Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-11-29
(From our regular correspondent

business and adjust its committees at
its leisu re the House can do nothing
until its committees have been ap-
pointed by the Speaker. An example
of this last was seen few years ago,
when the House remained in session
pretty much all Summer waiting for
the Senate to act on certain measure
and yet was powerless to do any bust
ness because of Speaker Reeds refusal
TO appoint any committees except the
one or two needed for his purpose.
Hence the Senate always gets down to
work quicker than the House, only to
be passed before the end of the SEES
sion, owing to the latter's more expe.
ditious methods.
1t is probable that the committees
of both House and Senate will show
little change from those of last year
except where due to retiring members.
The Speaker can change the pereon.
mel of these in the House but usually
prefers not to do so when he can avoid
it. Few chairmanships are vacant
this year, those of Banking and Cur.
rency. Elections No. and No. 3,
Military, and Expenditures in the War
Department being about all. There
will be a vacancy in the Committee
on Rules, which practically directs
the work of the House, caused by the
transfer of Mr.. Bailey OF Texas to the
Senate. Four vacancies occur on
Public Buildings and one on Rivers
and Harbors, both of which commit
tees are in great demand through the
facilities enjoyed by their members in
providing for the interests of their
home districts.
Important changes are necessary in
the Senate Committees, owing partic-
ulsrly to the death of Senator Davis
OF Minnesota, chairman of Foreign
Relations. Mr.. Frye, who stands next
in line, prefers to remain at the head
OF Commerce, which otherwise he
must resign, so that he may push the
ship subsidy bill. and has stepped
aside in favor OF Mr.. Cullom of ILL
nois. Mr.. Cullom, in turn, resigns
from the head OF Interstate Commerce,
bringing Senator Elkins of West Vir.
ginia, who is generally reputed to be .
railroad, acknowledgements
commission man, to its chairmanship.
Mr.. Quarles of Wisconsin, will prob.
ably come to the head OF Census Mr..
McComas of Maryland, to that of Ed
ucation and Labor; Mr.. Kean of New
Jersey, to that of Geological Survey :;
Mr.. Baker OF Kansas to Indian Affairs;
Mr.. Mason of Illinois, 10 Post Offices !:
Mr.. Burrows Of Michigan, to Privileges
and Elections. Other minor changes
will follow.
The chances are increasing that
Congress will not ratify any of the
reciprocity treaties which will be sub.
mitted to it by President Roosevelt
If it takes any action, it is more likely
to be one looking either to perma-
nent tariff commission to consider the
subject (Which. OF course, means de.
lay OF at least o year, or to q measure
prescribing certain changes that will
work automatically in the case of cor
responding reductions of foreign coun-
tries. The country does not under.
stand the extreme difficulty OF getting
a reciprocity treaty ratified. The first
idea was that these should make con-
cessions on articles not produced in
the United States; many people still
insist on this, regardless of the fact
that practically everything on which
duties are now levied, with the single
exception of Kola nuts, is now pro.
duced in some parts of the United
States. or its dependencies. II ia
abundantly evident that We cannot
secure much reduction in European
tariffs by lowering our rate on Kols
nuts slone, yet every other proposed
reduction trenches on the business of
some one else-or at least seems to do
go, which is just as bad as far as oppo-
sition is concerned. Practically,
everybody is for reciprocity. provided
it does not affect his own business ex.
cept in the line of giving him his raw
material At a reduced rate; when it
comes to cutting down his protection
for the benefit of somebody else, he
objects. Nevertheless Mr.. Roosevelt
purposes TO urge the treaties upon
Congress, as he holds that their adop.
ton il absolutely necessary to fend off
tariff war with sundry European
countries. Unfortunately, he has 30
far received promises of entire support
from only three or four Senators with
whom he has consulted, while several
others, among whom are the most
powerful men in the Senate, have
stated frankly that they are opposed
to his ideas on the subject.
The Schley inquiry has had the ef-
feet OF bringing about the adoption of
more stringent methods and rules for
the discipline Of the navy. The mac.
curacies and omissions in the logs of
the various vessels, and the loose way
in which they were evidently kept.
has assounded the country and shown
the urgent need of reform. Secretary
Long has already issued an order eau
tioning commanders OF vessels in re-
gard to alterations in their logs and
instructing them to keep careful rec
ords OF all megaphone and other word
of-mouth messages; all signal books
must contain every signal made,
whether by wig'wag, megaphone or
the more formal modes of flags aad
lights. For instance, hereafter there
must appear on the record an account
of communications such as those that
Commodore Schley claims were wig
wagged from the Brooklyn during the
battles, but which do not appear on
any log; such as those that Capt.
Switzerland claimed to have mega
phoned to the Eagle to be transmitted
to the Brooklyn, which appeared on
the log OF the latter in a most extra
ordinarily abbreviated form; and such
as those said by several witnesses to
have been given by Capt. Sigsbee and
by word OF mouth to Admiral Schley,
but which the former utterly denies.
The inquiry has shown the great
value OF such record.
There is little doubt that President
Roosevelt will Guido President Cleve-