The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1902-11-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
washington. November II. 100

WaSul0SGOus NOV0u1uOE lts AoOss
A 1u1or has been started In Washing
ton this week, apropose Of the speaker
ship contest, which is attracting wide
spread attention, both as curiosity and
as possible factor In the struggle for
craftsmanship of the house Of Representa-
tives It has been discovered that, under
the constitution, the speaker Of the house
need not be member. He may be elect
ed from private life. No sooner was the
discovery made than 1t was suggested
that 1t would be an appropriate token OF
their respect and esteem for the republi-
can members to elect General Henderson
speaker OF the fifty-eight congress, not
withstanding the fact that he will not be
q member of that body. Whether this
suggestion was put forward simply as q
feeier, at the behest OF Gen. Henderson,
himself, or whether 1t is merely the idea
Of some of the speakers ardent admirers,
Of whom he has host In Washington, Ia
not known. The possibility, however, II
sfoilowed up by even moderate campaign
In behalf Of Gen. Henderson's claims,
will serve to still further complicate the
situation and render the coming session
even more interesting than was antici-
pated.
There is good deal of comment among
the veteran members coming to Washing
ton on the youthfulness of the members
elect of the fifty-eight congress, and they
cite the New York delegation as an illus
tration of the extent to which the people
are, in these days, departing from the
adage, "Old men for counsel" With the
youngest president In the. white house
that the country has ever had, the next
house OF representatives will show the
youngest body OF men ever selected to
legislate on the affairs of the nation. 1t
has been said that the senate, however,
would not be affected by this craze for
young men, but the older members point
to Beveredge, Bailey, Culberson, and
others, as an evidence that the young
men are crowding the 'graybeards' out,
even there.
With remarkable expedition the treaty
with Colombia, providing for the con-
struction of the Panama canal, has been
brought to conclusion and the conven-
tion will be duly sighed by Secretary Hay
and Minister Concha to-day. The secre-
tafy says that he regards the arrange
ment made as most favorable to the
United States, and he expects its prompt
ratification by the senate.
The copy Of the Cuban treaty has been
received In Washington and, while the
terms are not altogether satisfactory to
the administration, Secretary Hay still
hopes to secure the necessary modifica
tion SO that it will be In shape to present
to congress when II convenes two weeks
hence. It may be said that the Cuban
government, emboldened by the shortage
10 the sugar supply of the world, and the
increased price resulting therefrom, de-
mands larger discount from the Dingley
tariff rates than the administration feels
justified la asking congress to allow, but
General Bliss has gone to Cuba and will
attempt. to convince President Palma
that to demand too much is likely to de-
feat the treaty, which would prove a dis
appointment to the president and serl-
GUS injury to Cuba.
lt is becoming more and more evident
that there will be no change In the tariff
schedules during the coming session.
The republican leaders who are arriving
in Washington all say that there will be
no time to even ''think of tariff revision,'
during the short session. General Gros-
venor, who has returned for the winter, is
most emphatic In this opinion. 1t must
be remembered that the elections have In
no way changed the organization of the
house and will have no effect until the
next congress convenes, therefore, with
the speaker and a majority of the ways
and means committee bitterly opposed to
any revision, those members who do fa-
vor such policy will be given no opportu-
nifty to do more than present bills, which
will be promptly REFERRED to the commit
tee named and there smothered.
That there will be no trust legislation
Is not SO sure. Some of the prominent
financeers Of the country are becoming
alarmed at the. situation, What they re-
gard as especially dangerous to the finan-
cial stability of the country is the organi-
zation of trusts and the floating of trust
stocks based on information which is
neither comprehensive nor reliable. The
market to-day, they say, might be utterly
ruined by the breaking of few large In
industrial corporations, and 1t Is impossi-
BILE to secure any definite Information In
regard to many whose stocks are daily
bought and sold on the market. This
line of argument is In entire accordance
with the message sent to congress last
year by the president, and 1t is regarded
as more than possible that some enact
ment forcing publicity on the so-called
trusts will be placed on the statutes al
the coming session.
The officials Of the navy department
are greatly interested In the reports being
received Of the effectiveness of the new
torpedo boat, the Adder. According to
these reports the Adder made a run oil
two miles In one direction, turned with
the greatest celerity and returned to the
starting point and Immediately on Its ar
| rival there fred a tornado which came