Middletown transcript., 1902-03-15
WASHINGTON LETTER.

10 tn6 c0nSidefatlDn OF the Dill t0ITu
mote Commerce, popularity known a
the ship subsidy bin, aud the bilEfor th
defense of the President, the former Q
which Is the regular "order Of business
and on which vote will be taken on th'
18th inst. The discussion SO far ha
been characterized BY an able presenta
ton of the merits Of the measure b.
Senator Frye and a speech by Senator
Hanna, whose plain, business-ike state
mentof the advantages to be derived By
it was exceptionally forcible. Senator
Clay, Of Georgia. opposed the bill in .
speech which lasted four hours but which
was largely repetition Of the oft-refuted
arguments presented by the Democrats
when the bill was considered BY the last
Congress. Senator Bacon has also ar
Igued against the bill for the defence Of
the President, claiming that the measure
is an extension of the law regarding trea-
son and therefore outside the province Of
Congress.
The House of Representatives las
been the scene Of an interesting and
spirited debate on the bill providing for
the substitution OF the contract for the
salary basis in the management OF the
rural free delivery. Party lines have not
been drawn in the contest but much feel
ing has been displayed and it is impos-
sible to tell what will be the outcome.
The vote will take place to-day and there
is considerable likelihood that the Com
mittee on postofices and post roads will
be instructed to report a revised bill
maintaining the service on the salary
basis. Representative Newlands OF Ne
vada, Williams Of Mississippi, and sew
eral other Democrats have told me that
they favor the contract feature. Repre-
sentative Swanson, prominent Demo-
cratic member, is the author of the min
ority report which condems the change,
and there are large number of Repub.
licans who support his view of the mat
ter. Among the latter is Representative
Hedge of Iowa, who tells me that while
he at first approved OF the bill az re-
ported he now favors change. aAs
whole" said Mr.. Hedge, 81 regard the
bill as distinct advance for the cause of
rural free delivery. 1t defines it and |
brings it down to system whereas,
heretofore, Congress has merely appro-
priated money for the service and has |
left its expenditure entirely at the discre-
ton Of the Postmaster General. There |
is no noubt but that the bill will carry |
when it comes to vote though it seems
quite probable that it will be so amended |
as to provide for the employment of car
riers on regular salary" Mr.. Hedge,
by the way, is opposed to any revision of |
the tariff and confidently predicts that |
none will be undertaken at this session
of Congress. ''The people OF my State,
che said, "are quite contented to let well
enough alone. We are enjoying excep-
tional prosperity and desire no change"
~
The third caucus held by the Republi-
cans of the House on Thursday evening
did not result in any decision on the
question of doing something for Cuba.
The floor, throughout the evening, was
occupied by the friends of the Ways and
end Moons uoaocura b,,f No ,,oko ,,,ax, i
taken and the caucus adjourned to meet
again tomorrow evening. When I saw |
Mr.. Tawney, Of Minnesota, who is the
leading spirit of the opposition to the
measure, lie said. '.We are not particu-
larly anxious that the substitute bill |
which offered should be adopted. We
are chiefly concerned in preserving the
traditions and good faith of the Repub-
liean party. The party has promised pro-
lection to the beet sugar producers and |
the tobacco growers and those promises
were made long before any promises
could possibly have been made to Cuba,
if any were made. II. however, tits nec-
essary to do anything for Cuba, fact
which personally doubt, there will be
no objection from the members whose
sentiments voice, provided it is done, /
not at the expense of few industries
but at the expense of all the people.
That is what my substitute bill provides
for and while we will not push the meas
ure we will not accept the Ways and
Means Committee measure" So many
rumors had been circulated to the effect
that the President had receded from his
position, that the United States was in
honor bound to do something for Cuba,
that Mr.. Roosevelt, last week, made pub
lie statement to the effect that he had
not receded particle from his original
position.
~
Mr.. Roosevelt has signed the. bill max
ing the Census Bureau permanent but in
go doing has issued instructions to the
Director telling him to appoint Only SO
many clerks as will be needed in the per-
manent organization, which, under the
provisions of the bill, he is, in the opin-
ion Of the Attorney General, empowered
to do. This will mean that OF the 1000
clerks now on the rolls of the Bureau
about l,200 bill be dropped before July
LIST and the remainder will be placed
under the provisions of the classified SER
vice.
-
I asked Representative Crumpacker Of
Indiana one day last week for state
ment in regard to his efforts in the line
Of reduction Of Southern representation
in Congress. 'sOur plans are somewhat
misunderstood, said Mr.. Crumpacker