Middletown transcript., 1901-02-16
Washington Letter.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo
CENATOR sPOONER has offered an
amendment to the Army Appropria-
ton bill, embodying the views of the Re
publican Senators and meeting President
McKinley's wishes as to legislation pro-
viding civil government for the Philip
pines. 1t is short but comprehensive,
giving the President authority 'tfor the
establishment of civil government and
for maintaining and protecting the in
habitants of said islands in the free en-
ioyment of their liberty, property, and
religion; provided that all franchises
granted under authority hereof shall con-
tain a reservation of the right to alter,
amend, or repeal the same" If the De-
mocrats do not filibuster to prevent this
amendment will be adopted. An amend
ment to the same bill is now being pre-
pared by Republican Senators, naming
the conditions under which the President
will be authorized to withdraw our mill
tary authority from Cuba, and will be
submitted this week. 1t is believed by
Republican Senators, that if these two
amendments can be put through, the
necessity for an early extra session of the
next Congress, will be obviated, as the
last named will tell the Cubans exactly
what they must do to get our troops with
drawn, thus meeting the Presidents
wishes that Congress should name the
conditions.
~
1t is little difficult to say whether the
attempt to force vote on the Ship Sub
sidy bill, by holding night sessions last
week, improved the chances of that meas
ure or not. Its supporters express conf
dence that it will be passed at this session,
and it is known that negotiations are
going on looking to an agreement to set
time to taks vote, but its opponents
are still outwardly putting up a stubborn
opposition. The real trouble seems to be
that some of the Republican Senators de-
cline to consider the bill party measure.
They are not opposing it, and if the bill
is voted upon, they will probably vote for
it, but they are not actively trying to
get it to vote, and to that extent are
playing into the hands Of its opponents.
There is considerable talk of the River
and Harbor bill being used as club to
force the opponents of the shipping bill
to allow it to be voted upon. 1t cannot |
be positively stated that this will be done,
but it is fact that the River and Harbor |
bill has not been reported to the Senate, |
and when Senator Macmillan, Chairman !
of the Commerce Committee, which has
charge of it, was asked when it would be
he replied: 'Wait until the |
Ship Subsidy bill is out of the way and I |
will tell you more about it" Another I
Senator expressed the opinion that if the |
Shipping Bill failed, tbs River and Har-
Dor bill would either fail or be cut in |
half.
~
The State Department will take no |
QCIlOQ on tIl6 pTlVdt6 lcJtSE Wr1tIcu ny |
the Chinese minister, criticising Gen. |
Otis, for having applied the Chinese ex-
clusion laws Of the U. 8. to the Philip |
pines, the minister having voluntarily |
called at the Department ard explained |
that the letter was not written for publ |
cation, and that he meant no discourtesy |
either to Gen. Otis or this government. |
He also called attention to the fact that |
he had publicly protested, under instruc-
tions from his government against the ap-
plication of the Chinese exclusion law to |
the Philippines at the time it was done. |
It is fortunate for the Chinese minister
that he is personally popular with the Of
ficials of this government. Had he been |
otherwise, the Otis letter would probably |
have gotten him his walking papers.
-
Senator Thurston has again stated that |
under no circumstances will he allow his |
name to be used to break the deadlock in |
the Nebraska legislature. He says it is |
absolutely necessary for him to resume |
his law practice and make some money, |
and that he could not be induced to re-
main in tie Senate six years longer.
There is quite tangle in the House /
over the Senate amendments to the Reve-i