The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1901-02-01

(From Our Regular Correspondent.)
WASHINGTON LETTER

" A0HANNioNs ~ ", Jan. 20, VI 4.
II an extra session Of congress has
to be called to pass the Ship Sub
lsidy bill, as now seems probable,
: the republicans are going to make
Philippine legislation the excuse for
the extra session. After leading re-
publican senator's had repeatedly
said that there was to be no Philip
pine legislation by this congress,
and Senator Spooner had abandoned
his bill, which by the way, gives the
president about the same authority
over a Civil government in the Phil
ippines that he now exercises under
, his authority as Commander-in-
chief Of our Military forces, and an
nounced his intention to try to get a
congressional committee sent to the
Philippines, it was little surpris-
ing and at first confusing for Mr..
Mckinley to send report from the
Philippine commission to congress,
urging the immediate passage Of the
Spooner bill, reinforcing it with the
Endorsement Of Secretary Root and
his own. Mr.. Mckinley knows the
absolute impossibility Of getting the
Philippine legislation asked for in
the short time left Of this session,
and only sent the report and mes
sage to congress to prepare the way
for an extra session of the next con-
gress, in which some OF the most.
active opponents of the Ship Sub
sidy bill will not have seats, if it be-
comes necessary.
Democrats are not worrying over
the extra session question. They
can stand it if the republicans can,
and neither the fear of it, nor the
desire for it, will influence q single
democratic vote, or lessen demo-
cratic opposition to a single meas
ure which is opposed on principle.
Mr.. Mckinley has tried to lessen
the republican scramble for army
commissions in the expanded reg
ular army, by announcing that he
intended to give those commissions
to men who had served in the Phil
ippines with the volunteers, as far as
possible to do SO. The qualification
was doubtless added because he
knows very we'll that some of those
commissions will be demanded by
men whose demands he dare not
turn down. A big republican row
is probable over the distribution of
these places.
A single firm of Washington Pat
ent Lawyers, c. A. Snow & Co., the
most successful patent solicitors in
the world, obtained, during 1900,
1897 allowances OF U. S. patents,
many Of which had been rejected
when previously presented by other
attorneys. Here is hint for the
inventor who wishes his application
tor patent to be allowed.
Senator Towne, whose successor
is expected to present his creden-
tials during the present week, made
his farewell congressional bow in
what many Of his admirers declare
to have been the best speech he ever
made. The speech was nominally
made on the following resolution Of
fered by him: "That Justice, the
public welfare, and the national
honor, demand the immediate ces-
sation Of hostilities in the Philippine
islands, upon terms recognizing the
independence Of the Philippine peo. :.
pie, and conserving and guarantee
ing the interests of the U. s." but it
was not confined to the Philippines.
1t embraced the general political
conditions and the outlook for the
immediate future, incidentally y show
ing how unwise Mr.. Mckinley and
his advisers have been in most Of
their policies.
Senator Bacon has been given the
honor Of being designated to read
Washington's farewell address to
the Senate on Washington's birth
day. The brewers put the screws
on Senator Hanna, and he in turn
put them on the Senate committee
on Finance, and the result is that
the amended bill for the reduction
OF war taxes az reported to the Sen.
ate keeps Hanna's promise to the
brewers in exchange for their cam.
Ipaign contributions, and reduces
the tax on beer to 81 so q barrel.
And it is dollars to brass buttons
tha. the House will agree to this, al
though when the bill was before the
House, an amendment fixing the
tax at those figures was voted down.
The House Committee on Bank
ing and Currency has reported two
financial bills, but whether either
will get acted upon is not yet GER
tain. The committee has adopted