive as such, for any attack made
upon personal grounds would come
under State Jurisdiction. The law
provides that any, threat against the
President, whether verbal or made in
writing, shall be regarded as a felony
and punishable by a ine of $4,000
and any attack upon his person.
whether successful or otherwise. shall
meet with capital punishment. The
bill further provides that accessories
before the fact shall he held to an
equal responsibility with the direct as.
sailant.
Great interest is being manifested