Milford chronicle., 1902-04-04
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Monday, March 81, 1902.

On Thursday the House of Rep |
resentarives passed the Army APP |
preparation bill; Friday was devo-
ted to the consideration of pension
bills; Saturday, to the Revenue
Cutter service, and today Chairman
Cannon will call up the Sundry
Civil bill which was reported by
his committee on Friday. This
bill includes, among many others,
provisions for $50, 900 for the Chick
amauga and Chattanooga Park,
$50, 900 for the purchase of a por-
trait OF the late President, 500, 900
for the Vicksburg Military Park,
and appropriations for numerous
public buildings.
The sensation of the week in
Congress was the introduction by
Representative Richardson, the
Democratic leader, Of a series of
resolutions calling for the investi-
CATION of alleged charges based
upon what purports to be the Sc
cret report of one Captain Christ
mas, an alleged agent Of the Dan
ish government, in which Christ
mas maintains that he has made
provision for the payment in brides
of 10 per cent of the purchase price
of the Danish West Indies. The
resolutions produced a great sensa-
ton i'll the House, as they were ev-
identity intended to do, and they
were unanimously adopted. Spea-
ker Henderson Immediately appoin-
ted an investigating committee.
A Republican Senator who stands
very close to the administration
expressed himself as follows wher
I asked him for his opinion: 81 an
glad that Mr.. Richardson has ia
ken this action. have no doub
but that he intended to make pc
litical capital out of it, and in tina
he will fail. Nevertheless, will
such a document as this report o
Captain Christmas in the possession
of the press there were sure to b.
numerous filings at the action ofth
Senate in ratifying the Danisl
treaty. This investigation will
clear up the thing and leave n
ground on which to base such in
situations. I presume some of tn
Senators whose names are men
toned in the report will ask that
Senate investigating committee b
also appointed. The whole stor
will be sifted to the bottom. It
my opinion that this Christmas wa
an adventurer who, having bee
dismissed from the Danish army
sought to make capital with h
government and secure his reir
statement by promoting what tt
United Stated has for some tin
desired, the purchase of the Dal
ish Islands. HeCame to this coui
try with the preconceived idea tn;
political conditions were corrup
and he found plenty of people wi
were very ready to coincide Wi
his views so long as he would p;
their expenses. They-were not,
course, members of Congress but,
you will see by his report, claim,
to be able to influence Congress
ional votes. In the slang of Il
day the captain was "a small-calib
tenderfoot He fell among THEY
and was played for a sucker, Tht
l believe, is all there is to it. /
was never officially commission
by his own government or by tn
The Danish Minister practical
repudiated him and now he is II
ing to recover some of the mon
out of which he was buncoed
certain alleged lobbyists.
The President sent to Conerc
on Thursday a message in viii
he announces the date of the
stallation of the Cuban governme
and asks for appropriations for t
establishment of a consular a
diplomatic service in the islar
The President recommends a sala
of $4,000 for a minister to Gu
and that other offices be institut
which will call for an aggregi
salary list of $24, 900, including Il
of the minister. He points out Il
by wise legislation the market
American products in the Isla
can be greatly increased, but NAL
no direct reference to the questi
of reciprocity.
A certain amount of anxiety
veloped in the Ways and Mea
Committee last week when it "
discovered that without the vote
Representative Babcock, who
been seriously i'll, the commit
would be unable to report to
House the reciprocity meast
which it has been preparing. n