Middletown transcript., 1902-03-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.

| 1 ne past Week III OODSr6Se HAS Uccn
one of exceptional activity. Al
though it has been characterized by nc
exceptionally sensational features the
legislation accomplished bears evidence
of continuous hard work in both cham
bers and is a matter of satisfaction to
the Republicans leaders. The Senate has
passed the ship subsidy, the bill for the
protection of the President and the war
revenue repeal bill. The House of Rep
resentatives devoted the week to the
consideration of the River and Harbor
bill and passed the same on Friday even
ing, devoting itself to the consideration
of private bills on Saturday. To-day the
Senate will take up the anti-oleomarger'
inc bill. The program for the House has
not yet been determined.
So
Although but six Republican votes
were cast against the ship subsidy bill in
the Senate, it is believed that it will de-
velop considerable opposition in the
House. Senator Frye confidently asserts
that it will pass, but other leaders shake
their heads or refuse to commit them
selves and some maintain that it would
be policy to hold the measure over for
action at the short session. On Tuesday
evening the Republican members held
their fifth conference to consider the
subject of Cuban reciprocity and ratified
the policy of the Ways and Means Com.
mittee by considerable majority. Rep
resentative Dalzell said recently: 1--WE
are working almost night and day on the
bill which we hope soon to present to
the House and which We believe will
receive practically unanimous support on
the Republican side of the chamber" Z"
The Michigan delegation has decided to
resist the passage of the bill but it is not
believed that 1t will 60 so far as to join
forces with the Democrats in an attempt
to precipitate general tariff revision. A
leader of the beet sugar forces told me
recently that there would be some sensa-
tions Sprung upon the leaders when
the subject came up for consideration on
the floor Of the House, but declined to
say what they would be. It is known
too, that Representative Roberts is con-
templating the offering of an amendment
which would admit Cuban hides TO the
United States free of duty. Mr.. Roberts
will be urged by the leaders not to COM
plicate the present issue by the introduc-
ton of this amendment but. as he be-
lieves it to be Of vital interest to his con-
stituents to secure q reduction of the
duty on hides, at least 70 some extent,
he has not determined what his course
will be.
~
Senator Burrows, of Michigan. told ne
Saturday that his committee had already
held one meeting to consider the resolu-
tion having for its purpose the amend
msnt Of the constitution. 20 as to permit
the election of senators by popular vote.
The Senator said that the matter should
bs taken up again Tuesday and would be
considered on every Tuesday until the
committee was prepared to report. He
hoped to be able to report at this session.
The Senator expressed himself as believ-
ing it would be discourteous to his col
leagues to utter any opinion at this time,
beyond the statement that be had voted
favorsbly on . similsr proposition when
a member of the House.
~
The Senate made but one important
change in the bill repeating the war rev.
enue taxes and that will doubtless meet
with general approval. 1t consists in |
the tax on "bucket shops"
The Democratic senators presented some |
ingenious arguments against the bill for
the protection of the President but a
number OF them voted for it on its final
passage. As to the general purposes of
the bill, the sentiment of the Senate was
unanimous and the differences of opinion
we're all confined to the methods to be
adopted. There is no likelihood that the
bill will meet with serious opposition in
The House although some Of the Demos
Gratis are preparing opposing speeches de-
,igned to produce good impressions
among their constituents. The River
and Harbor Bill passed the House with
sut division. The total appropriation
carried by the bill amounts to $780,
SSS, ,267.
~
Early in the week the House Commit:
tee on Rules brought in favorable re-
port on the Crumpacker resolution which
authorizes the Speaker to appoint Sc
lect committee to investigate the question
Of congressional representation in its re-
lation to suffrage. This report caused
among the Democrats who
admit that many adult males in the
Southern states are prevented from rot
ing and who appreciate that, were con-
gressional representation based upon the
number of voters, the delegations from
these states would be materially reduced. |
They have attempted to start the cry of |
"force bill, /" although nothing is further
from the intention of Mr.. Crumpacker
aud his. associates in the movement.
While all of the Republicans recognize
the justice OF the movement these are
some who. rather than do anything
which might precipitate sectional ami
mostly, would permit existing conditions
to remain undisturbed and although |
there is little doubt that the Speaker
will appoint the committee there is some
doubt as to the character of the commit
tee's report,
General Miles has produced sensation
in Washington by appearing before the
Senate COMMITTEES on Military Affairs and
testifying in emphatic and caustic terms
against she army reorganization bill of
which Secretary Root is the virtual au-
thor. The General stated that If the
bill became law he would resign and /
that the measure was designed to permit
the extension of q system Of favorism
with which he charged the administra-
ton. When the reports of the Generals
testimony were first made public by the
A.