The citizen., 1902-12-26
FROM THE CAPITAL.
Our Correspondent Talks in
General About Wash
ington.
(Communicated).
W ASHINGTON,

Dec. %, 1902.
The cOncescus of opinion, when
Congress adjourned on Saturday,
was that the Venezuelan affair
was on the highroad to peaceful
settlement and friends of the ad.
miniStration were loud in their
praises of Secretary Hays diplo-
macy. 1t is remarked by Demo
cratic statesmen, however, that
Secretary Hay has been the gamer
by fortunate happenings, rather
than the director of events. The
ability of Minister Bowen has
contributed ~ery largely to the
peaceful outcome now anticipated
and the law in the case was
clearly stated some years ago by
"a Democratic Secretary of State,
Mr.. Oluey. who, in his dispatch
Of July 20, 1895, aprOpos of the
Venezuelan boundary dispute,
said: .It (the Monroe Doctrine)
does not establish any general
protectorate by the United States
over other American States. 1t
does not relieve any American
State from its obligations as fixed
by international law, nor prevent
any European power directly in
tereSted from enforcing such obli-
cations or from int1icting merited
punishment for the breach OF
them" If, therefore, any partic
ular credit attaches to Mr.. Hay
in the present instance it is be-
cause he has, according TO persons
in a position to know, restrained
the .iiugo sentiments and inten-
tions of the President, rather than
because he has established any
new precedent or displayed eX-
ceptional diplomatic ability.
While there was little hope oa
the part Of the Democrats in Con
gress that here would be any et-
fectual anti trust legislation ac.
complished at this session, 1t was
not anticipated that the Republl,
cans would show their hand this
early. This they have done, how
ever, ana they are now tlatterlng
themselves there is no further oc-
caSion for antagonizing the cor,
porate interests which have al
ways contributed so largely to
Republican success. When the
Legislative appropriation bill was
under consideration III the House,
an amendment was attached
thereto by which $500, 900 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 Re
publicanS are now content. They
will, they say. ignore The repre-
sentationS OF Mr.. Knox. who, at
Pittsburg. expressly outlined the
deficiencies of the present law.
"Give the Attorney General an
opportunity to prove his state
ments before amending the law, "
is the slogan of the Republicans
now aud they themselves admit
that. there is very little likelihood
of anti trust legislation at the
present session. With a view to
barring further anti trust legis-
latiOn in the Senate, Senator
Hoar has given notice that he will
introduce a 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 OBJ
ject is accomplished however.
AS Mr.. Hoar is chairman of the
Judiciary Committee every Sena-
tor realizes that it would be futile
for him to offer a trust measure
which would be inevitably side.
tracked by the unborn measure OF
the chairman,
The President has forwarded to
the Senate the new Cuban treaty
which allows a 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 ol
the country. 1t is deemed prob
able that the treaty will be rati
fed soon after the holidays and
that the House will be asked tC
enact such legislation as may be
required to make the treaty etfec
| tive
Secretary Hay is still working
on the Colombian treaty but ex
poets that it will be completed
when Congress reconvenes. Un