The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-06-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.


which restricted negro suffrage
has been revived and it is said to
have more influential backing
than the movement that was
started last winter. AT that
time 1t was understood that Nc
Kinley, who had Just begun to
believe in the possibility of a white
Republican party in the South OPP
posed the idea and was instru-
mental in having it laid aside. 1t
is doubtful whether he has changed
his mind on the subject, but some
of the men who are quietly push
ing the revived scheme express
the opinion that by next winter the
failure of making white Repubi-
can recruits in the South, under
the name of McLaurinism, or any
other, will be SO plain to Mr.. Nc
KinIey, that he can be counted up
on to keep his hands off, If not
help along the scheme. The in
creased power given to Congress
by the insular decisions of the Su-
preme Court is used by the men
who are working the scheme as an
argument for the political neces-
sity of cutting down Southern rep
resentation so as to make it GER
tain that the Republicans will re-
tain their majority in the House,
the loss of which might play havoc
with the party's insular policy.
There are not sufficient number
Of Senators and Representatives In
ashington toform any idea OF the
strength of the revived scheme,
but it is being manipulated by
shrewd men who have no scruples
about securing political advantage
in any way, and it will be wise for
Democratic Senators and Repre-
sentatives to be vigilant.
There were other than legal
reasons for the decision of the Ad-
ministration not to call an extra
summer session of Congress to leg
islate for the Philippines. One
was that it was thought that few
months exercise of the autocratic
authority conferred by the Spoon
er amendment would get things on
the island that would be less invit-
ing to Congressional interrogation
than they are at this time, and
another was the fear that a Con-
gressional debate on Philippine
tariff bill might precipitate a gen.
eral discussion of the whole tariff
question.
Gen. Sam Pearson, of the Boer
army, passed through Washing
ton this week, on his way to New
York. where he has been called to
confer with the agent of the Beers
on important business, which he
hopes relates to an honorable
peace. Speaking of the situation
in his unfortunate country, ne
said: 1--WE still have about 20, 900
men in the field. We have all the
ammunition we need, and we have
sufficient horses and food stuffs,
British reports to the contrary,
notwithstanding. My regular in
formation from the seat of war
tells me that only half of what is
going on in South Africa is known
and published in the newspapers
here, and then it is not at all re-
liable. All the news goes through
English censors. There has been
considerable more fighting down
there lately than the American
people have been informed OF.
Much activity is displayed
throughout the Transvaal, the Or
ange Free State and Cape Colony.
Klrtzinger's commando has been
very successful recruiting Camp
Dutch for operations against the
British, and if Kitchener or Rob-
erts can boast Of having invaded
the Transvaal, we can reply with
the invasion of Cape Colony. Our
soldiers are only fifteen miles from
the sea coast, which speaks for it.
self. The men whoare at the head
Of our army, are young, energetic,
prudent and just. They know
when TO strike and how to do it to
obtain the best results with the
least difficulty and at the smallest
cost of life. We are just as anx-
ious for peace as you, but it must