Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-11-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Nov. rs, 1901

WASHINGTON, Nov. %, 1901.
The much vaunted Reciprosity Conyen-
ton, the convention which was to settle all |
the Presidents doubts, to outline policy
and serve as guide to the Republicans in
Congress in their handling of the reciprocity |
question has come and gone, and all that 1T
has done is to leave behind it the mangled
remains of President McKinley's broad
minded policy, and a young man in the
White House sadly disappointed and mortl-
fed at the sordid narrow mindedness which
made it impossible for the leading Republic
can business men of the country to take
any broader view Of the national policy
than that which was bounded by their own
petty interests.
There is no promise of any following up
of the policy that Mr.. Mckinley outlined
at Buffalo by the next Congress. The high
protection interests have control of hand
some majority of the votes and, with the
usual discipline of the Republican machine,
members who come from the West sur
charged with tariff reform ideas, are
promptly and emphatically undeceived as
to the complexion Of their views, and those
of their constituents. The only cloud on
the protectionist's horizon, is sugar. The
Sugar Trust wants free raw sugar, and
understand that Mr.. Havemeyer has an
nounced that Cuban sugar will be admitted
| free. This and similar Tumors will not
down, and they almost cause Mysteries
among some of the Eastern protection
| interests.
There is not perfect harmony on the
Republican side however. The Reform
Club of New York has been unkind enough
to submit to the President a document in
which it is shown that the Hanna-Frye
ship subsidy bill, if it had passed the last
Congress, would have converted practically
two-ffths of the entire subsidy into the
Golfers of the International Navigation
Company and most of the balance would
have been paid to three other companies.
| Not only is this an argument against the
ship subsidy bill as it was submitted to the
| last Congress, but it has shaken the faith
of the President and of a good many of the
members of Congress in the absolute disin-
terestedness of the promoters of the bill.
| The bill has proven dead load from its
inception. Never has it been possible by
the most speciOus arguments to arouse any
enthusiasm in regard to it among the peo-
pie and the representatives who will have
to go to the people for reelection are pro-
testing against the party lash which is
being used to make them vote for the OBJ
noxious measure.
The latest Cabinet rumor is that Secre-
| tary of the Interior Hitchcock is very
angry with the President for having turned
him down in the Missouri contest and
yielded to the wishes Of Committeeman
Kerens, and that he proposes to resign in a
short time. There are numerous hints
dropped by members of Congress as to how
this or that secretary ''enjoys" Mr. Roose-
velt's treatment, but with the exception of
Gage, nothing is positively known.
There is likely to be an interesting con-
test among the Democrats for the vacancy
in the Committee on Rules caused by the
election of Mr.. Bailey, of Texas, to the
Senate. Mr.. DeArmand, of MISSOURI, can
have the place for the asking, as he would
receive the undivided support Of the Demo-
Gratis, but it is thought that he will decline,
as he expects that the next House will be
Democratic, and he desires to be speaker.
| If he signifies his disinclination to take the
position, Mr.. Underwood, of Alabama,
formerly the Democratic whip, will doubt
less make a contest for it as will also Mr..
Swanson, of Virginia. This committee is
the most sought for in the House, its
powers being almost autocratic.
The Secretary of the Interior has to-day
given to the public his annual report. 1t
is volume Of some two hundred and
sixty-seven pages, and contains much
interesting matter, some of it food for very
serious thought Some of the pension
| figures are appalling. The total number of
pensioners on the rolls June Both, was
| LOAF, 32f, an increase for the year of 4, 206,
which increase the Secretary declares to be
'thigh-water mark" The total amount
disbursed for pensions during the year was
$135, 81, 483. "a.
At the Cabinet meeting on Friday, Presi-
dent Roosevelt read to his Cabinet that
portion of his message which they had not
heard before, and after considerable dis
cussion and the making of some minor
changes, he announced that he would sub
NIT it to Congress as it stood. In the after
noon accompanied by his wife and the
younger children, he drove down to the
| Navy Yard and embarked on board the
yacht Sylph, and started down the river.
| Whittier they went no one knows, and every
one is specializing.
The Rev. DR.. Shick invited a Boer
minister to occupy the pulpit of Grace Re-
formed Church Sunday morning, and some
people are unkind enough to say that dis
pite his independence and bravery, the
President did not care to "face the issue, y
but whatever may have been Mr. Roose-
velt's reasons for leaving the city he is
certainly entitled to rest. He has worked
indefatiguably on his message and has
received an immense number of visitors
every day, even his guests at dinner being,
as rule, men who could talk business
as related to National measures over the
cigars and coffee.