Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1903-11-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.

(From our Regular correspondent
Washington, D. c., Nov. Coon.
gress meets here today and after a
short time spent in organizing the new
House, the Fifty eight Congress will
be in complete working ordrr. The
Presidents message for the extra-ses-
sion will be a short one and will deal
exclusively with the question of Cuban
re ciprocity, which is the special bust
n ess before Congress. On Saturday
the party caucuses were held and both
p artles chose their leaders, in what
promises to be an intensely interesting
a nd politically important session.
The Cuban reciprocity legislation must
originate as bill in the House, and
when it gets to the Senate there will
be much tariff talk, which the repub
licans will encourage. believing that
the coun5ry is with them. and further
more that in this way they can prevent
discussion of the scandals in the diff
ferent departments. In fact they seem
to have chosen the tariff discussion as
the lesser of two evils. The condition
of affairs in Columbia may be consid-
cred in the Senate and there is chance
that an attempt will be made to ratify
the Chinese treaty at once. in order to
forestall Russia's action in Manchuria.
Those politicians who believe that
the LABOR vote will be large factor in
the campaign next fall, will watch
with interest the proceedings of the
Convention of the American Fedora
ton of Labor which meets today in
Boston and where the question of the
"open shop" will be discussed by the
delegates from the entire country.
President Roosevelt has always posed
as a friend of labor and be wishes the
laboring men to take his view of the
decision in the Miller case. It ls hard
ly by mere chance that at the very
time when this question will come be-
for the Federation, Secretary Loeb, on
behalf of the President has sent invita-
tions to members of labor unions in
Butte, Montana to come to Washing
ton to dine with the President at the
White House. The date has been fixed
as November 18th. Perhaps the Presi-
dent believes that the laborers will be
as fattered by this attention as the me-
groes were by his dinner to Booker
Washington.
Viewed in the light OF their effect up.
on the presidential campaign. the re-
cent elections are regarded by the
democrats here as great victory for
the party. The republicans were sew
erely defeated in Maryland, where
President Roosevelt did all in his pow
er to aid his party in contest where
he and his unpopular attitude on the
negro question formed the main issue.
Much of the credit for the victory is
due Senator German, who calls atten-
ClOu W CAC lcoluCdo . uh W OIL ohoOo
interference in state affairs, and to the
danger of his policy toward the ne.
groes. The Senator's chances of re-
ceiving the democratic nomination
next summer have been thus greatly
increased, and is recognized as strong
rival of President Roosevelt for the
highest honor in the land. II he is
nominated the race issue will become
the main issue in the campaign, and it
is known that many Northerners of
the Presidents own party do not coun-
tenance the Booker Washington din
ner and all that it implies. In New
Y ork city the republicans were unable
to continue in power under the name
OF Fusionists. The democratic MEM
beers of the present Fusion government
were reelected on the Tammany tick
ct which was headed by Representative
Mcclellan, a democratic member Of
Congress. Representative William
Randolph Hearst played an important
part in this campaign. as his papers
were the only ones which opposed the
Fusion candidates. This will proba
bly, insure Hearst of the New York
delegation at the next national conven-
ton, and his great influence with the
labor leaders as well as the support OF
bis powerful papers in New York,
Chicago and San Francisco. will make
him a strong candidate for the demo-
cratic nomination. As the political
situation now stands he and German
are the most likely candidates. The
democrats lost in Ohio, where the re-
publican success is regarded as per-
sonal victory for Senator Hanna. who
is now being doomed for the republic
can nomination, apparently. in spite of
himself. Hanna is popular with the
party in Ohio and in the East and has
many powerful friends. who unless he
positively prohibits it, will continue to
boom him for the nomination. The
President is popular in the West and
his friends are equally determined that !
ne shall be the choice of the national
1t is certain that Presi- |
lent Roosevelt fears Hanna as much as /
le does German. The Roosevelt Hanna
question may yet completely destroy
;he republican harmony.
Owing to it's influence upon the