Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-03-01
WASHINGTON LETTER..
From our Regular Correspondent

AS congress approaches the day of
adjourn ment, it realizes what it has
all along known, that it is impossible
to do three months work in ten days,
or at ieast that it is impossible to do it
we'll, and the concluding days Of a
short session are always characterized
by pitch fork legislation. Appropri-
alton bills involving millions of dol
lars must be passed and much impOr-
tant Legislation involving long de-
layed reform and improvements in the
various departments of government
will again be deferred as they have
often been deferred before to the
more convenient season that never
comes. The Naval Appropriation bill
of 500, GA, $50 looks as much like a
hundred million dollars as a ninety
eight cent shirt looks like a dollar
shirt This bill makes provision for
two new big battleships, each one of
them costing more than the congress
sional library, and it will cost much
more to run them than to run the
library and the United States capitol.
Nevertheless, we must have them, and
that the country pretty generally wants
them, was eviuced by the fact that
about forty democrats voted for them.
The American navy is growing more
rapidly than any other navy, except
highlands, and it is evident that our
legislators do not intend that we shall
be caught mapping, as was Russia by
Japan about year ago.
In the debate on the ships it ap-
peared that Mr.. Perkins of New York
favored only one battle ship. Mr..
Rixey did not want any, on ground
that we did not have officers enough to
man. Mr.. Maddox of Georgia wanted
the United States to be first among
the navies of the world and he for one
was pot disposed to haggle over two
ships but wanted the numb Der increased
to ten. Mr.. Kitchan of North Car
DINA, famous for his excerpts from all
the books and speeches of Theodore
Roosevelt, which was used so ineffec-
lively against the President in the late
campaign, wanted the money diverted
from the ships to public buildings and
school teachers. The President is
much pleased with that portion of the
bill appropriating for two large battle
ships and exchanged congratulations
with members of the Naval Commit
tee who called at the White House.
Representative Salzer of New York, a
democrat. was enthusiastic for the bill.
Il am he said, with the President
every time be is with the American
people, and [ may add that just now
he is with the American people to a
greater extent than any other Presi-
dent has been since the days of Abra-
ham Lincoln. The passage of the ma
val bill with the provision for two bat
tie ships could not have been accom-
plished without the help of demo
Gratis. We stood by the President and
he appreciated it." Senator Spooner
predicts hot fight of some sort over
the Naval bill before it passes the
senate.
In the last thirty three years the on
ly work in this country that has not
had an advance in wages is the job
held down by the president. This may
be criticised as an undignifed manner
of defining the emolument received by
the chief executive for his service to
the country. but the fact remains, he
earns it, and double the amount. The
Governor General of Canada receives