Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-01-28
WASHINGTON LETTER.


Washington, d. c., Jan. 21st 1901
President Mckinley has resumed
his regular duties but his physician
has warned him not to work too hare
for awhile. AS a precautionary meas
week or two ahead have been cancel
ed. He shows no bad effects of his
wrestle with the grip.
Secretary Root is now havinga turn
with the grip, but his assistants in the
war department are working over
time so as to rush the enlistments IN
der the army reorganization bill
which is now in conference, but is ex-
p ected to become a law during the
present week. AS there has never
been any doubt that the bill would be-
come a law, all the arrangements
| h ave been made in advance, as far as
| possible.
The action of the republican sena-
torial caucus in deciding not to take
up the Nicaragua canal bill until the
Br itish government had signifed its
Intentions concerning the amended
Hay Pauncefote treaty, is regarded
as delicate hint to the British gov
! eminent, that the senate would like
to know as soon as possible what it
intends doing with the treaty. The
ouse, after passing the postal codifi-
cation bill, Will at once take up the
naval appropriation bill, which is ez-
pected to be promptly passed, as there
are no features of the bill calculated
to call for any extended debate.
Senator Hanna who has very cred
liable war record, although he never
mentions it in talking, and has not in
Guided it in his biography in the
congressional directory, has been per-
sua ded by Gen. Rassieur, commander
in chief of the G. A. R., who has been
in Washington lending his aid to the
pension committee Of that organiza-
ton, to promise that he would become
a member Of the G. A. r.
Secretary Hitchcock is strong
advocate of congressional legislation
for the irrigation of the arid lands of
the West. In letter to the house
committee on public lands, the secre-
tary urges the policy of public irriga-
ton, taking the ground that a vast
acreage, capable of supporting pop
ulation of fifty million people, should
not be allowed to remain desert. In
support of his argument he cited the
case of Egypt, which has in recent
years been practically redeemed from
a condition Of bankruptcy bya gener-
al system of irrigation.
A single republican senator voted
against the army reorganization bill
Wellington, and he is not considered
a republican by his colleagues while
four overwhelmingly McLaurin,
Morgan and Sullivan-voted for it.
Senator Perkins seldom loses an
to back up his arguments
with story. Here is one he told, to
show why he opposed attempting to
prohibit the shipping of intoxicants
to the Philippines: "When Alaska
was a prohibition territory, every
body was engaged in smuggling. On !
every ship that went up to Alaska,
the firemen, engineers, walters and |
sailors tried in every way to smuggle |
liquor. I was the representative of a
ship that went up there ard was
wrecked. She sank. We rescued the
vessel and among the goods saved |
we're thirty barrels that formerly con-
tanned sugar. In twelve of the barrels
there were five gallon kegs Of whis-
key that had been hidden in the sugar.
The sugar had melted, but the whiskey
was still there"
Senator Proctor, chairman of the
on agriculture, says the
Die omargarine bill will be reported to
the senate this week, and that he will
insist upon getting vote upon it, if
it be possible to do SO, before the end
Of the session.
Senator Aldrich, chairman of the
finance committee, disposed of all the