Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1901-12-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(From our Regular Correspondent

(From our Regular Correspondent
Washington, Dec. 9-Almost stimuli |
taneously with the opening of Congress
the Supreme Court rendered it's decl-
sion in the Fourteen Diamond Rings
case, declaring that the Philippine Is
lands are an integral part of the Uni
ted States and that the provisions of
the Dingley tariff law do not, therefore,
apply to shipments between the islands
and the United States. This, Of course,
leaves the trade absolutely free and
threw the protectlonists into parox-
ysms.
With this incentive in view the dila-
tory methods which usually attend the
first weeks of a new Congress have been
abandoned. Speaker Henderson has
already named the members of the
Ways and Means Committee and il has
held session with view to reporting
a bill providing for tariff regulations
between the United States and the
Philippines. 1t is believed that the
bill will simply apply the provisions of
the Dingley tariff without changing
any of it's rates.
Congress has received the report of
the Isthmian Canal Commission and
the Senate is in receipt of the Hay
Pauncefote treaty. The latter has
been referred to the Committee on
Foreign Relations and that committee
has voted unanimously to report the
convention for the favorable action OF
the Senate. 1t will be promptly rati-
fed. Senator Morgan has re intro
duced his bill providing for the con
struction of the Nicaraguan canal in
Iaccordance with the recommendation
Of the Commission, which fayors that
route, but to the person who reads care
} fully between the lines there is reason
to suspect that there is, IN the prompt
ness with which all this Is being done
something in the natl re of ruse anC
that it is the hope of the promoters OIL
the canal to bring the owners of th
Parama route to reasonable terms
T hey now hold out for approximate,
100000, 900 more than the Commission
; be lieves their plant to be worth.
The Presidents advice on the tarif
q uestion quite accords with the view
!, of the high protectionists of his part
t and when those congressman who hav
q dvocated tarff revision have ventilat
$ ed their opinions to an extent whicl
| they believe will satisfy their consti
t tuents, and perhaps gain for then
9 ONE concessions in the way of pa
tronage OF local appropriations, the
will graciously consent to have thei
!, bills buried in committee and will 500
forget that they ever contemplated th
b eresy of tariff revision-at least unit
they have to ask their friends at HON
to reflect them.
The only cloud on the republican SIX
Is the recommendation of Mr.. Roos'
> welt in regard to reciprocity with Cub;
- The President has said that from mora
reasons and national interest we al
bound to grant material concessions t
Cuba. The Sugar Trust has promise
to add the gentle weight of Its persu;
sive influence to the movement. alway
~ provided that there is no reduction Q
refined sugar, which, OF course, NEAR
that the Cuban raw sugar can /
. bought cheaper by the trust but tt
cons umer. will have to pay just as mue
for the refined article. and Senate
Lodge has been chosen tolead the fgI
in the Senate.
y" There islone recommendation in I'll
:. President Is message which should r
:. ceive the cordial support of congress
u men irrespective of party, and that
his appeal for support of the Postma
ter General in bis efforts to relieve IL
abuses which have crept into the a.
! ministration of the laws in regard
= second class mall matter. Mr.. Roos
20 Welt says that although second ella
y matter constitutes nearly sixty p,
T. cent. of the mails, out of a total rev
nue. of $111 GSl, 1913 the Post office D
r partment /, c.ived only $4,299, 445 fl
. transm;s sion of that class of mail f
al goes on to say if the pound rate I'VE
limited to the legitimate newspape
and periodicals actually contemplate
10 by the law no just exception could
- taken"
In his annual report the Postmast,