West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-03-07
WASHING NLETTER.
An Extra Session Of Congress Not
Necessary.
SENATOR ALLEN DENOUNCES AID.
MIRAL SAMPSON.
Speaker Henderson Outdoing Car Reed.
IRON our Regular Correspondent.

Inc NuDan amendment to the ARMY
Appropriation bill, which had the
remarkable merit of being approved
as whole by all the Senators re-
CARELESS of party, left Mr.. McKin-
ley no choice. He was compelled
to announce the abandonment of
his intention to call an early extra
session Of Congress. The amend
ment leaves nothing in connection
with Cuba to call an extra session
for. But his heart is true to Hanna
and the Ship Subsidy job, and he
will not wait until the next regular
session of Congress to get it through
IT any reasonable excuse for calling
an extra session can be discovered
in the next four or FIVE months.
tt I
Much thoughtless criticism of
Democratic Senator'S is heard be-
cause they did not prevent a vote
on the Philippine amendment
making Mr.. Mckinley "Ruler of
the Seas"-to the Army appropria-
ton bill, and some very ridiculous
stories are being told as to why
they did not. Few Democrats who
will consider the situation as it was
will admit the justice of this critic
ism. 1t is perfectly true that the
Democratic Senator'S could easily
have spent the short remainder of
this session in discussing this
amendment, which is unquestion-
ably bad and vicious legislation.
But that would have thrown the
responsibility for the failure of the
army and other appropriation bills
and the consequent necessary extra
session on the Democrats. 1t was
not fear that caused the Democratic
Senators to avoid that responsibility
but good political sense. The
Misunderstanding crowd are fairly
itching for an excuse for an extra
session, because in the next Con-
gress there will be a much larger
Republican majority in the Senate,
in order to pass the Ship Subsidy
bill and other jobs which the Dem
ocrats have successfully blocked in
this Congress, and the Democratic
Senators declined to play into their
hands, knowing that even if they
did so it would only make differ
ence of few weeks in the date of
the act giving Mr.. Mckinley auto
cratic civil power in the Philippines.
In exposing the viciousness of the
Philippine amendment, which they
did thoroughly, the Democratic
Senators did all that could be ex-
pected of the minority. The major
ity is responsible for legislation.
Senator Aliens denunciation of
Admiral Sampson for having written
letter opposing the promotion of
warrant officers in the navy be-
cause they had not enjoyed the
social advantages which he consid-
cred requisite for a commissioned
officer in the navy was one of the
most severe ever heard on the floor
of the Senate, but it was fully de-
served, and it is hoped will be an
effectual bar to any further promo
ton of Sampson. Mr.. Allen said +:
"lf William II. Sampson is the
author of those Endorsements he is
a conceited ass and he ought to be |
marked down as such. We are not |
bringing up in this country a race
of snobs. II am correctly inform
ed, there was a time when Sampson
was no better than Charles Morgan,
the gunner. He came from no |
better stock. / am glad to repeat
that we are not raising in the
United States a class of brass
Jeweled aristocrats. If this rank |
and arrant coward is to be believed, |
the time may never come in this
country when poor boy may at
tain to such position as his abill-
ties warrant him in holding. II
want to say to Sampson and to his |
friends that | am responsible for
what / say" In the House the
matter was referred to by Represen-
tative Berry, of Kentucky, who
said that Sampson was of extremely |
humble origin himself, and what |
ever refinement he had obtained |
was due to his service in the navy. |
and Sulzer, of New York, who |
after strongly endorsing all that had |
been said by Mr.. Berry, had read |
a newspaper clipping denouncing |
Sampson, which he also endorsed.
III
There was a sensational scene on
the floor Of the House thiy week, !
and nothing but blind partisanship |