The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1905-03-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Interesting Budget of News from the
National Capital.

National Capital.
The senate has been called in extra
session to convene Immediately after
the fourth of March. Its presence will
be cessary to confirm such appoint
ments as the president will make about
that time There will be at least one
new member of the cabinet, a new am
bassadorto Great Britain, Hon. White
leg Reid, and probably two or three
others, with numerous minor appoint
ments.
Time has somewhat Modified the
acute difference between the white
house and the president, but the con
dition is unchanged. There are certain
representatives of great corporations
on the floor of the senate and there
can be no peace between them and the
great corporations backing them on
one side and the president Of the
United States with the people of the
United States backing him on the other
side. The president has nothing to
ask from the senate or the people. The
people have given him all that he
wanted and he has publicly said that
he wants nothing more, and for the
next four years it is believed by those
versed in political astrology that there
gill be relentless war on every species
OF monopoly, no matter how firmly it
mas be intrenched in the senate of the
United States.
Investigation of the Standard Oil
Company recommended by the presi-
dent in the unequivocal command to
s'begin at once, go to the bottom and
report early" is going to prove a test
of the strength Of the United States
government that has seldom been
equalled. The Standard Oil Company
is one of the most powerful industrial
and financial institutions in the world,
with ramifying interests in banks, rail
roads, lands and great insurance com
panies, and when the United States
undertakes to Investigate this company
it is not to be imagined where the work
will end. The resolution, however, in
PRODUCED by Representative Campbell,
Of Kansas, and which has given that
heretofore obscure young man fame II
a single night, appeals to the popular
imagin alton already quickened by the
| magazine and newspaper articles that
claim to have been expositions of the
conditions ia the great trust organiza-
tions. Mr.. Campbell is insistent for
criminal prosecution OF the company
and in response to all interviews as
| serts that he has the material in hand
to prove every charge which he made
before Commissioner Of Corporations
| Garfield, and that these, he believes,
will make action by the department Of
| justice an imper alive requirement..
Whatever the end Of this investiga-
ton, and no average mind can begin
| TO see, the end, Mr.. Campbell has set
for the government the biggest task it
has undertaken, and though the house
without respect to party was eager TO
adopt the resolution offered BY him it
is believed that the party issues Of the
next campaign may be drawn on this
very issue.
The Swayne case was displaced for
awhile Tuesday OF last week while Mr..
vriS y ;-r
tion bill and Mr.. Stewart with bill
for Indian appropriations clamored
for recognition. Neither OF them sue
ceeded though, for the senate was dis
posed to act on the canal proposition
and after some debate a bill was passed
which eliminated the provision made
Id the bill as it came from the house
that the canal commission be abol-
ished. The president is in favor of
abolishing the commission and Secre-
tary Taft, after his trip to Panama,
stated that ia bis opinion the commits
sion was hindrance rather than an
aid to the administration OF affairs in
the canal zone. Senator German, how
ever, and Senator Allison, who is a
friend Of Rear Admiral Walker, the
president OF the canal commission,
headed an opposition to the provision
and it was stricken out. 1t is not likely
the house will accept the bill as
amended and the Interstate Commerce
Committee OF the house proposes to
carry out its threat to formally lay
before the president the fact developed
at the recent investig Of the COM
missioners regarding the acceptance
Of fees for serving as directors of the
Panama railroad. This, they say, is in
direct violation of the orders of the
president.
An amendment in the army appro-
priation bill covers the question of the
pay of Gen. Miles, who at present re-
ceives the full amount OF a lieutena ant
general. The effect OF the agreement
is to give him the full retired pay
without reference to the compens alton
he may receive for serving on the staff
of the governor of Massachusetts. The
public is glad to be rid of this much
mooted question at last, even if it
does reduce the general S income.
The statue OF Frances Willard, the
gift of the state Of Illinois to the United
States, is in its place in statuary