Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-05-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.

{From our Regular Correspondent.)
Washington, D. c., April 30.-Never
within my recollection has a speaker
laid down the gaval in the midst of
such enthusiastic eulogy as that which
Mr.. Cannon received on Thursday.
The fervency of the salutation from
political opponents will not be witness
ed twice in a generation. The greet
ing was unanimous tribute to Mr..
Cannon's utter fairness. He is one OF
the best natured of men. He is not
scholar. He is not an orator. He can
hardly be called an impressive speaker
in any sense, except that earnestness
makes man impressive. Heis as up-
pretentious and as homely as Lincoln
was. and his undeniable popularity is
attributable to the possession of similar
qualities. 81 know you will be fair"
said John Sharp Williams to him at
the opening of this Congress. Cannon
replied John, am going to be as fair
as the exigencies of American politics
will permit" The buzz of farewells
at adjournment greetings, hand-shak-
ings, embracings, songs, and agreeable
confusion, made the scene like a elias s
demonstration on the college campus
when school is out.
Invectives and the insolence OF re-
partee were blunted during the last
day or two. but there were some sharp
exchanges, even On the very last day.
When Democratic leader Williams re-
minded Republican leader Payne that
the majority would be held response
BILE before the country for the needed
laws it had failed to pass, Mr.. Payne
instantly ret0rted that Republicans
were willing to assume full RESPONSE
bility for their action. MIR. Williams
as quickly rejoined 1.-THE administra-
tion shows its courage and generosity
in being willing to assume a response
bility which itcannotpossible escape. :"
In the Senate Mr.. German declared
that the total appropriations and OBJ
legations of this session amounted to
more than $500, 10000 not including
the Panama Canal, and Mr.. CulbersOn
announced that the expenditures of the
Roosevelt administration. had been
$211 900, 900 greater than the four years
of the Mckinley administration and
$685., 10000 greater than in the four
years of the Cleveland administration.
Mr.. Allison, Rep, Iowa. admitted that
the appropriations of this session are
SIS. 900, 900 more than the appropria
tions by Congress at the last session.
Mr.. German thanked him for the ad-
mission, and said that the revenue
question had been evaded by the ad-
ministration for fear that it would dis
turb the political atmosphere. mot
political not political but for
fear it would disturb the business
atmosphere - interposed Senator
Aldrich. Exactly so !''retorted Sena-
tor German, 1.-The business atmosphere
which surrounds the effort to elect
Theodore Roosevelt, president We
will see what the people think about
that business - Mrs. Roosevelt was
in the executive seat in the gallery and
she listened intently and looked smil-
ingly on.
The sensation of the session, after
all, was not COckran's speech, but
Kitchin's sensational attack on the
President. There are two young
brothers Kitchin from North Carolina,
and the younger, Claude, has distin-
guished his first session by making very
damaging extracts from Gen. Grosve-
nor's letters to Hearst's Journal in |
J une, 1900. and from Roosevelt's books. |
GrOsvepor declared that Roosevelt as
Vice President was very Objectionable
to Mckinley who was Inundated by the
contact. He made fun of RooseveIt's
strutting before the conven-
ton in his soldier clothes, and spoke
Of him as ''curious, cratic sort of
man." without judgment or will of
ais own. Kitchin quoted from Roose-
velt that the Confederate soldier was
In anarchist and that Through the
Southern character there runs streak
If course and brutal barbarlsm.n He