The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1902-01-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent.

WASHINGTON, January 20, 1902.
Perhaps the most important issue for
our diplomats at Washington to wrestle
with, and certainly the most interesting
from politico-diplomatic view, is that of
Chinese exclusion. With Minister WI
and ex-Secretary of State John w. Foster
to plead the cause of the Chinese against
the proposed restrictive legislation that
side of the controversy appears to be far
from talentless Mr.. Foster is one of the
best-known American statesmen, having
presided over the Boring Sea Arbitration
Commission, and having represented
China in her negotiations with Japan at
the close of the Chino. Japanese war. He
appeared before the Senate Committee on
immigration Friday and spoke in opposi-
ton to the exclusion bills, directing his
remarks particularly to the Mitchell or
Pacific coast bill which, he commended, is
a plain violation of our treaty with China.
*~*x*
For many years there has not been as
much entertaining at the capital as al the
present time, and particularly in Execu-
tive circles. Thursday night Congress
paid social homage at the home of the
President, and the occasion marked the
largest evening levee held during the
Roosevelt administration. The Senate
representation was rather light, possibly
because SO many of them had been pres
ent at the diplomatic and judiciary recep-
tions and a number of them, no doubt,
deferred greeting the President socially
until the brilliant army and navy recep-
ton that will bring the social season at
the White House to a close next Thurs.
day night. Mr.. Henry c. Payne, the
new Postmaster General, and Mrs. Payne
made their first public appearance togeth.
er in official society at this reception.
***x*
At the Capitol the trend of affairs has
been significant rather than conclusive.
The legislation regarding the use and
manufacture of oleomargarine is to be re.
ported from the House Committee OH
Agriculture i'll more drastic form than
the Grout bill passed by the House lasi
year. The real fight will come when i,
gets to the floor of the House and the
conflicting interests, all of them claiming
to be in the lines of agricultural industry,
begin to make the fight between "cow
butter" and "steer butter" The cotton.
seed oil industry will also have an interest
at stake. The Urgent Deficiency bill
was passed Friday, with little interest Ia
the debate beyond that caused earlier in
the week by the vote on the clause to
provide shelter for the soldiers in the
Philippines. Although it was a Repub
| lican measure, sixteen Democrats voted
for it, and the action of one of them,
Cummings of New York, supplied a
dramatic touch to the proceedings As
he voted he exclaimed, when l refuse
to vote for the protection of an American
soldier hope may be pafalyzed." In.
terviewed on his remark later he justified
his attitude by saying, ION the spur OF
the moment made the reply that 1 did,
and glory in it the more that l
think of it."
49,
The Navy Department still seems to
hold the center of the stage, or as a
dramatic critic said, "tries to carry the
center Of the stage around with it," Ad-
miral Schley's appeal to the President
has been referred back to the Navy De-
partment for comment" 80 1t gets the
last word in the controversy after ALL
Many of Schleys partisans regret that he
did not let the matter drop after the
Dewey minority report as they say he was
at that time in the best position he could
hope for under present conditions
Another topic of note from the big grey
building next to the White House is the
refusal to retire Captain Hobson of ''Mer-
rimac" fame. He wanted to be relieved
from further active duties on account of
injuries to his eyes. His retirement pay
would be $500 year. This action put
quietus OIL the political plans the young
constructor is said to have had unless he
resigns from the navy altogether. Polit-
ical wise acres said that he intended to
run for Congress from his native state,
Alabama, and that he wanted the retired
pay to live on.