The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-01-23

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

w ~ w ~ oAN L AIA
WASHINGTON, D. c., January 10Th.
Mr. ED1ToR:-The past week in Con-
gress has been one of democratic rejoic
ing and many jokes have been made at
republican expense. The haste with
which the republicans rushed through the
bill removing the duty from coal to re-
lieve the present emergency demonstrated
how correct is the democratic contention
that lowering of the tariff is all that is
necessary to cause reduction of prices
and defeat the efforts of the trusts to
maintain the cost of necessities far above
their normal value. By the same measure
was demonstrated the sophistry of the re-
publican claim that no single schedule of
the Dingley bill could be revised in &C
cordance with the necessities arising from
changed conditions without general re-
vision of the entire tariff and the precipi-
tation of extended financial depression.
A bill providing for the rebating Of the
duties collected on coal during the next
year was reported to the House by the
Ways and Means Committee and was
passed by the House. 1t went to the Sen
ate, which so amended it as to place coal
on the free list permanently and was re-
turned to the House where the amend
ment was accepted, all the same day. The
President signed the measure the next
day. Thus the first schedule of the sacred
Dingley tariff was revised without any
serious results and it is hoped that the
precedent established may prove useful
object lesson in the future.
Wearied with the do nothing policy of
his own party, Judge jenkins, chairman
of the House Committee on Judiciary, has
introduced resolution borrowed from
the public ownership plank in the New
York democratic platform which, it was
claimed, defeated Coler for Governor of
that State. Judge Jenkins resolution
calls upon the Judiciary Committee to
make an examination into the possibility
of seizure by the federal government of
the coal mines of the country and their
operation by the federal authorities in
such mergencies as exist at the present
time. Had Mr.. Jenkins resolution been
introduced by democrat it would have
been greeted with cries of ANARCHY"
'socialism," etc but coming from re-
publican, and he the chairman of one of
the most important committees of the
House, it is received with all respect and
it is yet possible that Congress may be
forced by the strength of public opinion
to afford the consumers some relief from
the intolerable conditions now prevailing
with regard to coal.
The subcommittee of the Judiciary
Committee, to which was intrusted the
drafting of an anti trust measure in &C
cordance with the recommendations of
the Attorney General, evidently made
series of blunders in the performance of
their task, for they were sent back to do
the work over again. They had an
nounced that they would be prepared to
favorably report their bill on Friday, but
when it was submitted to Mr. Knox he
told the authors it was all wrong and they
must do it all over. They are now work
ing under the immediate supervision of
Mr.. Knox's subordinates and it is hoped
that eventually they will succeed in franz
ing measure which will please the peo-
pie, work no hardship to the trusts and
stand the test of the courts.
The President and his closest friends
are seri ously concerned over the fate of
the Cuban treaty. After amending the
convention so that American cattle shall
receive a 40 per cent. concession from the
Cuban tariff and adding clause which
provides that during the life of the cove
nant the duty on sugar shall at no time be
lowered below the concession made to
Cuba-20 per cent. discount from the
Dingley rates-the committe on Foreign
Relations reported the treaty favorably.
Then however it was found that serious
objection existed on the democratic side
of the chamber and as it will probably re-
quire ten democratic vote to ratify, the
situation is regarded as grave, although it
is the belief of your correspondent that
the convention will be approved. Sena-
tor Bailey has announced his intention
of talking the treaty to death because he
believes it will work a hardship to the
sugar and tobacco producers Of the south.
That President Roosevelt is fast ts-
tran ging the members of his own party is
evident in Washington. There is no
question as to the choice of the Senate.
With the possible exception of Senator
Lodge, there is no doubt but that every
republican Senator would cast his ballot
for Senator Hanna There is an alliance
between Senators Hanna and Fairbanks
by which it is agreed that if when the
convention meets Mr.. Hanna desires
the nomination all of Mr.. Fairbanks
strength will be thrown to him, but if Mr.
Hanna, for any reason, concludes not to
enter the race his strength will be thrown
to the Indiana Senator. Mr.. Roosevelt
knows of this combination and is trying
to meet it, but his lack of familiarity with
politics and his headstrongness both
stand in his way and it is a question if he
will succeed against the willy methods of
Hanna and Fairbanks