The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-08-20
Washington Letter.

the TSGluc8GlOn OF 3 treaty WHICH uc
has negoti lated with Cuba is regarded
BY leading Democrats as another eyi-
dence OF the autocraGic attitude OF the
President, Mr.. Roosevelt, ever since
his accession to the presidency has
shown disposition 20 regard his Office
of an importance not warranted by the
Constitution and to eliminate Congress
in every instance possible. Now ne
proposes to eliminate the House OF
Representative from participation In
legislation which is clearly its preroga-
tive. The Constitution expressly states
that in all revenue producing measures
the House must take the initiative and
reciprocity treaty is only revenue
measure in different form. However,
thesAouse refused to yield to the'Wish-
es OF the Executive during the last
session, and now that the President
believes he can control sufficient votes
in the Senate to carry out his purpose,
he proposes to ignore the House entire
II. His belief is likely to receive a
severe shock, however, say certain
prominent Democrats. 1t will be nee
essary for him to secure the support
Of several Democratic senators to effect
the ratification OF the Cuban treaty
and 1t is not likely that Democrats,
regardless of their views in regard to
the merits of the treaty itself can be
persuaded to vote for its ratification
when BY SO doing they would be stnl-
tifying the express provisions of the
Constitution. In the words of prom
inent Democrat. who is in Washing
ton, '.The President has calculated
without his host. =
Representative Livingston, who stop
ned off in Washington on his way to
Maine, where he viii take the stump
for the Democratic party, predicts
that tia there will be deficit the coun-
try's finances for the fiscal yearof s4e,-
GOO, 600. He places the expenditures au-
thorized y Cobngress at 81, O49, 00G, 600
and the same Congress repealed the
war revenue tax bill Therefore, ne
saws. the expenditures Will exceed the
receipts by SAG, 600, 600. This he be-
lieves viii be hailed with Joy by the
bankers for it will mean bond issue
which will enable them to predicate an
increased circulation, without paying
the high premiums which United
States bonds are now commanding.
He saws that the Administration will
issue bonds and attempt to make the
people believe that they are issued IN
order to meet demand for Govern
ment securities which arise as result
of the extreme prosperity Of the coun-
try. It is not considered likely. how
ever. that the Government will find it
necessary to issue bonds for the espe-
cial purpose of meeting deficit. An
issue of bonds is provided for by the
SDooner resolution authorizing the
construction of the Panama Canal, and
already the officials are counting on
that issue to help out the Secretary in
his efforts to meet the deficit. There
is little doubt but that Senator Spoon
er had been requested by the Admins
tration to provide for that bond issue
of s130, 600, 600 for that very purpose:
There is reason to believe that the
long anticipated "shake-up" in the
Treasury Department is about to take
place. It is claimed, by those in
a position to know, that Assistant
Secretary Spaulding will go out very
soon and that his successor has been
decided upon. Assistant Secretary
Allies is also talked of as likely to be
asked for his resignation. General
Spaulding, it is said, will be " taken
care of,, in some other and less impor-
tant position within the Department.
A new appraiser is to be appointed
for the port of New York, and rumor
has it that the appointment will go to
William D. Bynum Of Indiana. Ihe
minor clerks of the Treasury Depart
ment have received severe shaking
up'' of late by the Inauguration OF
new methods by the Secretary and they
are bewalling the fact that this is a
"strenuous administration" Under
the new rulings, the work of the De
partment must be kept up to date,
letters must be answered the same day
that they are received, and work must
be done in businesslike manner and
not on the old gossipy, get-lt done
when-it' convenient manner which
has characterized the Departmentin the
past. The change is appalling to
many of the ancient employees Of the
Department who foresee doom for they
have too long followed the old way to
Oe CRpaDle VI dudpetAS oao!iAS'oi.S "
the new, and their chiefs will be
! obliged to recommend them for dis
missal because they cannot keep up
with the pace set by the man from
Iowa.
Senator Wellington of Maryland,
who was in Washington recently,
stated that he strongly advocated a
constitutional amendment which
would extend the presidential term to
six years and make it impossible for
any man to serve second terra. He
said that the President had more
power than the Gar of Russia, by
virtue of the patronage which is at his
disposal, and that no man could be
elected president and resist the temp
tation to use that power to further his