The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1901-01-31
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. %. 100

Statesman 10 cross the extra session
bridge before he gets to it. He has
called the attention of Congress to
the legislation he considers necessary.
Naturally, he would prefer avoiding
an extra session, but he would not al
low his preference to cause him to
shirk his duty. Whether there will
be an extra session depends upon Con-
gress, not upon the President.
Senators and Representatives who
have called at the White House in
the interests of constituents who seek
commissions in the army, under the
organization Act, have been very
plainly informed by the President
that so far as it is possible to do so,
these appointments will be given to
officers and men who have served
with the volunteers in the Philip
pines. This position is such a Just
one that nobody has uttered one word
of protest against it.
The amended Revenue Reduction
bill, which will be taken up by the
Senate this week, makes about the
same reduction in the revenues-$40,-
900, 000-that the House bill did, but
the items differ widely. The Senate
bill reduces the tax on beer to $3.50,
which the House refused by vote to
do.
Rapid progress is being made in
both House and Senate in disposing
of the regular appropriation bills, and
it is not probable that any of them
will fail, whatever other legislation
may be left Enacted upon at the close
of the session.
The lawyer who wins the most cases
naturally gets the most clients. G. A.
Snow and Co., the Washington Patent
Lawyers, get more allowances of pat
ents than any other firm practicing
before the q. S. Patent office-last
year they got 1897, many of which
had been previously rejected.
Senator Depew has received many
congratulations on his speech in fav-
or of the Ship Subsidy bill. Having
been railroad man all his life, he is
thoroughly familiar with the trans
portation of freight both on land and
sea. He cited numerous excellent
reasons why the Subsidy bill should
become law, not the least of which
was contained in these words of his:
1t is estimated that there is paid by
American producers to foreign ship
owners in freight charges. at least
$175,O00,O00, a year. Four per cent
on this would give us an American
Merchant Marine, and the expendi-
ture of much the larger part of this
money in our own country
Before giving up his seat to Senator
Clapp, elected by the Republican
Legislature of Minnesota to succeed
the late Senator Davis, Senator
Towne, the Demo-Pop, who held the
seat a few weeks by gubernatorial
appointment, made political speech
in which all the isIns condemned by
the majority of the voters in the late
campaign were exploited. A resolu-
ton for the independence of the Phil
ippines was made the text for this
wall of woe.
President McKinley's message to
Congress, transmitting report of
Secretary Root, and a report of the
Philippine Commission, on existing
conditions and needs in the islands,
is receiving much attention. 1t con-
cludes with these words II earnest
ly recommend legislation under which
the government of the islands may
have authority to assist in their
peaceful industrial development in
the direction indicated by the Secre-
tary of War" The Philippine Com
mission strongly urges the passage of
the Spooner Philippine bill by Con-
gress, saying of it : Until it's pass
age, no purely central civil govern
ment can be established no public
franchise of any kind granted, and
no substantial investment of private
capital in internal improvements is
possible OF the need of civil laws
in the islands, the report says: 1.-THE
Army has brought the Philippines to
the point where they offer ready
and attractive field for investment
and enterprise, but to make this pos
sible, there must be mining laws,
homestead and land laws, general
transportation laws, banking, and
currency laws" OF the general con
dition the report says, after noting
the favorable effect of the reelection
of President Mckinley From now
on conditions in these islands will
grow steadily better, and however
formidable the difficulties really are.
the possibilities that present them
selves of improving the condition of
the people in education, wealth, COM
fort and in the knowledge of how to
govern themselves, cannot but ava
ken the deepest enthusiasm on the
part of every friend of civilization,
familiar with tho actl1aI conditions :,