The Grit-advocate., 1903-05-22
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE

atOrs Aldrich and SpOoner the word
ing of the declaration which met with
the entire approval of Mr.. Aldrich,
the leading authority on the tariff in
the senate. While the wording of the
plank must, for the present. be treated
as confidential, The fact that it met
with the appreciation OF Mr.. Aldrich Is
in itself complete refutation of the
widely circulated story which was pub
lished under Sioux City date line, to
the effect that the Iowa idea was still
uppermost in the mind OF Governor
Cummins, the President and Senator
Allison. The facts are that there is
complete harmony in the republican
ranks In Iowa and there exists no de-
mand for immediate tariff revision
which it is appreciated could not be
undertaken in presidential year
without Imminent danger to the pros
perity which the nation is now enjoy
ing.
The delay in the ratification of the
Panama canal treaty is the occasion
Of considerable anxiety in certain quar-.
ters and extensive speculation in re-
gard TO the fate OF the convention is
being indulged IN. Numerous and Of
ten conflicting reports are being re-
ceived from BogUta, one being to the
effect that President Marroquin has
resigned in favor of General Reyes
who asserts his right to the title Of
''designato," the next in line of sue
cession. 1t is impossible to secure
confirmation OF these rumors in Wash
ington, DR.. Herran, the Colompiau
charge, having been without official
adviccs from his government for many
months. 1t may be said, however,
that in official circles most familiar
with the conditions in Colombia there
is little doubt but that the treaty will
be ratified and the canal constructed
according to the plans of the United
States. Attorney General Knox, in
pronouncing the concession OF the
Panama canal company valid, passed
upon the legality OF a ratification OF
the treaty by decree and if it becomes
impossible to secure the ratification of
the treaty by the Colombian congress
the president, whether it be Mario
quin or Reyes, will, in the opinion of
those best posted, ratify the conven-
tion by decree and the United States
will proceed with the canal. 1t is re-
garded as entirely incredible that the
Colombian administration will allow
a cash payment Of $4,000, 900 to slip
through its hands.
What looks like Matchmaking
scheme has been ,unearthed in the
postof1ice department since the remov-
al of General Superintendent OF Free
Delivery Machen. 1t appears that it
has been the custom Of Machen's d.
vision to send to mail order houses and
department stores daily list Of rural
free delivery routes established togeth
er with statement Of the number Of
patrons on each route. Moreover, by
Misrepresentation OF the facts, the
postmaster general was persuaded to
issue an order instructing postmasters,
from whose offices rural routes started
to publicly post the names Of the pat
rons. This last order was suppressed
for some time after it was signed dur
ing which period, it is claimed, the
mail order houses and others who
would profit by it were induced to con-
tribute liberal sums to secure lis issu-
ance. The information thus furnish
ed was used to secure the rural trade
to the injury Of the local merchants
and by the metropolitan dailies to
build up their subscription lists at the
expense Of the local newspapers. The
fourth assistant postmaster general,
Bristow, has already discontinued the
issue Of the daily bulletin of free de-
livery routes and the postmaster gen.
eral will doubtless rescind his order in
few days
missioner of Pensions Ware is
in receipt Of an open letter from the
Uuion Veterans Union expressing
the confidence Of the Union in the
present administration Of the pension
bureau. The letter is the outgrowth
of an attempt on the part Of General
r. G. Dryenforth, formerly head Of
the Union, and others associated with
him, to discredit the administration
Of Commissioner Ware. The letter,
which Is signed by f. B. Hutchinson,
commander.in-chief, status that num-
erous attacks emanating from mem
bers Of the Union have appeared in
the daily papers implying that MIR.
Wares administration OF pension af-
fairs were not what they should be.
Mr. Hutchinson deprecates the Idea
that these letters reDreseDt the Senti