The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-12
CAPITOL NOTES AND GOSSIP.


| smiling the Rcrponsibiiit3.- The
Democratic members of the Senate intend
TO assume no blame for an extra session.
Neither do they intend to assume any
blame for legislation that fails tecause
of lack OF time When the Ship Subsidy
job is before them they will talk and ex-
press themselves at length. except that in
| this instance they indulge in nothing
Which saVors of dilatory tactics. Rather.
they expedite matters as much as possible
IN their hope to get all the needed bust
| ness done at this session.
a great busaboO has been raised to
| brighten them if possible into a less
Lengthy expression of their ideas and
opinions on the Subsidy job. The crying
need OF some legislation for Cuba and the
| philippines is the DOGGY employed to ter
| rorlze them, and they have been told in
| almost as many words that they are keep
| ing the Administration from doing what it
should for our new island possessions and
| that they viii ultimately force an extra
| session especially for the consideration OF
| colonial matters. This obvious attempt to
| make the blame for a possible eNtraordi-
| nary session lie with the Democratic party
| has deceived nobody but perhaps a few in
nocents, and by outsiders it is recognized
as but subterfuge. and part of the line
I OF argument which will enable the Repub
| licans to call an extra session and push
! their shipping scheme through.
| The Republican party expects to go be-
| fore the people accusing the Democratic
party OF forcing the President to convene
| the new Congress shortly after March 4
| to consider insular matters. The de-
| velopments of the last few days viii prob
ably make this position untenable. and
will, If matters are carried through as
| they are planned. leave the Democratic
party blameless. and the Republican party
| without an excuse for it's course. From
what can be learned in the Senate. the
Democrats will make no active opposition
to any moderate form of legislation d.
! rected toward the Philippines or toward
| Cuba. Senator Spooner has already in
| troduced enc proposition intended as an
| amendment to the Army Appropriation
| bill. 1t is said that he intends to propose
| another one, slightly modified form of
the first. Though the wording of this was
| not known generally yesterday among the
| Democratic Senators. they expressed their
| Willingness to accept it without much dis
cusslon, provided 1T was not too drastic.
| The amendment intended to be proposed
to the Army Appropriation bill, submitted
| by the Committee on Relations with Cuba.
and relating to Cuban Government, will
be accepted in the same way.
! In other words the Democrats are will
| ing TO concede great deal. They will per-
| nit something to be done that will dispose
| OF the great subjects of the Philippines
and Cuba for the time being without at
| tempting to open I'D discussion of the
| question Of colonial government and the
| Imperialism involved. Their willingness
| to lay these matters aside. to waive their
| undenlable right to debate the matters
| eXhaustively puts them completely in the
| open on the extra session. II further
blocking of legislation occurs it is the
! opinion that explanations should come
| from the Republican side of the chamber.
Wnr Revenue Bill Prospects.--In-
stead Of netting out swift destruction to
tho war revenue reduction measure the
Republicans yesterday consigned it to a
lingering death. Not until the end OF the
session will it be known that it is to
really fail. The action of yesterday made
| it evident that the bill is to 20 through
| long siege of torture in a conference
! committee before it is finally allowed to
yield up its last breath and expire. Had
| the majority of the House voted TO up
| hold the dignity of the body which they
! claimed was so ruthlessly assaulted by
| the effort of the Senate to pass off as an
amendment an entirely new revenue bill.
and had they proceeded logically and re-
| jected the amended measure without ask
! ing for a conference, the proposed enact
! ment would have come to it's death in
| Simultaneously There would have been a
| remote possibility of a new bill being
| framed and passed through the two
| houses. but considering the attitude OF the
| Republicans such an outcome would GER
| tainly be clsssed as miracle.
Among the Representatives yesterday
I many hints were thrown Out thar nprhanS
| after all the Republicans would have liked
| to see the death OF the bill sudden rather
| than long drawn out The speeches made
| on the floor of the House made it plain
| that a strong accusation has been lodged
| against the Republican party The words
were diplomatically yelled. but between
the pauses could be read the idea that
with all the current expenses the Admin
| istration would we'll like to defer the
passage Of the reduction bill at least I'M
| til next December This is the result ex-
pected from the present complications.
A connection between the probable death
Of the Revenue Reduction bill and the de-
lay in reporting the River and HarbOr bill
has been suggested A large sum of
money will be at the disposal of the Ad-
ministration if the War Revenue bill is
allowed to run several months more.
There will be more pie to distribute. The
question is asked: Could not this extra
revenue De dppilcu 10 carrying out I'M
provements in favored localities and the
River and Harbor bill be kept al its pres
ent dimensions, or increased as the SEN
ate seems to want to increase il? There
Is a great retieence noticed among MEM
bers of the Commerce Committee when
they are asked whether the River and
Harbor bill is to be scaled down. With
the possibility of the Revenue Reduction
bill being killed the Administration com
mitteemen will probably risk using their
influence to keep the River and Harbor
bill at it's present size.
Reverence for ihe Senate.-Repre-
sentative Bailey, now Senator-elect. is
not willing that one jot or title shall be
subtracted from the honor he shall gain,
nor the power he shall have when he
shakes from his shoes the dust of the
House and assumes the tOga of the Sena-
torship At least so it would seem from
the argument he made yesterday on the
question OF sending to conference the War
Revenue Reduction bill. Many Represen-
tatfves considered that the Senate had
overstepped its powers in making Il rev
bill and calling It an amendment. Not
so Senator-elect Bailey. He rose to his
feet and said many things clearly and en-
nhaticoIIv ahouf the pOver of the Senate