The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-12-24
AFFAIRS IN NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Political News Gathered by Our
Regular Correspondent.

SUS OF Op1NlOQ, WQ6Q congress aQ-
journed on Saturday, was that the
Venezuelan affair was on the highroad
to peaceful settlement and friends OF
the administration were loud in their
praises Of Secretary Hays diplomacy.
It is remarked by democratic states
men, however, that Secretary Hay has
been the gamer by fortunate happen
ings, rather than the director Of
events. The ability of Minister Bowen
has contributed very .4rgely to the
peaceful outcome now anticipated and
the law in the case was clearly stated
some years ago by democratic Secre-
tary of State, Mr.. Olney, who, in his
dispatch of July 20, 1895, apropos of
said, ''It {the Monroe Doctrine) does
not establish any general protectorate
by the United States over other Amer.
ican states. It does not relieve any.
American state from its obligations as
fixed by international law nor prevent
any European power directly interest,"
ed from enforcing such obligations OR,
from inh5cting merited punishment for,
the breach of them IF, therefore,
any particular credit attaches to Nj.
Hay in the present instance it is
because he has, according to persons In
a position to know, restrained the
President, rather than because he has,
established any new precedent or dis
established any new precedent or dis
played exceptional diplomatic ability.
While there was little hope on the
part of the democrats in Congress that:
there would be anyzefecsual antitrust
legislation accomplished at this ses-
sion, it was not anticipated that the
republicans would show their hand
this early. That they have done, how.
ever. and they are now asttering.
themselves there is no further occa-
sion for antagonizing the corporate.
interests which have always contribut-
! ed SO largely to republican success.
When the legislative appropriation bill
| was under consideration in the House,
an amendment was attached thereto
by which $4,000 was appropriated
for the use of the Attorney General
| in prosecuting the trusts under the
| present law. With this liberal amount
to be distributed among the favored
| attorneys Of the party, the republicans
oI6 uOW COnt0uG" AuOy MIL, oAOy SOY
ignore the representations Of Mr.. Knox,
| who, at Pittsburg, expressly outlined
the deficiencies Of the present law.
"GiYe the Attorney General an op-.
portunity to prove his statements be-.
fore amending the law, is the slogan
Of the republicans now, and they
themselves admit that there is very
little likelihood Of anti trust legislation
at the present session. With a view
to barring further anti brRst legisla-
tion in the Senate, Senator Hoar has.
| given notice that he will introduce az
trust bill, but two days after the
notice had been given it was discovered
that the venerable Senator had not
drafted his bill and was not even sure
that he would draw one. His object
is accomplished, however. AS Mr..
Hoar is chairman of the Judiciary.
committee every Senator realizes that
it would be futile for him to offer a
trust measure which would be newt
ably side tracked by the unborn mea-f
sure of the chairman.
The President has forwarded to the
Senate the new Cuban treaty which
allows concession of % per cent from
| the Dingley rates to Cuba in return
for concessions from the Cuban tariff
varying from 20 to 40 per cent, the.
scale being so arranged as to give the
utmost advantage to the already over
protected manufactures and the least
| to the agriculturists of the country.
It is deemed probable that the treaty
will be ratified soon after TIE holidays
and that the House will be asked to
enact such legislation as may be re-
quired to make the treaty effective.
Secretary Hay is still working on the
Colombian treaty but expects that it
Will be completed when Congress re-.
convenes. Under the provisions of the.
convention lump sum of $40, COO. coo
will be paid to Colombia to begin with
and an annual rental hereafter, the
amount of which is still to be deter
mined This amount constitutes the.
one stumbling block to the completion
of the treaty. Colombia demands a
rental of $500, 600 per annum and secre-
| tary Hay regards the amount as ex-
horbitant. Colombia's demand is
based on the claim that she now re-
ceiyes $3.50, 600 from the Panama Rail-
way and other revenues which bring
the total to over $500, 600.
Ex-Secretary Gage is still enedayor-
ing to dictate the financial policy Of
the nation and called at the White
House recently with Mr.. John Fl.
Rhodes, the New York fnancier, WITH
the purpose of impressing his vieo
on the president. Meanwhile, Rsg1;e
sentative Fowler is pressing his 9. .so
ed fnanial bill for passage ~ tIe
House, it having been again ,Asoiaois
reported by Mr.. Fowler's l tohills'tgs. 80
This bill will greatly. eSteno no tae
power of the banks ena'llng SnsM 70
issue currency to the mount OF 20 per
cent of their capital ,iSnou5 oepositlns
for Face to fsle with the old demo.
cratic content5n that the currency OF
the country $ restricted and inelastic,
the bankes desire to remedy these de-
fects h.t in such way that they
shall hive entire control of the elas-
ticitr so that it may be restricted
wb.ilever it suits their purposes and
tlat is the aim of Mr.. Fowler's bill
yb;oh II will he remembered. the re-