Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1905-01-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON LETTER. 81
of
From our Regular correspondent a;
Washington, d. c.. Jan. 1.-THE =.
Presidents announcement that he =.
proposes to call the next Congress In =.
special session, which has been au- =
thoritatively, although not off1cially :,
made, has occasioned CONSERVATION IN
the Senate where the old line. con-
sentative leaders regard every PROPOSE
ton having for its purpose the extern
sion of federal control over the rail-
roads of the country as "socialistlc"
and abhorrent. Senator Elkins, chair
man of the committee which has to
deal with this class of legislation. and
who loves to see his name in the pub
lie press as champion of railway re-
forms, but who is always to be found c
planning obstacles in the path OF any
real reform, is in open rebellion and I
plainly intimates that the special ses-
sion will accomplish nothing. "You I
| NAV lead a horse to water but you
can't make him drink is his favorlte
mode of declaring that nothing WILL be
accomplished. Meanwhile he protests
that legislation of Importance can be
effected at the regular sessions OF Con
gress and then wastes all the time OF
the committee in giving "hearing'' to
the representatives of the railroad in
terests, to cranks and, in fact, to any !
one who will kill time and secure no.
tice of the committee and its chair. |
, man in the newspapers.
There is no doubt in the minds OF
, those in a position closely to observe
+ that the Republican administration is
q in a very delicate situation. War to
O the knife between the President and
q the majorities in both houses OF Con-
!. gross is likely to break out any moment
% aud if it does the majority in the
n House after the fifty-ninth Congress,
20 is certain to be Democratic. Mean
~ while the Democratic press is contrib
4. uting its ample share to the straining
:, relations between the President and
# the Republican leaders and his lmpetu'
r. GUS, even if sincere. efforts to accom-
q plish legislation which will promote
in 1.-The square deal' are proving con
q slant thorn in the sides of the ponder
nd GUS statesmen who constitute the con
ba seryatiye element in the Republican
en- party.
nv Every once in while the Presiden
os makes a real break, as in the case
,.t the letter he sent to Senator Cullom re
no gardlng the arbitration treaties. In
Ie consideration OF these treaties Is ex
ecutive business of which the public
supposed to know nothing and ye'
with frankness which proved shoe
Is to the old fogies. the President nc
OF only sent the letter referred TO OF
lty took pains to make it public, furnish
De ing it to every newspaper man WI
all called at the White House and aske
on. for a copy. When Mr.. Roosevelt max
Is these little clips the amount OF EMO.
an mept it affords the Democratic Sem
OF tors is unlimited and they never ia
en- to take occasion to rub it i'm to the
avs Republican colleagues. There is stl
CO. grave doubt that the arbitratl'
10 treaties can be ratified without amen
-ten ment, despite the fact that the Pres
Ease dent has announced that he will wit
Will draw them if they are altered. -
not Democratic Senators not only rega
'nCs them as inimical to the interests
hey the South, but they feel that they we
and negotiated chiefly for political effet
the during the campaign and for the pl
error pose of disproving that the Preside
ear, was "war-lord." Now the Preside
bis has assured them that the treaties
n TO not be permitted to work any harm
urse the Southern States while be is Ere
gov dent and as they run i've years bis 81
the cessor would have but one year
ERA which to work mischief under TN
most provisions; but the Democratic stat
dvo- men insist that treaties which wot
lion, be susceptible of perversion or viii
the would enable an illdisposed Preside
ner- to work injury to any section OF
rider country ought not to be ratified II
The spective of the promises or the homes
its of particular Chief Executive.
case Democratic members OF the SEM
'ase, have adopted wise policy in Tn
rail- agreement not to filibuster or place
tent. stacles in the way of any tarif1
which may be introduced at the 8
LAS cial session which the President p
'ehse poses to call. They have yielded, p
SAFE haps some political advantage,
ls'oh they have made for the general g
'ehse of the public by removing real
naS fancied obstacle from the Presider
nucn proclaimed wish to lower the "a
ana duties, and the thinking portion OF
evil American people will doubtless rea
h1roi and recognize the spirit In which
peo' litical advantage has thus been ga
""n fed.
as it 80.
oro Little Boy Burned to Death.
3 the Last Saturday while Mrs. Tho