West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-01-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Ship Subsidy Scheme Mill
stono Around the Neck Of
the Republican Party.
Acknowledgement Corbln Trying to
Dust Gen. Miles From the Com
mand or the Army.
rom our Regular Correspondenl.

WASHINGTON, Ian. 2o, 1901. -
Democratic Senators are now called
upon TO decide whether the Ship
Subsidy Bill, which is again the
"unfnished business" of the Senate,
shall pass or shall fail to reach a
vote. 1t is admitted by friends and
foes of the bill that if the Demo-
Gratis choose they can easily prevent
its being voted upon. The course
of the Democrats is not yet certain.
There are two sides TO the question.
Some contend that on general prin-
ciples it is the duty of the Demo
cratic and Populist Senators, as
representatives of the people, to
defeat such vicious bill, while
others are equally confident that as
a matter of party policy the Demo-
Gratis ought not to stand in the way
of placing such milestone around
the neck of the Republican party as
this subsidy bill would be likely to
prove, if allowed to become a law.
There is some talk OF a caucus to
decide what shall be the Democratic
policy toward this bill.
I ! !
Gen. Miles can thank his personal
friends in the Senate for the dis
covery in time TO defeat it, of a
scheme to depose him from the
command of the army, under the
Army Reorganization Bill. That
bill as Adjutant- General Corbin,
whose hatred of Gen. Miles is widely
known, specially provid e d
that the present Adjutant-
General should be retained and with
the same rank, but in providing for
the appointment of Lieut.. Gen.
who should have command of the
army, the appointment was left wide
open. The scheme first became
known by friends of Gen. Otis and
Gen. Brooke, seeking Senatorial
support for the nomination Of one
or the other to be a Lieut. Gen.
Fortunately the nomination has to
be confirmed by the Senate which
would never have consented TO such
a low down trick being played upon
Gen. Miles, even had il not been
made impossible by an amendment
added to the bill in conference.
/ / /
1t is customary for Senators who
indulge in bad language toward each
other to apologize to the Senate, if
not, to the blackguarded Senator,
but Senator Hawley has made no
apology for having called Senator
Chandler liar at the secret session
of the Senate that confirmed the
nomination of Justice Harlan's son
to be Attorney General of Porto
Rico, several days ago. The Incl
dent was brought about by the read
ing from pamphlet written by
Chandler, twenty years ago by
Senator Pettigrew, of statement
that Justice Harlan was given his
place on the bench for work done
as member of political commits
sion sent to Louisiana by Hayes, and
that Hawley, who was a member
or the same commission, was to
have received the appointment of
U. S. Commissioner to the Paris
Exposition of 1873 as reward for
his work, but declined it because it
didn't carry enough salary. Chanler's
only reply was that Hawley's age
and irresponsibilty prevented his
feeling any resentment, and that he
stood by his original statement.
Chambers strong point is not re-
sentiment of personal insults. Toe
Blackburn once tweaked his nose in
committee room, in the presence
of seven or eight Senator's and he
didn't even make an effort to resent
the insult.
III
Inviting sons of ex Presidents to
be assistant marshals of inaugural
parades is an old custom, but those