Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-05-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
[FTOm OUT heguiaf Coffespohdeht.I
WASHINGTON. MAY 13. 1901.

WASHlNdTON, May 10, lJUl.
There are breakers ahead of the Hanna
boom for the Republican Presidential nomi-
nation, and they are Republican breakers,
too. With three years Of pie distribution
ahead, the average Republican of promi-
hence doesn't care to risk his share by
offending the chief distributor at this time
That is why the boom has not been publicly
jumped ON by more Republicans. Privately
prominent Republicans do not hesitate to
say that Mark Hanna has no better chances
to become Emperor of China, than he has
to become President Of the U. S. They.
say the talk of Hanna's popularity with
Republicans throughout the country, is
precisely like that of his popularity with
Republican Senators confined to those who
wish to use Hanna to pull the leg OF the
administration for favors
The Nicely case was again brought before
the public by the discovery that w. d.
Williams. protege Of Representative
Brumm, of Pennsylvania, who was con
fidential secretary to Col. Edwards, Chief
of the InsGlar Division of the War Depart
ment, had offered to sell copies of govern
ment records relating to Neely Is stealing, to
Neely's counsel. He wanted to sell cheap,
too, only 5000. He was fired.
Assistant Secretary of State Hill read the
riot act to Minister Conger, as soon as that
chattering diplomat reached Washington.
and Conger got on his dignity; also his ear.
1t is understood that lie told Mr.. Hill that
he would not resign, and that unless he wa
nominated for Gov. of Iowa, by the Repubs
| licans, the administration would have to
recall him, if it did not wish him to return
to China at the expiration of his present
leave of absence. That it doesn't wish
him to return is certain.
| Mr.. Edward Atkinson, of Boston, and
Mr.. Myron H. Holt, Secretary of the Tariff
Reform Club, of New York, talked tariff
reform before the Industrial Commission in
la very convincing way. Mr.. Atkinson
started off by saying that not more than
five per cent. of the people were benefited
by protective tariff, while the other
ninety-five per cent. had to pay the bills.
He said he believed the time had come for
a complete revision of the tariff system:
that we ought to have free raw material of
all kinds, and especially free wool and free
chemicals; that there was nothing just in
protecting the 100, 900 persons engaged in
sheep raising at the expense of all the other
| people; that the experience OF the Spanish
war had shown that we could collect all
the revenue needed from dozen articles
that a tariff policy on free trade lines would
increase rather than lower wages, because
it would widen the American markets and
that the present commercial success of the
United States had been attained in spite Of
the protective tariff, and not because of it,
and was due to our enormous natural re-
sources and the inventive genius of our
people. Mr.. Holt began by saying: 'sTht
tariff ties the hands of the American PEG
pie, while the trusts rifle their pockets .
He expressed the opinion that the tariff wa.
Irresponsible for much corruption in politics
and that it was not chance that had landed
so many millionaires in Congress. HI
closed by saying that the 81, 279, 900, OOC
stock and bonds of the U. S. Steel corpor
alton (The Morgan Steel Trust), abou
500, 100000 was water, and that it was
in his opinion, largely due to the pro
| tective tariff. Mr.. Schwab, President o
the Steel Trust, also appeared before the In
out to be a great blessing, threw a fey
bricks at the labor organizations, and mad
a slightly yelled threat to reduce wages i
the tariff was taken off steel products
Ex-Representative McAleer, of Pennsyl
vania, who is in Washington on business
said apropos of the recent Wall street furry
"a good many years ago, when the Graz
for buying oil lands was on, | investe,
S., 300 to get in, as | supposed, ON tn
ground floor. found later that l had bee
badly fooled, and out of my investment
think l saved eventually only about 500
But was entirely satisfied with my ez
perience 1t taught me to keep out {
speculation. No man has any business i
the stock market, as the recent crash ha
demonstrated, unless he is thorough
familiar with the market, and not then III
less he has abundant MEANS so that he ca
lose all he ventures without feeling til
loss" In reply to questions on his ow
political future, Mr.. McAleer said g
wanted to be reelected last year, but hav
ing been defeated by infamous methods
care hardly a five cent piece one way or tn
other as to another nomination. We ar
greatly interested in the fate of the ballo
bill before the state legislature, but [ an
afraid that the majority leaders in Penn
sylvania politics are too well satisfied wit
the present ballot law to permit an,
changes. For their purposes it is one 0
the best ballot laws ever enactcd.n
1t is admitted by War Department. off
Gals that the radical pro-English remark
made by Gen. Chaffee, at an entertain
ment given by English officers in Pekin
were "a little imprudent,n but they ad,
that Secretary Root does not take seriou
view of the matter, ard that he will no
ask Gen. Chaffee for an explanation, unles
some of the powers make protest.
naturally strikes many as strange that tn
Secretary of War should not regard it a
serious for the Commander of the American
troops in China, to have made remarks
afterwards published, which were in inten
an insult to every one of the allied power
in China, except the English.