Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-11-14
FROM WASHINGTON.
Correspondence Of the Alexandria Gazette. }
Washington, d. c., Nov. IA.

The State Department is without news
coniirmatory of the report that the
Colombian government is sending an
army to recapture the Isthmus of Pan
anna. Officials are disposed to seriously
doubt the accuracy of the dispatch which
reports President Marroquin as telling
the President of Ecuador that such an
army is already on the march. These
officials here are convinced that if such
were the case they would have been in
formed Of the fact They are inclined to
believe that if President MarrOquin and
the Colombian government had intended
to dispatch troops they have changed
their mind since the alleged communities
ton to Ecuador.
The first week in Congress has been
an eventful one and the Cuban legisla-
ton. for the enactment of which the
Congress was called in special session,
has been we'll launched by the House.
The House programme does not include
much work until the regular session
shall be called on December Z. There
will be adjournment from next Thurs
day until the following Monday, and
then other adjournments for two or three
DAYS at a time, until the Senate shall
have disposed of the Cuban bin, or re-
turned it TO the House, or until the ses-
sion expires. Speaker Cannon will not
announce his committees until the reg
ular session. In the Senate no busi-
ness except of an executive character is
expected to be done during the week.
There are a number of nominations to
be acted upon to which there are no OBJ
leetious and these will be disposed of as
rapidly as possible.
The widespread character of the move
ment against Reed Smoot, the Mormon
elder, retaining his seat in the United
States Senate is evident from the fact
that remonstrances have already been
received from a States, including Vir-
GINA. They number more than 1000
and aggregate 100,0 signatures.
Every mail is bringing its quota. OF
the four days business Of the Senate,
two sessions have been largely devoted
to discussion of the case. Senator
Smoot who took the oath Of Office in
March, at the extraordinary session Of
the Senate, has been an interested
auditor but has given no further express
sion of bis feelings than to smile blandly
at the introduction of circumstances or
the utterances of severe criticism. As a
rule the headings of the petitions are
printed. Many are typewriter. A
few are written. They come largely
from church congregations, ministers,
civic societies and Woman's Christian
Temperance Unions. The petitions are
referred to the committee on privileges
and elections as soon as introduced in
the Senate. They will not be acted
upon until the regular session.
Upon order of the President, Sher
burpe c. Van Tassell will be released
rom Sing Sing prison tomorrow, after
serving more than four years of his five
years sentence for the embezzlement OF
30, 900 of postal funds while employed
as money order clerk in New York city,
A. w. Machen, the indicted former
of free delivery in the
Postofice Department, made his first
call at the department Offices today since
his arrest several months ago. He was
accompanied by his lawyer and several
others interested in the defense. The
purpose Of the call was to inspect such |
records of the Auditors Office and the |
other departments, as the District Attor-
ney has agreed shall be opened to the
defence.
Representatives Liyernash and Wynne
Of California, the only union labor men,
Ders of Congress, called at the White
House this morning to establish "friend-
y relations with the President" as they
expressed the object Of their call after
ne conference. The President assured
hem that he would always further the
interests of union labor whenever he be-
ieved union labor was in the right, and
expressed his qualification at their call.
The G. & o. railway tender which
lropped through the Long bridge when
he draw collapsed recently was raised
rom the river today.
It is expected that the special session Of
congress will adjourn on the 25th Of Novem-
yer in order to give most Of the Senators an
opportunity to eat their Thanksgiving dinner.
The Cuban BILL il is expected, will be report
a from the committee next week. and II is
he intention to complete the debate on the
MEASURE within four days, as there is nothing
lse to come before the special session. Adj
ournment will Immediately follow. Instead
fthe long debate which was anticipated it is
low the expectation that democratic Senators
viii be satisfied with few speeches to place
themselves on record.