Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1904-03-09
FROM WASHINGTON
Special Correspondenee ofthe counrrn.
Washington. Mar. :

administration. True to the in
stincts of graft and loot the admin
iStration. instead of proceeding it
self to the building of railroads,
intends to let out the privilege TO
capital in this country and guaran-
tee TO that capital the interest on
the Investment. In other words,
this country Is opening places for
the Investment of capital and guar
anteeing to the capital immunity
from loss. They propose to au-
thorize the Philippine government
TO execute a legislative guarantee
of + per cent. per annum on $40,
600, 600 of bonds for railroad con-
struction in those islands, and the
bill will be introduced this week
by Chairman Cooper. of the House
Committee on lnsular Affairs.
The bill Will bar out foreign CAPT
tai SO as to give the capitalists of
Wall Street the monopoly of the
game. This administration has
been persistent in its efforts to get
the good people of the country to
believe that the Wall Street inter
eSts are dead against it, for politi-
cal reasons and for political effect.
Does this move look like it, If
Secretary Taft thought that il would
hasten the civilization and educa-
ton of the islands to construct
railroads therein, why does not the
government engage in the business
itself instead of paying capital to
do Sol 1t would be a grand object
lesson in the government owner
ship of railroads and public utili-
ties for the government to under
take this enterprise. Instead of
that the administration sells out 20
the Wall Street sharks and guar
antecs them immunity from loss
and , sure return on the capital
invested and in return they will
get a handsome campaign contri-
button. This is the way this thing
looks TO 4 man who Is on the in
side of things at the national capt.
tai. and | think have called the
turn. 1t has never occurred to
these eXploiters, grafters and loot
ers that this legislation will clearly
bc unconstitutional. But what in
the name of all that stands for graft
does the Republican party care
for the constitution When the
constitution stands in the way of
anything a Republican wants TODD.
he simply steps on it and mashes
II into the mire. Until the voters
of the country realize that they
have 1t in their power to stop this
sort of thing it will continue ad
libitum al infnitum. When will
they see the drift and get busyl
They are having much sport ut
the Department of State over an
nelastic provision of law which
requires that department to COM
pile and issue in a separate volume
the statutes enacted at each session
of Congress. The special session
of last November enacted only one
measure, a joint resolution provid-
ing for the payment of mileage TO
the members. This is bound M.
however. in dignified little vol
ume by itself with as much elabo-
ration a. if it were a collection of
budget bills and general legislation.
That simply is a straw that shows
what the Republican administra-
ton will do when it makes up its
mind to get busy on any old sub
Ject. 1t calls an extra session of
the Congress and has it in session
for a month without single result.
Not one thing of benefit to the
people and at cost to them of over
two hundred thousand dollars.
That IS the way the Republicans
conserve the interests of the peo-
pie. Rats,
The Hon. John Sharp Williams.
floor leader of the Democracy in
the House of Representatives, has
introduced a bill for the relief of
the sufferers by fire at Baltimore
by rebate of duties on building
material and suspension of certain
internal revenue taxes. BY so do
ing he has again put the RepubIi
cans in hole, soaped the sides and
pulled up the ladder. If they re-
fuse to pass the measure they will
90 up against a precedent estab-
hshed when the Chicago fire oc-
CURED in 1871 and thereby rob
many honest men who have been