The Press., 1901-01-24
Washington Letter.
Washington, Jan. 81, 1901.

Washington, Jan. 81, 1901.
/ The army reorganization bill is now in
the hands of conference committee, bu |
30 anxious Is the administration to see 1t
finished that the conferences on the part |
OF the house will accept the bill as 1t
passed the senate, and it will go to the
president at once. The war department
has arranged to open recruiting offices all
over the country, so as to procure the
men provided for In the bill as rapidly as
possible. Recruiting will also go on ac-
lively in the Philippines, the bill authoriz-
ing the enlistment of natives in the dis
erection of the president up to $4,000.
1 The senatorial program will, until
further notice, be the ship subsidy bill,
which has been so amended that it now
has the support of practically all of the
republican senators, the regular appro-
priation bills, and the revenue reduction
bill, which Senator Aldrich says will be
reported this week. The action of the
republican caucus in deciding not to take
up the Nicaragua canal bill until the gov
eminent of Great Britain acts on the Hay
Pauncefote treaty has shelved the canal
bill for time.
The house, after disposing of the postal
codifcation bill, has the naval appropria-
tion bill ready for consideration, but that
will be quickly passed unless the leaders
.purposely delay action.
I%L lioI
occurred on the floor of the senate when
Senator Spooner expressed the opinion
that the time had not yet come for con-
gress to legislate for the Philippines.
Senator Teller asked: "When will we
be ready to legislate ?" Senator Spooner
replied: THE senator can answer that
question as easily as he can ask it. do
not undertake to say when we shall be
ready to legislate for the Philippines. l
do not think we shall be ready until we
have sent joint committee of congress
to investigate the situation of the people
In the islands," Senator Spooner-'1
hope that we will provide for such COM
mittee before this session comes to an
end. have undertaken, myself, to frame
a resolution providing for such commit
tee." The significance of Mr.. Spooner's
remarks lie in their having made it plain
that the majority In the senate have no
Philippine program for this session.
This Is in line with the action of the re-
publican caucus declaring against Philip
pine legislation at this session.
1 Irrigation of the arid lands In the west
has an able supporter in the person of
Secretary Hitchcock. He submitted a
letter, strongly favoring legislation pro-
viding for public irrigation to the house
lands, now considering the question, in
which he says that what are now desert
lands can be changed into an acreage
lcapable Of supporting a population OF
80, 600, 900 people by proper irrigation.
In support of his contention, he cites the
wonderful success of irrigation in Egypt
in the last few years-a success which
saved that country from hopeless bank
ruptcy.
The prediction in this paper that the
army bill wonld receive the votes of 9TH
er senators than republican was correct.
Four democratic senators-Lindsay OF
Kentucky, McLaurin of South Carolina,
Morgan of Alabama and Sullivan of Miss
issippi-voted for the bill. One republi-
can, Wellington, voted against the bill,
and Senator Hoar, who was paired against
it, would also have done so had he been
present when the vote was taken.
q. Edward Fuller, assistant superin.
tendent of the division of foods and theil
accessories of the Pan American exposi
tion at Buffalo, is in Washington, confer
ring with B. T. Galloway, director of the
plant industry department of agriculture
about the exhibition of tropical trees anC
shrubs from Uncle Sans hot houses. Mr.
Fuller says of the intentions of his branch
of the exposition: 1T Is the desire O.
Director General Buchanan and Superin
tendent Taylor to have the food depart
ment show everything from the tree tt
the table. All Of the plants, trees, vines
and the like, from which teas, coffees ant
spices are produced, will be shown grow
ing, and the different stages, from crude
to finished products, exhibited. There
will be magnificent conservatory, con
tanning all varieties of spices grown IL
Pan America, while the general food dis
play will be on larger scale than at th'
worlds fair. South and Central Ameri
can countries will be represented by ex
tremely large exhibits of their food pro
ducts, and intend to show the people O.
their bill Of fare some very tasty dishe
prepared by their neighbors to the south
ward. In this connection, l am prepar
ing special exhibit of red pepper, show
ing the differ ent methods of production
and consumption of that spice"
Senatorial eulogies of the late Senate
Gear have revived number of stories @
his frankness. Senator Doliver told @
, this conversation between Mr.. Gear, who
when candidate fer congI ess, was aske
, to attend the meeting of a temperance SC
ciety, the president of which was
Quaker, for the purpose of being cate
chised. The Quaker said to Mr.. Gear
"We learn that thee dost not belong t
any temperance society, and that the
dost take drink when it pleases thee.
Without moments hesitation Mr.. Gea
replied: "That is true" The Quake
then said: Thee art very frank, and tn
frankness Is more to be commended tina
, thy habits. We do not think thee ough
to drink, but If thou hadst lied to us, W
3 would not have supported thee. The
> will now receive our votes" Senate
, Dolliver added: "And MIR. Gear did &C
their votes, and he never forgot the inc
I dent and it's moral.'