The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1902-02-22
Our Washington Letter.
Washington, Feb. ID, 1902.


No grand cotillion in the eastroom
of the White House marked the clos
ing evening of the social season in
Washington, and sadly different was
the eighteenth birthday of Miss Alice
Roosevelt from that which had been
planned earlier in the month. In
stead of a day spent in anticipation
of what promised to be the prettiest
and most enjoyable dancing party of
the year and an evening as its hostess,
Mss Roosevelt spent her birthday
ministering to the wants OF her small
brothers and sister and in anxiously
watching for the bulletins from Gro
ton which told her of her brothers
illness.
While the gloom which pervaded
the White House can hardly be said
to have permeated the city it seems
to have had SOLDERING effect and the
brightness and vivacity which marked
the earlier social affairs was not evil
dent anywhere on Tuesday evening,
and the somber skies which ushered
in Ash-Wednesday seemed IN keeping
with the season. On Monday even
ing occurred the last formal dance of
the season when the Assembly ball
was given at the Arlington. Shroye
Tuesday was marked by society with
only two events of Importance, the
dinner at Williards given in honor of
Senator Depew by tue New York dele
cation in Congress and a dinner at
the Russian Embassy, when the Am
bassador and Countess Cassini enter
tanned large circle of friends.
The events at the Capitol this week
might almost be summed up in two
words-Philippines and butter. The
Senate has devoted almost its entire
time to the consideration of the Phil
ippine question-that is to say, the
Democratic side has devoted the time
while the Republican senator's have
smoked in the cloak rooms and COM
mittee rooms. A brilliant debate be-
tween Senators Hoar and Platt, of
Connecticut, marked the proceedings
on Tuesday and filed the chairs in
the chamber. There were no new
ideas advanced by either senator, but
theft oratory was brilliant and elo-
quent. and proved a. welcome relief
from the monotony which had mark
ed the previous sessions.
The House has thought of little but
butter and oleomargerine all week
and, although the chamber was not
divided upon strict party lines, the
preponderance of the opposition to
the Henry bill was on the Democratic
side. On Tuesday and Wednesday
the bill was considered under the five
minute rule and the debate was highly
entertaining if not instructive. The
Democrats approached very close to
filibustering in their attempts to
amend the bill so as to render its de-
feat inevitable, and some quick and
sparkling repartee was INDUCED in
by both sides of the House. On We'd
nesday the bill Was carried, having
been amended to include provision
for the inspection and branding Of
renovated butter.
The introduction in the House by
Representative Newlands, of Nevada,
of a resolution which invites Cuba to
become annexed to the United States,
has been the occasion of much gossip
and speculation i'm the lobbies and
committee rooms, and there seem to
be good many representatives who
are DESTROYS of seeing the island an
integral part of the United States, al
though it is doubtful if the present
House would be willing to take the
action on Democratic initiative.
1t is held at the other end of the Capt.
tol, however, that the Platt Amend
ment perpetually bars the way toan-
nexation and that all talk in that d.
rection is idle speculation.
Senator Perkins, of California, is
preparing speech in opposition to
any concessions to Cuba at the ex-
pense of the beet sugar interests OF
his State. The senator does not con-
slider that the United States owes
anything to Cuba, nevertheless he is
willing to vote for any measure which
win afford relief ITO neiehbor" pro-
v;ded Il win work no hardship to G