The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1901-02-01
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondents


regular duties, but his physician
warned him not to work too hard for
q while. As a'precautionary measure
all his social engagements for week
or two ahead have been Cancelled. He
shows no bad effects of his wrestle with
the grip.
Secretary Root is now having turn
with the grip, but his assistants in the
War Department are working over
time, so as to rush the enlistments
under the Army Reorganization bill,
which is now in conference, but is ex-
pected to become law during the pre-
sent week. AS there has never been
any doubt that the bill would become
law, all the arrangements have been
made In advance, as far as possible.
The action of the Republican Sena-
torial caucus in deciding not to take
up the Nicaragua Canal bill until the
British government had signlfed its
intentions concerning the amended
Hay-Pauncefote treaty, is regarded as
a delicate hint to the British govern
ment, that the Senate would like to
know as soon as possible what it in
tends doing with the treaty.
The House, after passing the
Postal Codlication bill, will at once
take up the Naval Appropriation bill,
which is expected tn. be promptly pas
sed, as there are no features of the hill
calculated to call cor any extended de
bate.
Senator Hanna who has very
creditable War record, although he
never mentions it in talking, and has
not included 1t in his biography in the
Congressional Directory, has been per-
suaded by Gen. Rassieur, Commander
in Chief of the G.. A. r., who has been
in Washington lending his aid to the
Pension Committee of that organiza-
ton, to promise that he would become
a member of the G. A. r.
Secretary Hitchcock is strong ad-
vocate of Congressional legislation for
for the irrigation of the arid lands of
the West. In letter to the House
Committee on Public lands, the Secre-
tary urges the policy of public irriga-
ton, taking the ground that a vast
acreage, capable OF supporting popu-
lation of fifty million people, should
not be allowed to remain desert. In
support of his argument he cited the
case of Egypt, which has in recent
years been practically redeemed from
condition of bankruptcy by general
system of irrigation.
A single republican Senator voted
against the Army Reorganization bill
Wellington, and he is not considered
a republican by his colleagues-whlle
four democrats-Lindsay, McLaurin,
Morgan and Sullivan-voted for it.
Senator Perkins seldom loses an Op-
portunity to back up his arguments
with a story. Here is one he told, to
show why he opposed attempting to
prohibit the shipping of intoxicants to
the Philippines: "When Alaska was a
prohibition territory. everybody was
engaged in smuggling. On every ship
that went up to Alaska, the iremen,
engineers, walters and sailors tried in
every way to smuggle liquor. / was
the representative of a ship that went
up there and was wrecked. She sank.
We rescued the vessel, and among the
goods saved were thirty barrels that
formerly contained sugar. In twelve
of the barrels there were five gallon
kegs of whiskey that had been hidden
in the sugar. The sugar had melted,
but the whiskey was still there"
The Army Reorganization bill auth
orizes the President to enlist not ex-
ceeding twelve thousand natives OF the
Philippines for service in those islands
and army officers think there will no
trouble in getting as many recruits
among the natives as it may be deemed
advisable to enlist. The number is not
likely to reach half of those authorized
for 3 while at least.
Senator Proctor, Chairman Of the
Committee on Agriculture, says the
Oleomargarine bin will be reported to
the Senate this week, and that he viii
insist upon getting vote upon II, If
|it be possible t, do so, before the end
of the session.
Senator Aldrich, Chairman OF the
Finance Committee, disposed Of all the
| idle talk about the revenue reduction
bill being hung up in that committee,
when he said that the bill would posi-
lively he reported % the Senate IN 2
LEV days, probably this week
Senator Mcmillan, who has been