Middletown transcript., 1901-06-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.

| owing to Mrs. MchlHley OoHUiAueue eTIu-
cal condition. She>is not worse than she
has been at any time since her return to
Washington, but then neither is she per-
ceptibly better. 1t is this barely holding
her own that is alarming in such case
az hers. Members of the cabinet are
doing everything in their power to relieve
President Mckinley of the routine execu-
tive work by only calling his personal
attention to the most important matters.
~
Senator Pritchard, of North Carolina
who is in Washington on official business,
said of the McLaurin-Tillman mix-up in
South Carolina: ''The fight is between
Democrats and have nothing to do with
it, but there is strong sympathy for
Senator McLaurin among business men
and manufacturers of our section, who
are Democrats. They believe that he
represents their interests and the best
interests of the South. l am willing to
make this prediction, however, both
North and South Carolina will soon be in
the Republican column, and the day is
not far distant when that will take place.
Other Southern states are leaning that
way, too" Senator McLaurin is also in
Washington. lie expresses absolute coz
fidence that a majority of the South
Carolina voters will endorse his position.
~
Representative Mercer, of Nebraska,
hopes Acknowledgement Knox will not
take advantage of the authority he has to
make a contract for the erection of the
new building for the Department of
Justice, because he considers the site on
Pennsylvania avenue entirely too small
and the appropriation available made
quate for the erection of a suitable build
ing. He said on the subject: 81 believe
that all new Federal buildings in Wash
ington should be large, imposing and
commodious, built for the future and not
for the present. Our forefathers showed
splendid judgment when they planned
the Capitol, White House and Treasury.
There's the Congressional Library, it has
been admired by thousands. We ought
to erect another building for the Supreme
Court and the Department of Justice
near the Library. The City Hall, of
Philadelphia, has cost $21 100000 SO far,
and the State House at Albany, $751; ,000,-
| 600, but neither is admired as much as
the Congressional Library, which cost a
little over Sc, 900, 900. The small amount
of money appropriated for the new build
ing of the Department of Justice, will not
erect much of building 1t certainly
will not make a showing on the small
piece of ground owned by the Depart
ment. | like to see big buildings in
spacious grounds. The people are will
ing to pay for them and that ought to be
sufficient.
| -
Secretary Long headed off scheme
of some real estate spectators, who have
acquired the land that will be needed for
the establishment of the Naval Station on
Pearl IIarbor, Hawaii, and have been
| holding it at extortionate prices, by IN
structing the commandant of the Naval
Station at Honolulu to consult with the
United States District-Attorney there, in
regard to proceedings to protect the in
terests of the government in securing the
needed land at Pearl Harbor. By the
same steamer, at the request OF Secretary
Long, orders from Attorney General
Knox went to the United States District
Attorney, to take the necessary steps
before July 1st, to condemn the land
needed for the Naval Station. This
alertness will convince those spectators
that Uncle Sam is not always an easy
| mark.
-
Discussion of Representative Babcock's
idea of removing the tariff from all pro-
ducts of the steel trust, has brought out
some interesting facts about the steel
trade. 1t has been shown that big as the
big trust is, it by no means controls the
steel trade in this country, there being
many establishments, some of them sm-
ploying a large number of men, which
have no connection with the trust. 1t
seems to be generally admitted that the
removal of the tariff on steel products
would not injure the big trust to any
marked extent, but it is claimed that it
would necessitate an immediate reduction
of wages in all steel establishments not in
the trust. This claim, which is being
made by those who ought to know
whereof they speak, is causing many who
were at first inclined to favor Mr.. Bab-
cocks idea, to entertain doubts of its
wisdom, and if it be substantiated by un-
preiudiced investigation, which number
of members of the House are quietly
making, the bill for the repeal of the
tariff on steel products will not be sup
ported by corporal's guard of Republic
cans in either branch of Congress at the
coming session. Desirable as many con-
slider it to curb the power OF the big
trusts, the Republican majority in Con-
gress are not going to be stampeded into
the support of anything of that sort,
without carefully considering it from
every point of view, and they will GER
tainly not allow any legislation to get
through that will reduce the wages of
American workingmen.
~
The Cuban Constitutional Convention
reassembled Monday to consider General
Woods communication notifying them
that they must accept the Platt amend
ment Internationally before they will be
allowed to organize agovernment of their
own. The latest advices indicate a dis
position ON the part of majority of the
Convention to be stubborn, and i'm
mediate action is not expected.
Acid oil driving inhalanfS mud t1eo that !