Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-01-07
From Washington.
{ correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette. !
Washington. ID. c., jan. q


What promises to be the most import
ant conference Of the winter will take
Mace at the White House this afternoon
when President Roosevelt and the lead
ers of the Senate and House will decide
upon the legislative programme for the
remainder OF the congressional session.
In addition to determining which bills
shall pass and which shall remain in the
pigeon holes of the committees, 1t is
dnite likely that the time OF calling the
extra session for tariff amendment
will also be decided upon The an
nouncement made by President Roose-
welt about week ago that he was con-
sidering the ACCESSIBILITY of calling the
lawmakers together in June or July,
caused considerable CONSERVATION at
the Capitol If there Is anything
that the members of Congress dread
more than another, it is the idea OF a
summer session. Rather than come
here TO sweat in a 90degree atmosphere,
it is more than likely that the Congress
men will reconsider their opposition to
spring session aud agree to come TO-
gether Immediately after the 4th OF
March if the President wishes them to
do so. The matter of interstate com
merce legislation will also be taken up
at this afternoons conference. Chair
man Hepburn, of the House committee
on interstatee and foreign commerce, is
of the opinion that some sort of bill
for railroad rate regulation may be
passed at the present session, but the
concensus of belief at the Senate is that
there will not be sufficient time for
proper deiberatiOn and that it will be
better TO let it 60 over to the next
regular session of Congress which con-
venes next Dece nber.
Up to 3:45 O'clOck nothing that trans
pired at the conference had been given
to the public.
One of the most mammoth naval spec
tacles ever held in this country is sched-
ued to take place in Hampton Roads on
Monday when Secretary of the Navy
Paul Morton and Admiral Dewey and
his staff will review the combined North
Atlantic squadrons. Already the big
battleships, smaller cruisers and little
torpedo crafts are assembling off Fortress
Monroe and by Monday morning there
will be congregated there feet consist
ing of seven battleships, three cruisers,
four seacOast defense monitors and four
torpedo boat destroyers, all in the best
of condition ready for the review by the
two highest officials of the United States
Navy. The combined squadrons will be
under the command of Rear Admiral A.
:. Barker. Secretary Morton, Admiral
Dewey, and others will sail from
this city on Sunday on the dis
patch boat Dolphin, arriving in Hamp-
ton Roads early Monday morning. The
ships of the feet will pqssin review that
morning and by one o'clock in the after
noon will be off for the caribbean where
they will be joined by the vessels of the
European aud South Atlantic fleets.
Under the direction Of Rear-Admiral
Barker the squadron will then engage in
of general character with a
search problem, in which one section OF
the feet will engage the other. Admiral
Dewey will join the squadrons about
March 9th, and will then personally
assume command, 1t is the intention
Of the President to send feet OF battle
ships and cruisers to Venezuela in the
spring should President Castro persist
IN bis policy of prosecuting American
citizens and Selling American property. !
The question OF admitting four terri
tories as two States, as proposed in the |
bill now pending in the Senate, will con-
iinue to occupy the time and attention
Of the Senate next week. In its position |
the statehood bill acts as buffer TO pre-
vent the consideration OF undesirable |
and there is growing con
Viction that this is the real and princi- |
pal reason for putting it forward. Un'
Ter the leadership of Senators Bard and |