Middletown transcript., 1902-03-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.

llppine ta1H Dill at four o CLOCK lilc alteI
noon and all who desired to speak on th'
subject were requested to govern them
selves accordingly. Senators Bate
Spooner and Patterson have been the
leading speakers Of the past week ant
the final hours of the consideration o
the bill have been replete with interest
With remarkable versatility Senator
Spooner analyzed the more important
claims of his Democratic colleagues and
ridiculed their lack of logic with keen,
ness seldom equalled. At times he was
interrupted by the Democrats and per
mitted every interruption and answered
every objection with directness and
frankness which rapidly diminished the
desire of the Democratic senators to ex-
pose themselves to the keen shafts with
which their sophistries were met.
#x*
Earlier in the week the Senate srs-
pended the consideration of the Philip
pine bill long enough to pass the perna-
nent census bill and to ratify the treaty
with Denmark which transfers to the
United States the Danish West Indies.
An amusing incident occurred when SEN
ator Wellington was speaking on the
Philippine question. EVERY one," said
the Senator, lis familiar with those STIR
ring lines-" then he stopped short,
turned red, and was finally obliged
to search through the papers on his desk.
Having found the quotation he proceeded
to read,
"When freedom on her mountain
height
''Unfnrled her standard in the air."
etc.
50
Having disposed of the war revenue
repeal bill the House of Representatives
turned its attention to the Indian Affairs
bill and spent several tedious sessions in
its consideration. During the considera-
tion of this measure the Speaker per-
mitted the discussion to range over
number of subjects and the remarks of
Representative Wheeler of Kentucky,
chronicled last week, were freely COM
mented on. Mr.. Boutell of Illinois,
made, perhaps, the wittiest reply to Mr..
Wheeler and one that drew frequent
applause from the Republican side. Mr..
Corliss of Michigan, also took occasion to
present his views on the question of
Pacific cable, the government ownership
of which he warmly advocates. Speak
ing to your correspondent OH the SUBJ
ject, Mr.. Corliss said, Monday: The
United States should profit by the ex.
ample of other nations. England has
for the past fifty years been acquiring,
by purchase and construction, cable
communication with her vast possessions
until she has expended upwards of hun
dreds of milliensfof dollars for this pur-
pose and she operates her own cables
connecting colonies. She is now con-
structing a cable from Vancouver to
Australia at cost of nearly nine million
dollars and, in order to give her trades.
men and manufacturers the benefit of
this communication at the least possible
cost, has fixed rate of fifty cents per
word from Vancouver to New Zealand.
-
On Friday the Indian bill was passed
and the consideration of private claims
was taken up. Thechief interest in the
House at this writing centers in the
Ways and Means Committee where those
members who are recognized as the party
leaders are considering the question of
reciprocity with Cuba. Mr.. Payne, who
was originally opposed to such measure,
has been won over by the arguments of
the President and now fayors reasonable
reciprocity General Grosvenor of Ohio,
who was formerly antogonistic and pro-
nounced the agitation "preposterous'
has conceded that some measure will
probably be framed by the Committee.
Mr.. Dalzell Of Pennsylvania, tells me
that he will support any reasonable
measure that will not inflict serious in
jury to American interests. Mr.. Tawney
declares that he is firm in his original
position, and that he will vote for no
measure unless he is assured it will not
iljure, in the least degree, any American
interest. Some measure which will re-
lieye Cuba's condition will be adopted,
but it is impossible to determine at this
writing how long the Committee will
take to arrive at the end.
~
1 called on Postmaster General Payne
Saturday and asked him if he would con-
firm the statement that hereafter it
woulN be the policy of the administra-
ton to remove fourth class postmasters
only "for cause.'' t'There is nothing in
the law" replied Mr.. Payne, ''to war
rant the removal of postmasters at the
end Of four years and 1 see no good rea-
son for so doing" But Mr.. Payne, 81
said sis it not fact that the postmaster
ships are regarded as the special perqais-
ties of the local organizations, and will
not this radical departure from time
honored custom iniure the party?'
'eThey may have been regarded as per-
quisites," said Mr.. Payne, "but see no
reason for removing postmaster unless
the interests of the administration, good
politics or good government demand it."
"You mention good politics; would not
the fact that the local organization, or
the Congressman Of the district, regarded
the removal of the incumbent and the
appointment of another as essential to
the success Of the party come under the
- i Il t..ood .,oI;Aios,0 u n.Lnd ttNIn I