Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1905-07-27
Thursday, July 81, 1905.
Washington Letter.
IRON OUR REGULAR CoRREkPoNDENT)
Saturday. July % 1905

Saturday, Juiy 80 4ooo'
Though the President and some OF
the Cabinet are out of town, there is
still considerable political talk in the
air and the chief subject is of tariff re-
vision at the coming session. 1tmight
inst as we'll be understood now that
there probably will not be any talk ev-
en- of tariff revision at the coming SEES
sion. The President has been induced
to put off the calling of the extra SEES
sion from date to date till the proba-
bllities are that it will be SO close to the
regular session that there will be no
chance for even tariff debate, let alone
action. There is the Panama canal
question that will undoubtedly take up
a good deal of time and with Secretary
Tafts trip to the Philippine railroad
rate legislation there probably will not
be anything but talk. and the tariff re-
vision will be postponed as the major
ity of the two houses wish. There will
have to be some legislation TO deal with
the growing deficit, and that probably
will come in the form of stamp tax
similar to if not identical with the
Spanish war taxes. Possibly il may be
an import tax on tea and coffee or an
increase of the internal revenue taxes,
but there hardly will be any tinkering
with the tariff at the extra session be-
cause there will not be time and at the
regular session there will be too much
else to do. There is distinction tor
you.
Speaking of the Panama Canal,
Messrs Shonts and Stevens have start.
ed for their first look at the problem
on the ground. They both express
themselves as optimistic. There is no
other tone for them to take. They
make the rather curious comment that
the most of the men on the Isthmus are
insists who complain that they have
nothing to do but work, and IN the
next breath Mr.. Shonts says that they
intend to establish a chain Of club
houses across the Isthmus and put in
various forms Of entertainment for the
benefit OF the exiles. 1t will be some
what interesting to hear the interviews
with these two gentlemen on their re.
turn from Panama. Neither Of them
would talk much about Chinese labor,
but the government is about to open
bids on the importation Of coolies This
probably will be necessary step as the
Chinaman is about the only human be.
ing that can stand work in the climate Of
the Isthmus. But there will be pro.
blem too deal with after the govern.
ment is through with these laborers.
1t is not far from the Isthmus to Mex.
leo and while it is a long walk from
one end Of Mckee to the other, still,
Cinnamon will put up with worse than
that for the sake Of getting into the
United States. The border states of
Texas, Arizona. New Mexico and Cali
fornia are already the happy hunting
grounds of the Chinese runner and if
several thousand of the laborers who
survive the climate of the 1sthmus do
not find their way into the United
States by way of the old Mexico line, it
will be a curious thing and denote 4
great change in human and in Chinese
nature.
China is waking up. Her note to the
United States, identical with the note
addressed to the other powers, has been
received in Washington. 1t announces
that she will not subscribe to any al
rangement made between Russia and
Japan at Portsmouth that does not re-
cognza her exclusive sovereignty over
Manchuria. Now this does not amount to
much as an ultimatum from China. She
is a ielly.fish power accus toned to be
butfeted by any more energetic nation.
But Chinese diplomat is not much
on the sleep and tits quite possible that
che has heard something or has reason
to fear an agreement between Russia
and Japan more in the nature of an al
lance than anything else and she is
getting ready plan that she has rea-
son to think will be backed up by the
other powers. So far as the United
States is concerned, she is right. Our
course in China has been mapped cut
for some time past. 1t is one Of the leg
acies of Secretary Hay in the State De.
partment and one that Mr.. Root is not
likely to depart from. But it would be
almost amusing if Japan and Russia
reached an agreement OF the conference
invited by the United States that would
be construed into threat against the
rest Of the world.
Secretary II tys will has been filed
Tor nrohate in the courI here and n is