The Opelousas courier., 1901-01-19
Washington, ID. c., News.
From our Regular Correspondent.

From our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, Jan. IA, 1901.
SHAKESPEARE held up for the sus-
picion of all future ages the man
who protests too much and too
often. just now Senator Hanna
is that man. He is once more pro-
testing that the ship subsidy bill
will put no money in his pocket,
and that stories of his being in
terested in steamship lines that
will profit by the measure, if it
can be jammed through, are
wicked calumnies.
The senate is still hammering
away at the army reorganization
bill, but it is probable that it will
be passed this week. By the aid
of a few Republicans, the Demo-
Gratis succeeded in getting an
amendment adopted making vol
unteer officers. eligible to appoint
ment to the grade of captain in the
regular army, as we'll as that of
lieutenant.
Hon. Bird S, Coler, the comp
trOller of New York City, spent a
day or two in Washington IN the
interest of Hon. David B. Hill, as
the democratic candidate for
president in 1904. Contrary to
custom, Mr.. Coler publicly an.
nounced that the object of his
visit to Washington was to get
senators and representatives to
promise their support to Mr.. Hill.
He heard many kind words for
Mr.. Hill, who has many friends
in both branches of congress, but
few, if any, Democrats in congress
care to commit themselves to any
candidate so far in advance.
Senator Bacon said of the dam
gerous power vested in the presl-
dent by the army reorganization
bill, which is still before the SEN
ate: "The passage of this bill will
mark an epoch in the United
States. Senators may scoff, but
it is nevertheless true that the
passage of Il bill by which the
president may control the size of
the army, is IL march toward en-
pire. 1t is Il great revolution that
will be effected when the bill is
put upon the statute books. 1t is
the evident purpose of the bill to
eliminate for all time the volun-
teer system from the military es-
tablishment of the country, and
create for all time great stand
ing army. The issue is not TO be
evaded. Shall it be in the future
the province of the president to
raise armies, or shall it be in the
province of congress? | should
rather see the party | belonged to
condemned to universal and ney-
er-ending banishment from polit-
ieal power, than to see such an
authorization of power placed
upon the ststute books. -
Many of those who voted for
the committee bill are glad of the
throw down given the house cen
sus committee, when its bill was
knocked out, and the Burleigh
substitute reapportionment bill,
which has since passed the senate
and is now in Mr.. McKinley's
hands, was passed by the house by
the large majority of SO. While
partisan politics were not intro
duced during the discussion, the
fact that the committee bill was
supported by practically all of
the Republican bosses in the
house, made its defeat a black eye
for them.
Just before the house passed
the usual resolution appropriating
$4,000 for the employment of
extra policemen, etc., for Nc
Kinley's second Inauguration,
Representative Bell, of Colo, took
occasion to put himself on record
as opposing the appropriation of
one cent of public money to pay
for anything connected with the
Inauguration show. He pointed
out facts, we'll known to most OF
his hearers, such as the usual
profit made by the local commit
tee having charge of the inaugu-
ration, from the sale Of tickets to
stands erected on government
reservations, and tickets to the
inaugural ball, held in the U. S.
pension building. He also called
attention very emphatically to the
payment of $4,000 in salaries to
the employees Of the pension Of
fee on enforced holidays, made
necessary by the decoration of
the building for the last inaugural
ball, an expense which he pointed
out will be incurred again at the
coming Inauguration. Mr.. Bell
expressed the opinion that those
who profted, and not the general
government, should pay the ex-
penses of presidential inaugura-
tions.
DIR. Robert NJ. Coltman, a ma