West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-03-16
OUR washington LETTER
The Heavens Smiled on Roosevelt S
Inauguration Day.
ALMOST A BILLION
DOLLARS APPROPRIATED
BY the Last Session Of Congress
An Extra Session to be Called
in the Fall to Revise
The Tariff.
From Our Regnlar Correspondent,

WASHINGTON, &C., Mar.IS 1905
a great Inauguration has passed in
to history, an Inauguration in which
partisan bias and political disap
pointments were forgotten or gave
place to rejoicing that a great peo-
pie, SO, 600, 900 it number should
have elected with Dut rancor or bit
terness the man 'hom majority
preferred for Pre- dent and that he
should have been naueuraied under
the mos; favorable circumstances
ard amid the hearty cheers Of
Democrats and Republicans, the
sp'endor OF his Inauguration contrl.
buted to by the Governors of States
North and South, East and West.
Even the Heavens seemed to smile
on this elimination Of the free choice
of a liberty loving people, for a
severe storm which hovered close
to Washington in the early part of
the day, changed its course and
left the Inauguration ceremonies
and the brilliant pageant which
followed TO be carried out under
sunny skies.
Senate, which is a continuing
body met in special session at noon
March 4th, in accordance with the
call OF the President issued several
days before and on Monday took
up IN earnest the work OF consider
ing the Dominican protocol. II
Immediately became evident that
there was strong opposition to the
protocol rs drafted, on both sides
Of the chamber, and discussion
took the form Of debate as TO
whether il could be SO amended as
to command the support of two
thirds OF the Senate. After some
! discussion the treaty was referred
to the committee on Foreign Rela-
tions where il was dissected and
put together again in form which
is far more acceptable to promin-
enc Senators than was the original
and the indications are that eventu-
ally j, win b, approved. The con-
vention in IT'S new form was report
ed to the Senate today but it had
been so changed in the committee
that It's author would have hard
work to identify il.
The facts ia connection with this
protocol arc peculiar and involve
unfortunate b'unders on the part Of
high official in the State Depart
ment who, probably unintentionally,
mlsled the President and startled
the Senate. The timely recovery
Of Secretary Hay from a somewhat
protracted although not dangerous
illness, saved tie administration
from an almostIr. etrevable blunder.
Secretary Hay, ,sfore his illness,
approved the pri ciple involved in
the Dominican arrangement but
when ne was O. fined to his resi-
dence no details had been worked
ont. Then 10 wss that his sub-ordi
nate went into ,ctiOn and under.
took 20 negotiate a protocol and
put into effect without consulting
the Senate and misled the President
into believing that his course was
sanctioned by Secretary Hay. The
protocol was duly signed, the Do
minicau Government made the text
public and il was clbied to New
York When Senators learned what
had been done they demanded an
explanation at the White House.
the President rushed over to Secre
tsry Hay, who, had nearly recover
ell and who advised him that the
work done was not only unauthor
izcl by him but was contrary to his
| judgment The President, with
Mr. Hays assistance, caused r2di-
cal changes 10 the protocol to be
cablcd To- Sonto Domingo and there
incorporated into tbc agreement,
among them being provision for
submitting the convention 20 the
Senate The negotiation oftreatics
/ az long range is always a difficult
undertaking however, and lhc re.
sult has been tha, tbe present pro-
tocol reached the Senate To- very
crude shape
NO feeling Of snimosity 20 The
/ President has characterized the
work Of Che senate in ils operations
on the convention and there rs thus
far no indication that Mr. Roose
veIt win object to those changes