Middletown transcript., 1904-03-05
WASHINGTON LETTER

Senator Hanna, and the soap-bubbl
character of the various "booms" fe
President. other than the present occr
pant of the White House, has been den
onstrated. The President is making n
special effort to pick out manager 70
the coming campaign; manager hardl
seems to be needed. Everything is fall
ing into place like clock-work. Mr.
Dover, private secretary to Senate
Hanna, takes the place made vacant b,
the resignation of Perry Heath, and TO
the present prominent Republicans, will
look after the larger interests of the party
1t is now known that Senator Hanna hat
the most sincere friendship and the high
est regard for the President, and that HI
was not the man to carry knife up hi
sleeve. There is no longer Foraker
fractional fight in Ohio; if there were
any aspirants in that state for Hanna't
vacant seat they have gener ously declined
to come forward, and all are willing that
Congressman Dick should become the
new Senator. He is man of much force
Of character, who has seen all sides ol
life, from being the humble keeper of a
feed store in the little city of Akron, O.,
to his present high and honorable posi-
ton. In the lower house of Congress he
will be succeeded by Mr.. E. L. Dampson,
who has been lieutenant governor OF
Ohio, and prominent in politics for the
last twenty years. As the Buckeye state
goes so goes the rest of the world! There
is even Republican harmony in New
York state, and the three great leaders,
Gov. Odell, and Senators Platt and De-
pew, are all agreed, and each is welcome
to the confidence of the President. SEN
ator Depew is candidate for reelection
and there appears 10 be little opposition.
Elsewhere in the United States the Re-
publicans are confident, cheerful and
united. Much regret is expressed over
the news of the serious illness of Senator
Quay, of Pennsylvania, at his retreat in
Florida. But if the worst should prove
true, his state is overwhelmingly Repub-
lican, end can be depended upon to vote
solid for the Chicago nominee.
~
There has been considerable opposition
in the House to the proposed large ap-
for the navy, Congressman
Burton, Rep, of Cleveland, o., leading.
But the bill has passed the House and
will pass the Senate and will carry nearly
one hundred millions OF dollars. Con-
gress is busy with the appropriation bills,
and it is amusing to see how interested
Senators are in the various items of the
Agricultural appropriation bill. That
good old farmer of Vermont, Senator
Proctor, who cultivates one of the largest
marble quarries in the country, has the
bill in charge. 1t will carry between six
and seven millions of dollars, every cent
IF which is for the benefit of those who
ill the soil, and the backbone OF the
nation. The Senate is disposed to in
crease the appropriations for all sorts of
to make divisions into
bureaus with an increase of salaries all
'ound; and it has ordered an investiga-
ion of the effects of cold storage upon
animal flesh and other food products. |
There are those who believe that much
Iickness is crused by partaking of meats |
which have been kept for long time in
old storage, thawed, frozen and refrozen
Is the custom is in Washington. The
Smoot investigation will soon begin, and
witnesses who stand high in the Mormon
church have been summoned to Wash
ngton, to tell what they know about the |
Apostle, who is now a Senator. Mr..
Reed Smoot is young man, in appear
Ince more like a travelling man for a
eady made clothing house than Sena-
or. He is tall, thin, not quite at ease,
pleasant, but evidently out of place in
lis present position. He takes a modest |
,art in the proceedings OF the Senate and |
) an attentive listener to all the debates.
~
There are several perplexing complica-
ions in the Panama canal job. 1t has
,een great task to select competent and |
PRACTICAL engineers who will be willing
0 work on the spot instead of at arms
sngth in comfortable offices in Washing
on. The President is determined there
hall be no perfunctory work on this
,reat enterprise and he has secured the
ountry for the best men who can be
ound. Those selected give great satis-
action to both parties, and Democrats,
9 well as Republicans, are thanking the
President for his independence, wisdom
nd sagacity. Before the money can be
'aid to Panama there will have to be
action, since the Spooner
ct requires that the money shall be paid
0 the Republic of Colombia" The
uit which Colombia has begun against
lie French canal company, must cause
elay, in the matter of obtaining clear
tile to the property. 1t is expected that
ne of the first contracts given out by
he canal commissioners will be for ma
hinery to the amount Of fifty millions of
Iollars. This ought to keep very large
lumber of men employed in the shops
or long time, and with plenty of work
here will be prosperity and contentment
~
There is delay in handing down de-
ision by the Superior Court in what is
allied the great merger case, which will
ecide whether the Northern Security
onpany is legal institution or not. It
J now stated that the court is taking its
ime to very carefully 20 over the whole
and may not make public its
pinion before the first of March. This
> purely conjecture, however, as the
ourt ia not in the habit of disclosing its