The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-27
CAPITOL NOTES AND GOSSIP.


PettiGrew on the Taft Report
! What we want is the facts" said Senator
Peltigrew, speaking iof the report of the
Taft Commission, yesterday. I'VE would
all be satisfied if the Administration would
give us access to the records that are
stacked away in the War epartment-but
that is thing it is afraid to do. What
do we-what does the world-care for this
expression OF partisan opinion on those
facts? That Is all you can give the Taft
Commission report the credit of being. No
one would dare to call it a fair and
preJudiced statement of conditions. Every
thing is against that view. 1t is one OF
series OF political documents on the sub
ject of the Philippines. brought forward
at most opportune times during the past
few years The Schurman report. two
years ago. was promulgated to in
fuenco the elections at that time.
the condensed edition of this re-
port about election time last November,
TO bring in the floating voters to the Adj
ministration ticket and now comes this
Taft report perhaps. to influence action on
the Army Reorganization bill. or to offer
a preteyt for an extra session.
What reliance can be placed upon such
a document? Very little. especially as the
lack of familiarity with tn Spanish and
Tagalog languages puts unde; a cloud the
whole mass of information obtlned by the
commission. Take also into t1nsideration
the repeated requests We have made for
access to the instructions to the Paris
commissioners and the regularity with
which they have been refused. Then you
can get fair idea of the amount OF re-
lance which may be placed in this report
Cold MoInsses.-In his plea for an
irrigation scheme on the ella River in
Indian Territory, Senator Thurston yes
terday brought laugh from his listen
ers by homely simile. He was referring
to the mount of money expended on the
coast States in the Riyer and Harbor bill.
and the small amount expended on inter-
ior communities
1T seems to me-. he said. that when
the coast States ask for river and har-
Dor appropriations. the money comes out
in a stream as liquid as the purest spring
water, but when we of the Middle West
ask for few dollars, it comes from the
Treasury as slowly as molasses from a
keg in cold cellar in January"
All in the FnmiIy.-'I see that AL
bert Edward has sworn himself in as
King, said Western member yesterday.
1T seems to be quite family affair. and
am reminded of an incident in the legal
history of my State which resembles the
proceeding somewhat. II happened that
a lawyer friend of mine, attorney for a
railroad, had lost a damage case for the
company. The judgment was several
thousand dollars and the company put the
money into his hands to be paid to the
claimant. Being at that time a little
short on Erie or Pacific Mail, my lawyer
friend had use for the coin, the conse-
ql.ence of which was that it was never
seen by the people who won the suit.
After while they became anxious and
sought to obtain execution against the
railroad to sell up the whole system. In
the mean time, as "a reward for his up
rightness and honesty. my legal friend
had been elevated to the circuit bench. |
Into his court the plaintiffs went to get |
their execution, and 1t looked rather |
for the judge. But he was a
man of resource. He came out boldly |
with the statement that the money had |
been legally and in due order paid to the !
clerk of the court When the plaintiffs |
went after the clerk OF the court to get |
the judge issued an injunction !
them from getting an egecu |
ton on him, thus pulling the drawstring |
Of the bag and making things neat and |
snug for all concerned save the people |
who held the judgment.
Justice is a great thing in the Middle
West" concluded the member, but it
seems to be made chiefly of brass"
Productive soiI.-It is only necessary