The Press., 1901-01-17
washington Letter.
washington, Jan. IA 1900.


the bill. Meanwhile Secretary Root Is
sitting on pins, as the saying is, because
he must wait until the bill becomes law
before carrying out any of his plans con-
cerning the volunteers in the Philippines.
There has been SO much criticism of the
presence of Gen. Miles on the floor of the
senate, lobbying for the army bill, that
the war department has made public
statement saying that the only reason for
the presence of Gen. Miles In the senate
was to try to secure an amendment to the
bill, to pay all volunteers in the Philip
pines who will re-enlist In the regular
army bounty of $500 each, about the
aeEnount 1t will cost to bring each soldier
home from the Philippines and send an
other to take his place.
The president Is now convalescent from
his attack Of the grip, and the scare, for
which there was at no time any reason, is
over. His attack was very mild one
$50 mild that any ordinary man would not
have been sent to bed by doctor, would
probably not have had doctor at all, but
when the president has the finger ache
all officialdom gets ratified.
Some surprise has been caused by the
prolongation of the debate on the river
and harbor bill in the house, that Is, If
the speeches intended to pacity constit-
uents who are kicking because their pro-
iects are not included, by attacking the
bill, can be called debate General de-
bate on the bill came to an end this after
noon, and the measure will be at once
passed.
The enterprise of the early bird after
worms has been discounted by Bird s.
Coler, who has come to Washington
avowedly in search Of the democratic
presidential nomination in 1904 for Hon.
David B. Hill of New York. Things are
often accomplished by getting out OF
beaten paths, and it may be that this un-
usual bit of political previousness may get
Mr.. Hill what he Is after. At any rate, II
/ is giving the politicians something to talk
about. If Mr.. Coler expected to secure
pledges of support from senators and rep.
|resentatives, he was disappointed. He got
kind words In plenty, but kind words dc
snot necessarily mean votes In a nomina.
ting convention to be held nearly four
yea1s hence.
| That the Burleigh substitute for the
census committees reapportionment bill
represented the popular side of the ques
tion was proven every conclusively. Il
passed the house by majority of 6;
and the senate without division. The
senate census committee paid the minor
Ssty of the house census committee the un
usual compliment Of adopting its report IL
favor of the Burleigh bill as its own, with
out a change. The bill is now in thu
hands of the president and will be signed
at once.
Senator Hoar's objection to the arm!
reorganization bill differs from that pu
forward by the minority of the senate
which opposes giving the president tn
power to regulate the size OF the army
Mr.. Hoar frankly stated that If the ques
tion of giving the president authority t.
determine when the regular army shoult
be 0,000 or when 100, 900 strong were tn
only one involved, he would vote for tin
bill, because he did not regard an army o
100, 900, which was as high as it could b.
made, as menace to liberty. 1t is onl,
because of the intended use of the arm,
in the Philippines that Mr.. Hoar Oppose
the bill. He sought to curtail the use o
the ar my by offering an amendment pro
viding that no further military fore
should be used In the Philippines, excep
such as might be necessary to keep orde
in places already in peaceable possession
of the U. s., but it was defeated by vot
of 80 to 10. That vote comes very nea
to indicating how the senators will stan
when the final vote Is taken on the arm
bill. Senator Morgan was the only demo
crat who voted with the majority, whil
three republicans, Hale, Hoar and We'll
ington, voted with thu minority, as di
Butler, Pettigrew and Teller.
Senator Hanna has authorized publ
denial of the story that he was intereste
in company which had given orders fo
the construction of colliers, to be used l
shipping coal to Europe, fast enough
enable them to participate In the bountie
provided In the ship subsidy bill, an
again stated that his only interest in th
bill is that of citizen who believes ths
it will help the American merchar
marine.
| No cases have been argued before til
U. s. supreme court for years that hay
) attracted such general attention as hs
! been given to those involving the comet
tutionality Of the colonial policy of tt
present administration. In addition
the Importance of the cases themselve
which would have necessarily attracte
attention, is the gossip attributing pc
sonal interest on the part of an expires
dent in securing a decision against tt
administration. Lawyers say that couns
on both sides made about every possib
point in favor of their contention. Ho
, soon the court will reach and hand dow
it's decision no one knows, but the impor
l ance of the case makes 1t unlikely th
there will be any unnecessary delay.
The senate as rule stands by It's cor
mittees, but by the close vote of "a to
it over ruled the military committee al
. adopted an amendment to the army bi
authorizing the appointment of volunte
[ officers of proved fitness to the grade
9 captain in the regular army, as well as
| the grades of first and second lieutenan
n BEAT OUT OF AN INCREASE OF HIS Pc
: ls1oN.-A Mexican war veteran and pror
inent editor writes: "Seeing the adve
tisement of Chamberlain's Collie, Chole
d and Diarrhe Remedy, | am remind
a that as soldier In Mexico In AZ and a
r contracted Mexican diarrhoea, and tb