The Press., 1902-02-27
WASHINGTON LETTER.
washington, Feb. gath, 1909.

washington, Feb. 24th, 1902.
One Of the minor affairs OF the week
was the appearance before the judiciary
committee Of the house of deleg alton
headed by Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait and
her able conseurs of the woman's suffrage
convention. They presented strong argu-
ments for female suffrage and drew roseate
pictures of the publication of political
methods which would follow the enfran-
cbisement OF themselves and their sisters.
On the following day the Woman's Relief
Corps attempted to elect local president
and was obliged to take four ballots, the
first three being thrown out because the
number Of votes exceeded the number of
delegates. Some Of the ungallant MEM
bers of the judiciary committee were in
dulging In many jokes at the good ladies'
expense yesterday, and pointed to "bal-
lot box stufing" as ''the inevitable result
Of female suffrage"
Saturday was celebrated as holiday in
Washington by everyone but the inde-
fatigable senators, who held session to
discuss the Philippine revenue bill, which
will come to a vote at four O'Clock to
day, and is now being debated under the
fifteen minute rule
The house of representatives has been
occupied with the Indian affairs bill,
which passed on Friday. There was a
large amount of routine business con-
nected with the bill which made Its pass
age laborious and tedious affair. Dur
ing its consideration the proceedings Of
the house were sadly lacking In brilliancy.
The real interest In the house during
the past week, however, has not been GEN.
tered in the procedure on the floor of the
chamber, but In the private room of the
ways and means committee, where the
republican members have been wrestling
with the question of reciprocity with
Cuba. AS the result of conference with
the president, Mr.. Payne, the chairman,
has been won over to the side OF Cuba,
and even General Grosvenor has weak
ened. When I spoke to him son the sub
ject some time ago, "Preposterous, pre-
posterous," was all could get him to
say, but when asked him of the pros
poets on Friday he said: ''Icannot talk.
We will have to do something, I suppose;
but ! do not feel in position to say any
thing further on the subject" !" Mr..
Tawney, the republican "whip," whom /
saw after the conference on Friday, said !:
II have not weakened at all. Iadhere
to my original position that will vote
for nothing that will in any way injure
an American industry and that's ali there
Is to it." Mr.. Long OF Kansas brought
CONSERVATION to the opponents Of conces-
sions to Cuba by declaring In favor OF d
40 per cent. reciprocal reduction. Iii
stating his reasons he declared thatstiie
sugar beet production was not natural
industry for the American farmers, that
1t gave employment to women and chill
dren and cheap labor generally, but was
ttoo picayunish" a form of agriculture
ever to appeal to the American concep-
tion Of the farming profession. That a
bill to some extent favorable to Cuban
interests will be reported is, however, the
general belief of the members of the
house.
Thursday marked the publication Of
President Roosevelt's decision In the
Schley case. There was nothing new In
the deductions Of the president, and pub
lie opinion Is as diverse as heretofore,
although the president expresses the hope
that this will settle the matter. There
Is no possibility of the house Of repre-
sentatives doing anything with the reso-
lutions introduced in favor of Admiral
Schley, but there is a bare possibility
that the senate may pass some resolution
expressing its thanks to the admiral for
the victory at Santiago. Secretary Long
will resign In the near future.
The postof1ce department is quietly
but energetically pushing its campaign
against those publications alleged to be
violating the second-class mail regula.
tions, and Postmaster General Payne is
in thorough sympathy with the move-
ment. When I asked him his attitude
one day last week he said: "That mat
ter being In the hands of the third assist
ant postmaster general, do not feel like
discussing it; however, my actions speak
louder than my words, and In every in
stance have confirmed the decisions of
Mr.. Madden. He Is making careful in
vestigation of number Of periodicals
which are suspected of abusing the privi-
lege. When he determines to curtail or
withdraw the privileges Of paper his
decision comes to me for final ratifica-
tion, and have yet to reverse the action
of Mr.. Madden In single instance, from
which think you can Judge how stand
on the subject"