Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-03-13
WEDNESDAY. MAR. 13, 1901.
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent. !


be understood by senators that he
does not expect to detain them long
and will soon send in all the nOmina-
tons that he desires to have acted upon
10y the present extra session of the
senate. and as it is notthe custom for the
senate to go into general legislation
at these special sessions. senators are
making their plans with the belief
that the adjournment will take place
in a few days, probably about the last
of next week or the first of the follow
ing week.
Senator Platt, of Connecticut, was
greatly surprised at the sensation
caused by his resolution providing for
a change in the senate rules SO that a
vote may be ordered after a reasonable
time has been spent III debate. SINH
lar resolutionshave been introduced by
the score in the past and no sensations
were caused, but somehow the idea got
around that Senator Platt was acting
in accordance with a party policy that
had been agreed upon. and that it was
the intention of the Republican sena-
tors to push it through. That was
mistaken idea. Senator Platt offered
the resolution without consulting any
one, simply because he believed the
change a desirable one, but with no
expectation that the committee on
rules, to which he asked that it be re-
ferred, would report it back to the
senate at the special session. There
are number of Republican senators
who are strongly of the opinion that
some change is necessary in the senate
rules, which allow determined min
GRITTY to block any legislation whenever
they please. and it is not improbable
that the change suggested by Senator
Platt's resolution or some similar one
will be made at the regular session of
congress.
Handshaking has formed no incon-
siderable part of the work done by
President Mckinley during the first
week of his second administration.
Every day since Inauguration the
White house has been crowded with
out of town visitors and President
Mckinley has made it point to see
as many of them as he possibly could.
All the members of the cabinet
were this week renominated and the
nominations were Immediately con-
firmed by the senate, Attorney General
Griggs' having consented to remain in
the cabinet until his successor gets
ready to enter.
Senator Morgan knows as well as
any man in the country that the abro-
cation of treaty requires action by
both branches of congress and the APP
prevail of the president. Consequent
~ his introduction of a resolution.
when the senate alone is sitting, for
the abrogation of the Clayton Barbor
treaty and his bragadOcia speech
thereon is regarded as merely bit of
anti-British play to the galleries.
Speaker Henderson left Washington
today for Chicago, where he will
spend few days before going to his
home for rest
The senate as now constituted has
Sc members. There are four va
cancies, two from Delaware, one from
Nebra ,ka and one from Montana.
There are 81 Republicans, 81 Demo-
Gratis, and Independents, the latter
being Jones, of Nevada; wellington
of Maryland Teller, of Colorado; and
Allen, Of Nebraska The tenure of
Mr.. Allen is necessarily short, as he
will cease to be senator when the
Nebraska legislature elects his sue
cessor, and cannot remain in the SEN
ate even if the legislature should adj
journ in a deadlock, without having
elected his successor. It will be no.
ticed in the political classification that
there are now no senators calling
themselves either silver Republi-
can or Populists. Teller and Jones,
who formerly claimed to be such,
now being Independents. and Allen,
who came into public life as Popu-
list. also Patterson, of Colorado;
Dubois and Heitfeld, of Idaho; Harris.
OF Kansas, and Turner, of Washing
ton, are now members in good standing
OF the Democratic caucus.
President Mckinley will take no steps
under the authority given him by the
Spooner Philippine amendment to the
army appropriation bill until he re-
from the Philippine commission. Both
the president and Secretary Root are
determined that every precaution
shall be taken to avoid mistakes in
the formation of the civil government
of the Philippines. Consequently no
haste will be used.
General Wood has been slandered
in the newspaper dispatches, which
quote him as having told members of
the Cuban constitutional convention
that the conditions laid down by con-
gress and approved by the president
that must be complied with2 before
Cuba be allowed to set up govern
lent of its own were not final and
laid be changed by negotiation
1eral Wood never made any such
cement, because he knows that the
editions are and were intended to be
l. and that this government will