The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1901-10-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.


tember shows a falling off in
our export trade for that month
of over SO, 100000 as compared
with the corresponding month Of
last year. 1t has given the Repub-
lican leaders a bad scare and that
means to reverse this condition of
affairs are the chief topic of dis
cussion at the White House.
Senator Frye was summoned and
Immediately seized the opportu-
nifty to push his subsidy bill into
Presidential favor, although, of
course, he also discussed reciproci-
ty treaties as q valuable means to-
wards increasing the export trade.
The President also sent word to
Senator Lodge that he would like
to see him Immediately upon his
arrival in this country and accord.
ingly that gentleman came to
Washington before going to his
home in Massachusetts,.
Although Senator Frye granted
an interview to the newspaper
men and talked definitely on the
subjectof his subsidy bill, and more
or less vaguely on the subject of
reciprocity, the isthmian canal, the
revenue cutter service etc., the
real object of his coming to Wash
ington did not come out. Senator
Lodge was seen by your CORES
pondent, and practically every
other Washington correspondent,
but he refused positively to say
anything for publication. There
is decided fear that the conditions
may shape themselves as they did
during the Harrison administration
when from period Of prosperity
things took a sudden slump" and
resulted in a Democratic victory
at the following presidential
election. The next two years will
prove the critical period in the
present administration and every
thing possible must be done to
promote real or apparent prosper
ity until the people have expressed
themselves at the polls in 1904.
It is confidently predicted by
people who ought to know that
the President is most anxious to
have Senator Lodge in the Cabinet
and that he would DO much reliev-
ed if Secretary Hay would kindly
tender his resignation, as that is
the portfolio that he desires to
offer to Lodge. So confident is
the President that Mr.. Hay will
resign, as soon as the isthmian
treaty is concluded, that he has
persuaded Mr.. Lodge to make no
effort to secure the Craftsmanship
of the Committee on Foreign Re
lations which, by right of senior
ity, would 60 to Senator Gallon
and which Senator Lodge would
prefer to everything else except
the portfolio of State> 1t is given
out that for the present Senator
Lodge will retain the Craftsmanship
of the Philippines Committee.
Secretary Gage seems to be
slated for retirement and it is be-
lieved that he will hand in his res
Eignation soon after his return from
the West. The friends Of the new
Republican machine in the South
are trying to persuade the Presi-
dent that the cause would be great
lily advanced by the selection of
Senator McLaurin for cabinet
position, and it is barely possible
that he may be invited to join the
Presidential advisory board. AL.
though Secretary Root has taken
no definite steps in that direction.
his friends think his failing health
will compel his retirement and
that he will be forced to 60 abroad
for time.
Representative Overstreet, Of
Indiana, was in Washington this
week and says that the President
assured him that his financial bill,
which will make the silver dollar
exchangsabIe for gold, viii receive
Executive support. He will there
fore re-introduce the bill early
this season.
A number of Congressman who
have been in Washington during
the Schley Court of Inquiry, which
is still in progress, have expressed
the opinion that, irrespective Of
the merits Of the Schley Sampson
controversy, the affair has devel-