Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-05-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. ADril %. 1902

WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, April %, 1902
The past week in the Senate has been
characterized by a scathing arraigment of
the Republican policy in the Philippine
Island. During the major portion of three
sessions, Senator Rawlins, of Utah, de-
livered speech which set forth the aims
and intentions of the administration and
pointed out how the franchises and special
concessions of the islands were to be farmed
out to administration favorites at the ex-
pense of the Filipino people. On Friday
and Saturday Senator Carmack delivered
brilliant address especially noteworthy for
its demonstration of the inconsistency OF
the President in condemning those who
have defended the rights of the Fiiipinos
and its denunciation of Brigadier Gen
eral Funston whom he described as
the "most valiant captain that ever mar
shalled a dictionary to battle array, the
mightiest Samson that ever welded the
Jawbone OF an ass as weapon Of war.
The unqualified condemnation and the
accompanying bitter sarcasm of the Ten
nessee Senator produced their effect on his
opponents, and there are prospects that
Senator Lodges edict, 'Let the Democrats
do all the talking" will be defied and
that those Senators who will soon be com
PEELED to go before their constituents for re-
election will insist on making some reply
to the charges which have been made against
their spirit of justice and Americ anism
In almost entire support of the Demo
cratic position, has been the testimony
recently taken before the Philippines COM
mittee, and finally the news has come from
Manila that Genl Jacob H. Smith has adj
mitted to the court-martial, before which
he is being tried, that he gave orders to
Major Waller to kill and burn and make
Samar bowling wilderness and that he es-
pecially ordered the killing of a. Filipinos
over ten years of age. As if to substantiate
Democratic claims that the islands have
been the scene of untold outrages, and that
the policy of the administration has Deen
to suppress the facts, continually augmented
evidence has been presented of the use of
the "water cure' and other forms of tor
ture and oppression, in absolute violation
of all the tenets of civilized and enlighten-
ed nation.
Tariff reform will be one of the leading
issues of the next and especially of the next
Presidential campaign, said Senator Money
of Mississippi, yesterday, when / asked him
of the prospects of Cuban reciprocity in the
Senate. ''The Republican party" CON
tinued the Senator, 'dare not reduce the
tariff which it has built up. Great moneyed
interests protest at any reduction because
such. reduction curtails their profits and
these interests are stronger than the party
The removal of the differential on refined
sugar was step in the right direction
TO- IF fIa !,
duced to the material benefit of the people
but the bill was not amended in the House
with the expectation that it would pass,
but rather with the belief that the amend
ment would kill it and there is no chance
for the bill, as amended, in the Senate.
Notwithstanding the fact that many of the
Dingley rates were made purposely high
with view to providing margin for the
negotiation of reciprocity treaties, no treat
les are confirmed by the dominant party, no
reduction of tariff rates is made ard the
people naturally turn to the Democratic
party for relief and they will get it."
Opinion in the Senate is still greatly
divided as to the outcome of the Cuban
reciprocity bill. 1t is now certain that
straight reciprocity bill will be reported,
and, as far as can learn, the Democrats
will try to amend it as was done in the
House That they will be successful is
possible as they are likely to have the sup
port of the Beet Sugar Senators and if they
do so it will probably kill the bill on its
final passage. The present indications are
that the Republican Senators will be salts
fed if they can secure the passage of a
straight bill in the Senate and will permit
it to die in conference with little regret.
s'The Republicans will shed few tears over
the death of the bill in conference, was
the reply of Democratic Senator who is
in a position to know when l questioned
him on the subject Saturday.
The House of Representatives during the
past week has passed the Military Academy
bill and has returned to conference the
Chinese Exclusion and oleomargeIine bills.
1t also attempted to make record on Fri
dav by passing 145 pension bills in a few
hours. The Agricultural appropriation
bill is now under discussion. To-day a
special rule will be reported for the con-
sideration of the Omnibus Public Building
bill which will be taken up tomorrow
The bill authorizes the expenditure OF pub
lie funds in all but two States and carries
total appropriation of SIS, 800, 900. Any
anxiety which may have been felt earlier
in the session as to the surplus IN the
Treasury is rapidly disappearing as this
PROMISES to be a billion and half dollar
Congress.
The constant recurrence Of rumors Of
Senator Hanna's aspirations for the next
Presidential nomination, notwithstanding
fine Senator's gentle denials renders his
political methods particularly interesting
at this time Apparently the Senator from
Ohio is particularly proud OF his reputation
for ssstanding by his friends" standing
by ones friends under fire." | believe it
used to be called in the time Of President
Grant. Two conspicuous examples have
recently attracted public attention, one the
case of Rathbone, the Cuban postal-fund
embezzler, who was found guilty and sem
fenced to long term of Imprisonment.
Senator Hanna even goes so far as to cast
reflection on Gen'l Wood in his efforts to
influence public opinion in favor OF his
ufriend y As candidate for the Presi-
dency, the Senator's course will doubtless
stand him in good stead with certain ele-
meut Of his party Another instance OF
tbis same admirable trait has recently come
TO light in the case of one Harrison Wag-
ner whose military record Senator Hanna
introduced bill to correct. The House
committee which investigated the case
found that numerous forgeries, including a
Senate bill and Senate report, had been
filed by Mr.. Wagner, but doubtless Senator
Hanna will stand by him and it is doubt
full il he will ever be prosecuted.