Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1901-01-30
Especial Correspondence

The army reorganization bill will be care
fully considered in conference, within few
days, and immediate action will probabl be
taken by each branch of congress to con-
firm the action of the conferees. The adj
ministration has been very greatly en-
barrassed by the delay in the perfection of
TINS measure. and time is the most important
Of all the factors at this time. The volun-
teers are to be brought home and newly re-
cruited regulars enlisted in their places, and
the transfer to occur before the middle of
the present year. This being so there is not
a moment to lose, and it is gratifying that
matters are reaching point of finality. AS
was expected from the start, the plan of
the administration is upheld, and the pres
ident's hands Will be free to do as he deems
best to crush the insurrection in the Philip
pines and establish law and order
The senate has disposed of the treaty with
Spain, whereby the latter nation relinquishes
to the United States sovereignty over the
islands of Sibutu and Cagayan, which are
really a part of the Philippine group, but
which, through an unfortunate geographical
designation in the first treaty describing the
area within which the Philippines were stu
ated, left out these two islands from formal
inclusion. This error costs the United States
100000, and with it's payment by the United
States, practically assured by the ratifca-
ton Of the treaty, this last incident in the
acquisition of sovereignty in the entire Phil
lpplne group is closed.
The 7ouse is rushing work through with
its accustomed CELEBRITY, and the senate COM
mittees are being deluged with their bills,
although but few appropriation measures
have as yet found Judgment in the senate end
of the capitol. With the disposal of the
legislative appropriation bill the senate, as
had been expected, resumed consideration of
the shipping bill. As this is being written
certain amendments have been prepared
and submitted, it is said by Senator McMi-
Ian acting for three or four other republic
an senators, demanding that the compens a-
ton for vessels of high speed shall be linn
tied to those of l8 knots speed and over.
This is in Difference to the clamor for slow
cargo carrying steamships, and to the op-
position to high speed steamships, which the
opposition to the shipping bill has very care
fully fostered.
Nothing so clearly proves the influence
of the foreign shipping interests in the shap-
ing of American shipping legislation, as this
concession to the clamor its agents have
raised. The opposition to the pending ship
ping bill has been concentrated upon the
only line under the American flag in the
transatlantic trade, and this concentration
is due to the fact that the opposition lines,
under foreign flags, are most anxious to
cripple if not ruin their only rival under the
American flag in the carrying of American
imports and exports. There is one thing
that the people of the country must never
forget, in this connection, and that is that
the assured prctracted reduction in ocean
freight rates whenever the shipping bill be-
comes law, and because of the increase in
the number of ships offering for cargoes,
will be of the greatest direct benefit to
those who produce the things the surplus
of which is sent abroad.
Senator Vest last week brushed up his
adjectives and having carefully examined
his vocabulary of invectives, proceeded to
inveigh against the shipping bill, offering as
an alternative his amendment to make a
free ship bill as the sole remedy for our de-
cllnng shipping IN the foreign trade. There
has never yet been free ship advocate who
could point out any American citizen who
would put foreign built ships under Ameri-
can register if he were privileged to do so,
unless the government would give him a SUBJ
sidy for running them in competition with
foreign ships sufficient to make good the ex-
ira cost of operating ships under the Amer
lean as compared with other flags.
The president has been most careful dur
ing his somewhat prolonged weakness result
ing from his attack of the grip. He has
avoided seeing delegations, and has limited
his consideration of public matters entirely
to those of the most pressing and important
character. He has entirely tabooed social
functions for the present, and it begins to
look as though the white house would not
see many receptions or other social pleasan-
tries, so dear to those on pleasure bent, dur
ing the present session The president can
not be too circumspect in outstanding his
strength, and avoiding all taxes upon it that
are either fatiguiDg or unnecessary.