The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-01-18
Warrington Letter.

WASHINGTON, January Ii. shakespeare held
up for the suspicion of all future ages the man
| who protests too much and too often. just
| now Senator Hanna is that man. He is once
| more protesting that the ship Subsidy bill will
put no money in his pocket, and that stories of
| being interested in Steamship lines that will
| profit by the measure, If ii can be damned
| through, are wicked calumpics
The Senate is still hammcring away at the
| Army Reorganization bill, but it is probable
i that it will be passed this week. by the aid of
/ a few Republicans, the Democrats succeeded
in getting an amendment adopted making vol
i unteer officers eligible to appointment to the
| grade OF Captain In the regular army, as well
| as that of Lieutenant.
Why the bosses of the House have allowed
| the debate on the River and Harbor bill. which
everybody expected to pass several days ago
| to drag on until this afternoon, when 1t closed
| is one of the legislative puzzles Of the week.
Inasmuch as it was well known from the
first that the bill was to pass. 1t is quite
certain that the delay has been for Il pur-
pose, although the purpose is not yet apparent
Hon. Bird s. Coler, the Comptroller of New
York City, spent day or two i'll Washington
in the interest of Hon. David Is. Hill, as the
Democratic candidate for President in 1904
Contrary to custom, Mr.. Coer publicly an
nounced that the object of his visit to Wash
ington was to get Senators and Representa-
tives 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 dangerous power
vested in the President by the Army Reorgani-
cation bill, which is still before the Senate:
1.-The passage of this bill will mark an epoch
in the U. s. Senators may scott. but it is never
thelcss true that the passage of a bill by which
the President shall control the size of the army,
is march toward empire. 1t s great revo-
luton that will be effected when the bill is put
upon the statute books. 1t is the evident pur-
pose of the bill to eliminate for ali time the
volunteer system from the military establish
ment of the country, and create for all time
great standing 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
the province of Congress? 1 should rather see
the party belonged to condemned to univer-
sal and never ending Punishment from politi-
cal power, than to see such an authorizati on
of power placed upon the statue books"
Many of those who voted for the Committee
bill are glad OF the throw down giving the
IN jority of the House Census Committee, when
its bill was Knocked out, and the Burleia h SUBJ
stitute Reapportionment bill. which has since
passed the Senate and is now in Mr.. Nc
Kinley's hands, was passed by the House by
the large majority oil SO. While partisan poll
tics were not introduced during the discussion,
the fact that the committee bill was supported
by practically ali of the Republican bosses in
the House, made its defeat a black eye for
them.
Just before the House passed the usual reso-
luton appropratiug $4,000 for the employ
ment of extra policemen, etc. for Mr.. Nc
Kinley's second Inauguration, Representative
Bell, of Colo, took occasion to put himself on
record as opposing the appropriation OF ono
cent of public money to pay for anything con-
nected with the inauguration show. He
pointed out facts, well known to most of his
hearers, such as the usual profit made by the
local committee having charge of the inaugu.
ration, from the sale of tickets to stands erect
I'd on government reservation, and tickets to
the inaugural bail, held i'll the U. S. Pension
Building. He also called attention very en-.
phatically to the payment OF $4,000 il
salaries to employees of the Pension office for
enforced mondays, maze necessary Dy the deco
ration 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 expenses OF Presidential inaugu-
rations.
DIR. Robert NJ. Coltman, a native oil Washing
ton, who has been a Surgeon in the Chinese
Custom Service for fifteen years, is visiting his
old home. That he hasn't a high opinion OF
Minister Conger may be judged from the fol-
lowing remarks made by him: "Conger is
about as capable as any country farmer would
have been had he been placed III that impor-
tant position. If it had not been for Conger aud
Sir Claude Macdonald, the British Minister.
we would never have had the trouble we did.
They listened to the Chinese Foreign Office,
instead of needing information from their own
trustworthy officials. Conger does not under
stand his business. The government here made
itself the laughing stock CT the other powers
by trying to have negotiations removed from
Pekin, on Conger's recommendation"