The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1902-02-07
MILITIA LEGISLATION.
United States Can Do Little
For State Troops.
CONCERNING CUBAN CONCESSIONS.
Doubtful II the President Will bring
Pressure 60 Bear 20 Secure Them.
senator Morgan an Investigator.
Stewart Favors Expansion.


Stewart Fav.ors Expansion.
WASHINGTON, Feb. s. Especial =
Some members of congress are going
to try to do something with the mill
tia this session, but the prospects are
against accomplishing very much in
that direction. At every session of
congress bills have been introduced
having for their object the improve
ment of the militia of the country.
Sometimes these bills receive a favor
able report from committees, but that
is as far as they ever get. In the reg
ular military appropriation bill there
is carried the sum Of S1,0O0,0O0 to be
divided pro rata among the different
states. This year it is proposed to
double the appropriation, but l am in
clined to think even that will fail. A
convention of militia officers of the
different states was held here for the
purpose of promoting militia legisla-
ton. They prepared their bill, and
Senator Hawley of Connecticut intro
duced it in the senate and Representa-
tive Dick of Ohio in the house. 1t is
a better bill than has heretofore been
before congress, as it is less cumber-
some and does not try to accomplish
too much. The whole difficulty in the
matter Of national legislation for the
militia is that the militia belongs to
the several states. 1t cannot be ma
tionalized without the states losing
control, and that is the cornerstone OF
the militia organizations. Except in
time of war the United States has no
use for the militia, while il quite fire.
quently happens that the states call
out troops to quell disturbances. Aside
from appropriating money for the sup
port of the militia. there is little that
the United States can do for state
troops.
A Matter Of Pressure.
One Of the prominent United States
senators, speaking of the prospects Of
some sort of reciprocity with Cuba,
said that it depended entirely upon the
amount of pressure which the admin
istration would bring to bear on the
Republican members of the house and
especially the majority members Of the
committee on ways and means. AS TO
the senate, it is claimed that it is only
a question of bringing the matter to a
vote, when the concessions TO Cuba will
be granted. While there is not the
least doubt about the desire of the
president and secretary Of war to Sc
cure the concessions, it is very doubt
full whether President Roosevelt will
Ia
of congress save, such as has been done
in his message.
Stewart an Expansionist.
Senator Stewart of Nevada is an ex-
pansionist of the most pronounced
type. Away back in the Sixties said
the senator, Il used to go and see Tom
COrwin, who in his old age came TO
Washington to die. We used to talk
over Il great many matters with which
Corwin was familiar. We made
mistake every time we opposed the
acquisition of territory .COrwin al
ways said when reverting to the party
with which he was affiliated during the
early years of his political life. He
always said that Clay and Webster
territorial acquisition. No country"
added Senator Stewart, "likes to give
up territory, and the United States will
not surrender any. whether it is on the
American continent or islands in the
sea-" The Nevada senator occasional
ly speaks on these lines, but he makes
no more of those long speeches for
which no xUoc onpa fomOy1S
Morgan's Investigations.
Senator Morgan likes to Investigate.
to make inquiries and get information.
He is never quite so happy as when
using the large Interrogation against
an unwilling witness and trying to eX
tract information from those who do
not want to give it. He would have
been a good reporter had he followed
that line. Probably one of the great
est Intellectual duels we have had in
recent years was Morgans cross ex-
animation of Coils L. Huntington
when the Pacific railroad committee
was investigating the subject of the
Pacific reads. Huntington was a man
who pretty thoroughly understood him
self, and he fenced with Morgan for
several days. Now Morgan is investi-
eating the canal question and going
over and over the subject with which
he is so familiar. The men who want
to delay anything in connection with
the canal just raise the question of a
lack of Information and suggest that
certain witnesses shall be called. This
is enough to cause Senator Morgan to
order witnesses before his committee
and ply them with questions.
The information Stored.
There is one thing about Senator
Morgan's Investigations, however, and
that is that when he has completed one
there is no question but what he has
exhausted the subject and extracted all
the information obtainable. And, still
another, he always has that informa-
ton on tap and ready for use whenever
he wants to use It, Another feature OF
his talk is the smooth, easy way I'm