The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1903-10-09
Washington Letter.

The President is back in WashiEg
ton: Senators and representatives are
arriving daily; and preparations are
active for the extra session which
will begin the FiftY-eigtL Congress.
This will be an important and event
full winter at the National capital.
The winter preceding presidential
election is always an active one in
Congress as the politicians realizes
that the country Is watching them
more closely than usual, and that
much which takes place at the capt.
tai will be thoroughly reviewed>in the
coming campaign. There are many
new members in the House and the
Senate and the House will come I'M
der the sway Of It's new speaker, the
Hon. Joseph G.. Cannon OF Illinois.
Mr.. Cannon is now in Washington
making up the House committees,
for the Fifty-eighth Congress. Fol
lowing an old precedent most Of the
men now on committees will retain
their places, but some changes will
be made and there are several vacan-
cies caused by the defeat of members
In the last congressional election.
The extra session will give c0nsid-
Grafton to the Cuban reciprocity
treaty and to the financial bill which
it Is hoped will relieve the money
stringency. The regular session will
also be busy one. A new canal
treaty will probably be sent to the
Senate, the condition Of affairs in
Indian Territory will be investigated
hy committees from both House and
Senate, many republicans are anxious
for a congressional investigation of
The Post Office Department, ship
subsidy bill will be introduced again,
there will probably he another fight
Of the statehood bill, and a bill for
the repeal Of the anti-canteen law
will be presented. The race question
is sure to be discussed in each house
although Senator Carmack has de-
MED an intention to advocate re
peal OF the fifteenth amendment,
In debates on these and other ques-
lions members OF Congress will not
forget that they are talking to the
country on the eve Of presidential
election.
There are no new developments in
the Post Office Investigations, yet the
air is full Of rumors and several i'm
portant Indictment are still expected.
The Postmaster General has been in
consultation with the President and
has promised to have the report on
the cases ready in a short time. The
report on the Tulloch charges by
Charles j. Bonaparte and Holmes
Conrad has been given to Mr.. Roose-
welt and Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General Brstow is still hard at work
and hopes to complete his report in
about ten days. These several re-
ports may he withheld from the pub.
lie for some time as their publication
would give those who are now under
Indictment an advantage which their
attorneys would be sure to exploit.
Many republican politicians, es-
pecially those from the West, fear
that the democrats will attempt to
make political capital out Of the
postal scandals and they wish to fore.
stall such an event by a rigid con.
eressional Investigation of the entire
Post Office Department. They be-
lieve that such an Investigation
should be quite independent of what
Mr.. Bristow is now doing, and should
include the bureaus which he has not
In view OF the facts
much interest centers around the
choice of chairman Of the House
committee on Post-otlices and Post.