The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-08-26
REPUBLICANS elE'T AGREE.
Financial Legislation The Bone Of
contentioa---Labor Unions to
Fight Roosevelt High OFF,
Gals Defraud Indians.

ROOSeV6lG>S S plan Tor non partisan
financial bill has suffered q humiliat-
ing defeat and its impracticability has
compelled its abandonment. There
was to be political symposium. Cor
man and Bailey were to agree AMIGA
bly, with Aldrich and Allison. The
democratic Donkey was to mob mob
with the Elephant. But the latest
and most authoritative news from
Oyster Bay and Providence, the home
of Senator Aldrich, is to the effect
that hope of drafting financial bill On
which even the republican leaders Of
both houses can agree has been all bus
abandoned and the President has been
forced to give up the idea of making
any specific recommendations affecting
financial legislation in his message to
the Congress which will be called liz
special session on November 9. The
failure is charged to the rapacity Of
Aldrich and the interest-it would be
ludicrous to say the State-he repre-
sents. Be that as it may. the repub-
lican leaders Of the Senate and the
House are even farther apart in their
views than they were when Congress
adjourned last March.
Some of the shrewdest republican,
politicians are beginning to believe
that there are breakers ahead for the.
President because of his relations with
the labor unions. His advocacy of the
cause of the laboring men at the time OF
the anthrcite coal strike embittered
the capitalistic classes in the East
while his recent stand against discri-
hot
labor in the Government service is
having its effect with the labor unions
one of which the stationary engineers,
has pledged itself to oppose Roosevelt's
nomination in the convention and his
election if nominated. Regardless Of
the ethics or justice of the Presidents
position, his friends admit that if
organized labor once determines on
his defeat the republicans Will be
afraid to nominate him and they are
doing all in their power to disabuse
the labor mind of the idea that the
President is antagonistic to their in
terests. On the other hand, the op-
position press is working to the op-
posite end and with no small show of
success.
Conflicting reports continue to come
from Bogota regarding the Panama
canal treaty but the only authoritative
news thus far received has been the
cablegram from Minister Beaupre who
wired that the Senate had rejected the
treaty. On the other hand, it is still
believed that the Senate may recon.
slider it's action and the Administers
tion remains hopeful of the eventual
ratification of the convention.
Grave scandals effecting the allot-
ment of the lands of the Indian Terri
tory to the Five Civilized tribes of
Indians have this week been brought
TO public notice. 1t has been shown
chat several members of the Dawes.
Commission, charged with the allot-
ment, are stockholders in land COM
panies which are making enormous
profits at the expense, of the Indians
and it is disclosed that during Presi-
dent McKinley's administration Secre-
tary Hitchcock made representations
to the President of the incompatibility
of Tams Bixby (the Chairman of the
Co1nmission), holding his position as
such and at the same time using his
knowledge and influence as
director of land invest
ment company. At that time,
Bixby brought such strong political in
fuences to bear that no action was
taken on Mr.. Hitchcock's representa-
tions. It is also shown that Secretary
Hitchcock has himself been neglectfnl
of the rights of the Indians, in that he
has omitted certain precautions against
fraud and that be has failed to pursue
men charged with swindling the
wards of the nation to the last ditch
The Attorney General is also in
volved in the scandal, as one of his
district attorneys has been charged
with malfeasance by Secretary Hitch
cock and Mr.. Knox has taken no &C
tion in the premises
A scheme whereby General Leonard
Wood will be defeated from attaining
his ambition, that of becoming lieu
tenant general, is being seriously dis
cussed by prominent members OF
Congress, both democratic and republi-
can. 1t is proposed to enact Law
abolishing the grade of lieutenant
general, this law to take effect when
the last Civil War veteran eligible 60
| IQaG OiIlc0 SGdil udFe IeGlIeO, W0ict2
would bring it to the date when WOOD
will become the ranking major Gen-
eral The opposition to Wood is based
on the fact that, within five years he
has risen from the position of surgeon,
with the rank of captain, to that Of
brigadier general, although he has
seen but thirty days war service, an0
under ordinary circumstances be would
have but the rank of major today.
The Director of the Census has jusS
made public discussion of increase
in population in which is sllow2
that, during the period from 1890 to.
1900 the increase of population in the
United States exclusive of Alaska and
the sinsular possessions, was Is. .04e.-
SOL, or 20.7 per cent, an increase saser.
ly double that of European countries
and exceeded by but one nation.
Argentina.
1t is further shown that, aIthougk
during the century ending with 1920,
increase in population in the Northesz,
States had far exceeded that in the
Southern States, during the decade
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