The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-03-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.

From our regular correspondent.
WASHINGTON, March 18th, 1902.
AS have previously stated in these
letters the United States is coming to be
regarded more and more, by foreign
nations, as power in the diplomatic
world. The diplomatic receptions of the
Secretary of State, which occur every
Thursday, are more generally attended
than ever before and few hours spent in
the ante-room of the Secretary's reception
room i'll the State Department, will fur
nish an opportunity of seeing practically
all of the ambassadors and ministers
accredited to Washington
Another notable instance of the i'm
portance which this country has attained
in European eyes is the elevation of the
minister from Austria Hungary to the
rank of an ambassador. This will, of
course, be followed by the elevation of the
United States minister TO that country,
Mr. Robert S. Mccormack, 10 a like rank.
The diplomatic and consular bill, which
has Just passed and which carries total
appropriations of approximately $4,000,
600, will make this change possible.
There is at least one person in Washing
ton who does not welcome the increased
importance FROM the European stand
point of the United States, and that is
Miss Alice Roosevelt. Following the
christening Of the meteor" the En-
peror of Germany extended an invitation
to Miss Roosevelt TO visit him on her
proposed trip to Europe at the time of
the coronation of King Edward. As it
would be impossible for Miss Roosevelt to
accept the invitation i'll the purely per-
sonal capacity i'll which she would have
attended the coronation ceremonies, and
as a refusal of the imperial Eospitalites
might have occasioned offense, the young
lady has been compelled to abandon her
European trip entirely for the present.
Miss Roosevelt left Washington this
week for visit to Cuba, where she will
be the guest of Gen. and Mrs. Leonard
Wood, the trip being something of con-
ISOLATION favor in view of the disappoint-
ment which attended the foregoing of the
European visit.
***x*
One of the events of the past week in
the Senate was the passage of the Legs
lative and Executive Appropriation bill,
which carries a total appropriation of
about $25, ooo, ooo. There has been little
attention paid to this bill by the news
papers for the reason that it contains pro-
visions for many sinecures for the pro-
tegees of both political parties, and party
organs are unable to criticise its provis-
ions without running amuck among the
pets of politicians. A mere line stating
that the bill has passed is all that will be
found in the majority of the newspapers.
49,
The Senate is actively engaged in 6is.
cussing the measure popularity known as
the Ship-subsidy Bill" If the bill be.
comes law it will increase the annual
expenses of the government by several
millions of dollars, but the republicans
claim that the advantages to be derived
more than Offset any increase i'll the gov
ernment outlay. The democrats on the
other hand, pronounce the measure an
extravagant and unnecessary form of leg
islation. 1t will be discussed until the
18TH of the month and will be made the
occasion of much lurid oratory on both
sides of the Senate. Senator Hanna has
already broken his long period of silence
to give his views on the subject, and he
presented most striking appearance as
he did so. Mr.. Hanna finds speech
making a stupendous and heating under
taking and when he had concluded his
speech he remarked, hopping his brow,
as he took his seat There ! think that
effort alone earned me my salary for this
session."
The House was occupied last week i'll
debating the question as to whether the
rural mail routes shall be carried by
salaried employees or by those persons
who submit the lowest bids for the work
to be done, and the matter came 10 a vote
on Monday.
There have been presented able argu-
ments on both sides of the question, but
believe that a majority in the Senate
favor the salary system. AT least, all the
Western senators to whom | have talked
on the subject have SO expressed
themselves.
49,
Cuban reciprocity continues TO be
source of trouble to the republicans. The
apprehension that any practical reduction
of the sugar and tobacco schedules in
Cuba's favor will be made the occasion of
amendments by the Senate which will
precipitate a virtual tariff revision all
along the line. leads many of the repub-
lican members, who do not consider the
time ripe for such a revision, 10 vigor,
ously oppose the measure reported by the
Ways and Means Committee. The eau
Gus of Thursday evening was the third
that has been held on the subject and the
members seem to be no nearer an agree
ment than they were at first, while the
President has made it clear that he will
not concede anything from his original