Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-02-19
WASHINGTON LETTER
From our Regular Correspondent,

(From our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, d. c., Feb l3,-The
administration senators have deter
mined to vote solidly to ratify the Pan
anna treaty and take the consequences.
These are problematical, but men who
have made a profound study of the
hostile conditions at the Isthmus do
not believe that lock. canal bet ween
the oceans can be built there in TWEEN
ty Eve years over the Culebra and 10
the face -: of the isuncontroll-
able torrent of the Chagres. It's uni
versally agreed that sea. level canal
would be worth four times as much
and take three times as long to finish.
Engineers of high repute say the earth
offers no precedent for this lock. canal
that no similar stupendousl engineer
ing work ihas ever. been. undertaken,
and they decline to predict when or
how it can be done, or at what cost, or
whether it can ever be done at all.
Panama! Panama! Build it. in
year, Hurrah - may possibly elect
Roosevelt, but it will leave the Repub.
lican.party bankrupt before 1908 with
a whole lot of broken promises on its
hands. But Southern Democrats have
been waiting good while, andi their
Impotence has drawn some of the
weaker ones into the ranks of the rati-
fiers.
The Panama discussion in the Sen
ate goes on languidly towards the fin.
ish. Carmack, Tenn, made one of his
ringing, singing speeches this week that
caused Republicans to wriggle uneasi-
ly 10 their seats or to seek the restau.
rant or to find. refuge in the cloak
room. He said there were some out
RACES that even Mr. Roosevelt dare
not perpetrate because be is a candi-
date for the presidency: that circums-
lance places limit. upon the lawless-
ness of the administration
For the last three days tho House
has been debating the Senate, amend
ment to lend $4,000. 900 to the st. Louis
Fair Committee in addition to the S.
100000 already given outright. The
proposition was advocated by Messrs.
Cochran. Cowherd, lie Almond, Champ
Clark and Vandlver. of Missouri, and
Hemenway, Ind. chairman of appro-
priati0ne,. among the ablest men in
Congress. In opposition were Messrs.
Payne, Grosvenor, Delzell and Gillett.
Mass, who said they were tired of
these raids upon the Treasury by men
who. would first obtain An appropria-
ton by pledging themselves to ask no
more, and then in few months come
back and hold up their platter again
on the ground that they had been CIV
en- something and therefore must have
more. The lobby was crowded with
excited visitors from the Mound City.
On Thursday the measure passed
"triumphantly" lobbyist remarked
It iss0 easy to be benevolent and pub.
lie spirited" with other people 3 money.
Senator Hoar has a compilation
from the government records show.
ing that war and warfare have cost
this nation one thousand million dol
lars In seven years-about 81 per head,
or $40 family each year. If our taxes
were direct instead Of indirect, and
the tax gatherer went from door to
door and collected $40 at every home,
how long would sthe terrible waste go
on.
The Worlds Fair Industry is gal
Looping, hot-footed. The st. Louis out
fit has got ten million dollars from the
Federal treasury and Portland. Ore.
jamestown, Va, Wheeling, W. Va,
and the Maydower Pilgrims want as
much more. 1t looks as If they would
Set 1t, too. We are much given to &C.
clamations Of joy and multitudinous
fireworks and the celebrants friend
Uncle Sam is easy.
Governor Odell Of New York, is op
posed to the good roads measure sug.
gested for that state. He doesn't mind
spending hundred million dollars on
the Erie Canal, which il of very slight
benefit to anybody, but when 1t comes
to helping the farmers better their
roads, he puts his foot down.
Brevities: Pension Commissioner
| Ware wants authority to retire three
per cent. Of bis clerks annually. A good
many old fellows sleep at their desks
but don't wish to retire.-Mr. Roose.
welt has 70, 900 post offices as political
barrel" to start his campaign with
Senator Elkins, W. Va, says the PEG.
pie want the canal and don't care how
they get it.-Car conductors. here have
been caught embezzling.-The Quarter.
master General Of tho Army has just
found 81. DOC, 900 worth of old uniform
that were lost!-If the prosperity Of
the country is reflected in the increase
of postal receipts twelve; million dol
lars over last year, il the loss of moral
tone reflected In the increase of postal
frauds '-Lincoln's birthday was cele.
brated here yesterday by a few persons
in most feeble and perfunctory man
ner. He is now generally considered
back number.