The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-01-04
Washing ton Letter.
From our regular Correspondent.

pEUh OuI ISkuidI SOiiSopOhuShN'
WASHINGTON, December 31st.-Indications
of another somersault on the part of the ad-
ministration are in sight. This time 1t is on
the question of an extra session of Congress.
Up to the adjournment for the holiday recess.
"avoid an extra session, If possible" was the
watchword of the administration, and Senator
Hanna used the danger of an extra s. ssion as
threat to scare Republicans Into line, who
were talking opposition to the Ship-Subsidy
bill. Now it is being whispered i'll administra-
ton circles that the Republicans would
welcome an extra session and be very glad IL
the opposition would make it appear to be
forced on them against their will. Some say
this lie being done to prevent Senators Petit
grew, Alien and Butler carrying out their
threat to oppose every bill taken up i'll the
Senate as long as the Ship.Sub>idy bill retains
the right of way. There may, of course, be
something in that; but there are several other
reasons why the administration would
welcome an extra session, especially if it can
escape the responsibility for seeming to have
had any hand in bringing it about. First,
there is tue Ship Subsidy bill. 1t may be pos
sible to force it through at this session, but it
looks very doubtful now. In the next Con.
gress, the Republican majority will be in
mention the retirement of several Of this bills
most vigorous opponents from the Senate, and
most OF the new members will be ready to fall
over themselves to do the bidding of the adj
ministration, which will make its passage much
easier Next, there is the revenue reduction
bill. The outside limit named by MIR. MCKin-
ley WAS $50, 100000. 1t carries a reduction
of IL ore than $40, O00, goo, and it is no secret
that the administration would rather see the
bill hung up in some way than passed in its
present shape, although Mr.. Mckinley will
Sign it, of course, if it passes. Nobody need
be surprised to see some parliamentary skill
displayed by administration Senators when
the bill gets before the Senate, to bamboozc
the public. Perhaps the Republicans will add
amendments solely to provoke fight on the
bill by Democratic Senators. Lastly, there is
the decision of the Supreme Court in those
colonial cases. If it be an adverse one, MIR.
Mckinley will be glad to have some other ex-
cuse for calling Congress together to remedy
his plumbers.
Senator Hawley has given advance notice o!
his intention to antagOnize the Ship SUBSIDY
bill with the substitute for the House Army
Reorganization bill, if there is any delay on
the part of the Senate i'll disposing of the latter
That is another turn of the legislative wise that
| is squeezing Hanna, and in this case Dir. Nc
Kinley will not be on his side, as he is even
more anxious for the army bill to get through
| than he Is for the Ship Subsidy bill. One is to
pay campaign debts; the other 10 keep him and
| his administration out of deep and danger
GUS hole. He would like to have both, but if
| he can only get one, he will take the Army
| bill without a moments hesitation.
After press cablegrams from Copenhagen
made IL useless to further deny, officials ac-
| knowledge that the United States is negotat-
| ing for the purchase of the Danish West Indian
| Islands and that DIR Minister to Denmark had
made a final offer of something like 81, 100000
/ for the islands. This offer is, of course. sub
| ject to the ratification of the treaty providing
1 for the purchase by the Senate, as well as the
acceptance OF Denmark. Why there has been
| SO much official lying about this negotiation,
/ which has been going on more or less actively
/ for two years. is one of those things which ii
| would be difficult to find sensible answer for.
| Although there isn't the slightest probable
ity of any formal inquiry or court martial
being ordered by the War Experimentation
| much explosive matter lying around loose
the charges made against Col. II. o. 5. Hei.
stand, Adjutant Gen. on the staff of Gen
Chuffse, by Mai. E. l.. Hawkes. have been
| forwarded to China, where the accused IT, fol
an answer. The charges are that Col Heistand
| was guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer
and gentleman when he represented to Maj
Hawkes.. thereby inducing him to invest money
which was subsequently lost, that combina
ton had been formed by United States officials
| who were in positions to fix the tariff to con
| troll the hemp output of the Philippines. TIL,
afficrats named as having entered this combina
| ton were Adjutant General Corbin, Assstan
Secretary Meiklejohn, Gov. Allen, of Porte
| The charge recites that after Hawkes. had in
| vested his money, he was told by Heistant
that the officials named had withdrawn from
the combination to control the hemp output
| club with the imposing name of tn
National Republican League has been organ
are office-holders and the msjority of tn
other third would like to be. The written oh
!, jects of the league are about the same as thos
of other political clubs, but one of the speeche
made at the organization meeting, CAV
another object of the league to be to have in
1 fiuence in determining what persons shall hol
, Office under the Republican administration
and to get rid of those Democrats who are nov
= holding office in order that Republicans ma
get the places. All of the members of thi
r Office trust, which is the name the Leagu
should be known by, are shining lights in tn
party which pretends to favor civil servic
reform. What ny pocrites these Republican