The Opelousas courier., 1902-02-15
Washington, ID. g., News.
From our Regular Correspondent.


| From our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 1902.
There exists peculiar situation
in the House of Representatives,
and that chamber appears to be
bent upon amply demonstrating to
the country that with u Republican
majority and the Reed rules it is a
thoroughly impotent and irrespon-
sible body. Even the President
has ceased to urge his wishes upon
the Lower House and has concen-
trated his efforts upon the Senate,
where there seems to be every rea-
son to believe that they have proved
effective. The ecent,statements of
Senator Platt of Connecticut, chair
man Of the Committee Oh Relations
with Cuba, and Senator Proctor, of
Vermont, are regarded not only AS
Indicative of the attitude of the
Senate on the Cuban reciprocity,
but as threat that if the House
does not pursue reasonable course
the Senate will disregard it and
effect the desired reciprocal rela-
tions by means of q treaty.
The excessive fear, inspired by
the attack of Representative Bah
cock upon that portion of the Ding
ley tariff bill which serves to aug
ment the immense profits of the
Steel Trust seems to have paralized
the Ways and Means Committee,
and that body is afraid to report
any measure granting reciprocity
to Cuba because of Mr.. Babcock's
announced intention to move the
amendment of the bill to secure a
modicum of tariff reform. While
the Ways and Means Committee is
dominated by the extreme protec-
ZIONIST view, such is not true of the
entire House, and q Republican
member, who would not permit me
to use his name, said yesterday:
'The situation is the most distress
ing to the most progressive Repub-
licans. They appreciate the truth
of Senator Platt's statement that
protection is likely Ito suffer most
in the house of it's frieuds,' and they
realize that il the Democrats have
the foresight to drop their 'anti-ex-
pansion' theories and go before the
country on a straight tariff reform
platform they will make serious in
roads in our ranks. Our only hope
is that the Democratic propensity
to bIunder will lead them to adopt
santi-expansion' as their slogan in
stead of tariff reform.'" The speak
er was an astute Western Repnbli-
can. who may be counted upon to
know the situation in his own sec,
| tion at least. .
! The Republicans ere holding a
perfect love feast in the Senate
committee on the Philippines over
| the testimony of Judge Taft in re
gard to- conditions in the islands
1t never seems to occur to them
that gentleman who is drawing a
salary of $4,000 per annum fol
governing the ''colony"' is most
| likely to see the rosy side of the
situation. Without impugning Mr.
TafU's sincerity, it is reasonable tt
assume that from his inagnifcentlN
furnished Offices in Manila,1 ane
! lsurrounded by the members of &
commission all handsomely recon
pensed for their services, thing'
may look very bright in the Philip
pines, AS % matter of fact, how
ever, there are others, perhap
equally competent to testify, man.
of them officers who have penetra
ted into the strongholds of the in
surrections, who do not regard tn
situation from the same hopeful ant
, complacent standpoint as does Gov
Taft.
4 Representative Newlands, of Ne
: vada, has introduced q resolution i
1 the House providing for the collet
ton of three-f -fourths of the Dingle
rates on Cuban sugar and tobacc
in consideration of reciprocal cor
cessions from Cuba, and conclude
: with an invitation to Cuba to com
!, into the United States under a te
ritorial form of government an
with the proviso that statehood wi
: be granted when, in the judgmel
: of Congress, it seems advisabl
g MIR. Newiands deems such a cOurs
). the most expedient solution of I'll
Cuban problem. Speaking of til
e matter he told me that he had L
'- reason for waiting until the Cubal
had formed powerful political orga
izations, the members of whit
s. would expect to derive their live
hood from politics and would ther
fore oppose annexation before i
g viting the island to come into Il
United States. sUnder annexation