The Opelousas courier., 1904-04-23
Washington Letter.
Our REGULAR Corresnondent.l

mate day of adjournment. Yet bust
ness, especially in the Senate, moves
with laggard stepNSenator Morgan, OF
Alabama, has now spent nearly three
days in possession of the floor denounc-
ing the bill for the government OF the
canal zone as an unspeakable outrage.
He declares that the ten-mile-wide zone
can never be peacefully governed in the
way provided, and that, having taken
possession of it by force, the only con-
sistent method of governing it is by
martial law. 1t is not an American
colony, he says, and there is no purpose
to make it such; it is a military reserva-
ton, like Guantanamo, or like any OF
our naval stations or forts. 1t Is held
only for the purpose of building a canal,
and the establishment of courts, ~juries,
and civil judges is a gross preteise for
the purpose of h~oodwinking the Amer
lean people. Having committed high
way robbery in stealing the lsthmus,
the administration ought not to be
afraid of the ghost of tyranny which it
has conjured up. Senator Morgan
warned the people of the United States
that the Panama 1stllmus is not yet
ours, that the transfer is accompanied
by significant pOstponements, and that
the French Court has given to the Re-
public of Columbia tw6>monthh.aruffPfffIr
in which to appeal its case,-dn OppOrtu-
nifty which Columbia is pretty certain
fully to avail herself Of.
After several days debate the House
has passed the Philippine bill. 1t is
ostensibly in the cnterest OF the Filipi-
nos, but really sacrifices their interest
to that of spectators and adventures
wherever there aretspoils. 1t provides
for u system Of railroads in b archi-
pelago, and benevOlently donates them
to the Filipinos providing they Will
furnish the money to build them and
guarantee five per cent dividend or the
investment. Two months ago, in an
interview published in these letters,
Secretary Taft plumed himself on be-
ing pre-eminently the friend and cham
pion of the FilipinOs. But he has list
ened to the siren song of American en-
terprise whereof administration Con-
gressmen chant the chorus, and he has
concluded to let his LuZon constituents
look out for themselves. The FiliplnOs
must pay for their railroads, telegraphs,
lighthouses, wharves and customhouses
as they pay out of their W pockets
for their schools, with double salaries
for all teachers and officials, and We
claim the credit of enlightening and
civilizing them at our OWL expense!
What a blessed old humbug is the pres
emit edition of Uncle Sam!
When the bill passed there were half
a dozen Republicans who said "Aye"
and a great chorus of Democratic
"Noes" causing the glass ceiling to ring.
Speaker Cannon Immediately exclaimed
"The ayes have it, but the noes make
the most nOise!!"
Tnnrrnca Gonena vary Ulnnh InptInnH
to do the handsome thing by Washing
ton in the matter of public buildings.
The absurdity of setting these marble
palaces in the quagmire On the south
side of Pennsylvania avenue has at last
been made SO obvious that the stupid
! est can see it, and it is probable that
| they will %henceforth be given position
on Capitol Hill, judiciary Square, or
| the high ground between that and the
Treasury Department. .
The Sundry Civil appropriation, car
| rying sixty million dollars, arrived in
the Senate Thursday. The Senate Com
| mittee modified it after it passed the
House by a provision for the erection
| of a great office building for Senators
| on the square of land northeast dag
| onally across B street from the Senate.
This will correspond with the House
office building on B street south, for
which money has been already appro-
priated, and the work on which is now
in progress.
The friends of General Miles in and
out of the War Department are some
what solicitous for his official safely
| Contrary to their expectations, he made
| Chicago on Wednesday night in cele'
| brati0n of Jefferson's birthday. On &C
count of the Presidents command OF
silence it was expected to be rather
colorless and commonplace, but it was
q demand for the freedom of the Fill
pinos and a ringing protest against the
current Imperialism of which the Presi-
dent is the head. 1t is limited that he
has been lying in wait to catch the
General in some utterance so patriotic
and humane that it could be called an
indiscretion, furnishing an excuse fol
arraigning him before a court martial
The excuse would seem to have arrived,
for the speech was one of a soldier.
orator and patriot, according to his
light.
1t is rumored that the Republicans in
Congress may concede to the Demo
Gratis some sort of investigation of post.
Office scandals. If so, it will be of a
kind of investigation that does not re-
veal-a sham inquiry conducted by the
Republicans themselves, and signifyine
nothing. To have the racket OF a pres
idential campaign on simultaneously
with the racket of a genuine investiga-
ton into corruption in the Republican
administration would be a little toe
much for Mr.. Roosevelt to bear.
The horrible disaster on the battle
ship Missouri the same day as the trag.
edy to the Russian battleship has caused
nothing short OF CONSERVATION here
especially in the Navy Department. II
suggests the necessity of overhauline
not only the management OF battleshlps
but the very plan On which they are
built. If these great war machines
prove to be about the most ~frangible
and perishable of property what's Their
aggressive value in action likely to be-
I know Captain Cowles we'll. He is
kind hearted and conservative man
ordinarily careful and proud of his po'
sition. He is very large, weighing per
haps 800 pounds, is a temperate drinkel
and a favorite with his companions
Much sympathy is expressed for him.
The mock battle of Bull Rup will bs
fought in September, beginning the 9th
Some $4,000 soldiers will participate
their rendezvous being this city. LIE
us hope the powder magazine will no
get afire.
Robbed the Grave.
na0~Ats~- sno;lopf - parunfol h,