The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-06-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.

afternoon. A penetrating, but by no
means musical, voice was declaiming on
the advantages of the Panama route for
an isthnlian canal, as contrasted with the
route. Close observation re-
vealed the fact that the voice enianated
from rotund gentleman with no neck to
speak of, who was seated in the center of
a group of perhaps twenty senators. On
the right of the speaker, who frequently
mopped his expansive brow, was young
man who handed to him, from time to
time, the papers to which he referred in
his speech. On his left stood a page with
a glass of water and fan. The stout
gentleman, who seemed to be laboring
was Senator Marcus A.
Hanna and he was attempting to refute
the able argument which Senator Mitch
ell of Oregon had presented the day be-
fore in favor of building the proposed
canal across Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
Owing to his rheumatic leg he addressed
the Senate sitting. The debate on the
canal was begun i'll the Senate iumedi-
ately after the Philippine bill was dis
posed of and as yet shows no sign of
abatement. The concensus of opinion
seems to. be that the Spooner resolution,
instructing the President TO examine into
the title of the Panama Company's prop
erty and purchase it if he deems the title
good, will be adopted. The resolution
further instructs the President, if he
should conclude that the title to the Pan
anna property is not good, to begin work
on the Nicaraguan route. What the
House would do, should the Senate sub
stitute the Spooner resolution for the Hep
burn bill, passed by the former body, is
hard to tell, but it is feared that the pas
sage of the Spooner resolution would re-
suit in deadlock which would not be
removed at this session. There is really
no great enthusiasm for canal legislation
in the Senate, and it is generally admit
ted that had Senator Plat been ready to
report the Cuban reciprocity bill when
the Philippine bill was passed the canal
would have been permitted to remain in
committee until next session.
~.
When the Philippine bill passed, one
week ago. by vote Of 4S to 80, Senator
Plat was not ready to report Cuban
bill and, in fact, he is not ready yet
Thirteen republican senators have allied
themselves against any concessions to
Cuba which will cost the beet sugar man
ufacturers anything. These senators, who
have been nicknamed 'Elkins' BOXERS"
have refused every inducement TO recede
from their position and until they do
there is no hope of reciprocal legislation
without democratic help, of which the
republican leaders refuse to avail them
selves. There is possibility that the
President will send special message TO
Congress on the subject for he regards
the duty of the United States to so legis-
late as TO insure Cuban prosperity, as
equally binding with the pledge made by
the United States to grant Cuba ultimate
freedom. Any form of rebate Mr.. Roose-
welt believes to be unconstitutional and
he further states that such legislation
would result in future complications
which must inevitably end in annexation
Xxx
The past week in the House has been
devoted to the bill for the protection of
the President. Numerous and diverse
have been the opinions of the legal lights
of the lower chamber on the provisions
of the bill but as was deemed likely
when voted OH Monday it passed
without material amendment It was
followed by Representative Lacey's bill
transferring the care of the forest reserves
from the Secretary of the Interior to the
Secretary of Agriculture and it is expected
that the bill will be followed by the Irri-
CATION bill. There is little doubt that the
irrigation bill will pass the House and if
it does it will represent the most success.
full engineering of legislative action that
the House has witnessed in many years.
When the bill first GANG oyer from the
Senate it had few friends in the House
and it was generally predicted that it
would fail but Representative Mondell
of Utah, on the republican side, and Rep.
resentative Newlands on the democratic,
have accomplished wonders and despite
the opposition of the leaders have won
friends to the bill until now its success is
assured.
w
The bill providing for the preservation
of the fur-seal herd of Alaska "by its dec.
imation," which has recently been re-
ported favorably to the House by the
Ways and Means Committee, is not at
tracing the attention which it deserves
A gentleman who is familiar with the
conditions on the FribilQf Islands from
actual experience, assures me that the
reduction Of the seal herd by the slauph-
ter of all but 10000 individuals, which is
provided for in the bill, cannot but result
disastrously, and be AYERS that the men,
bers of the Ways and Means Committee
have been misled by the representations
of Professor" Elliott who appeared as
the chief advocate of the measure. Per-
SONS who are familiar with the conditions
prevailing on the islands and who agree
with my informant should communicate
with the Committee named before a step
has been taken which may prove the
death knell of the seal herd
~
The Association Of Military Surgeons of
the United States has been holding its
annual convention in Washington the
past week and has resulted in bringing to-