Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-04-06
NOTES FROM WASHINGTON
Washington, April 9, 1905.

4.
-
Washington. April 6, 1906.
Complete reorganization u the
coast artillery and the separation oil
the field and coast artillery Is con.
templated in bill which Represents
tive Hull OF Iowa, chairman Of the
house committee on military affairs,
has introduced at the request of Sec
Rotary Taft and the chief of staff,
Lieutenant General Bates. A mark.
ed increase In the size Of coast ar
tillery is provided for in the bill.
The number of men in that branch
is about $4,000, and the bill provides
that 1t may be increased to 19,147.
Provision Is also made for additional
special grades among the enlisted
men, and for increased pay for cleo.
tricians and other skilled men con.
nected with coast defense work.
Much trouble Is experienced in secur-
ing mechanics and other skilled priI
Yates required by the coast artillery
and consequently the portion of the
bill Offering special inducements to
men OF this class is regarded by the
war department as one Of it's most
important features.
Negotiations are now going on
among house and senate republican
leaders looking toward compromise
On the four great questions of legis-
laticn before congress, railroad rates,
statehood, Philippine tariff and ship
subsidy. Pending propositions are:
To pass the rate bill with a rather
broad court review amendment.
To pass the statehood bill with the
Foraker amendment affecting Arizona
and New Mexico, requiring an elec-
ton on statehood at the time Of the
general election in each territory.
To permit the Philippine tariff bill
to come out of the committee and
take its chances on the senate floor.
TO enact the ship subsidy bill as
1t passed the senate and Is pending
in the house.
Three of these propositions have
come from the house side. The ship
subsidy proposition emanates from
the senate. Much doubt Is felt that
the proposed compromise can he
reached, chiefly because of the strong
opposition to the ship subsidy mea-
sure in the house, and because the
compromise programme as outlined
is decidedly in favor Of the senate,
which would give little in return for
insuring the passage of the subsidy
measure.
Representative Conner has been ap.
pointed head of the subcommittee of
the house public buildings COMMITTEES
to Investigate the proposition that the
government shall accept the gift Of
the house in Philadelphia where
Betsy Ross made the first American
flag in revolutionary days, the gov
ernment to agree to maintain the
property.
Representative hepburn gave out
an interview at the White house to
the effect that he believed that the
senate would ultimately pass the rate
bill as PASSED by the house, without a
review amendment. He considers
the bill, as it left the house, consti-
tutional, and thinr that nothing is
to be gained by a court review amend
ment. He thinks that after thresh-
ing over the situation for some time
the senate will finally pass an una
ended bill. He thinks that some of
the amendments tnat are now being
offered in the senate are not being
! put forward in good faith, their chief
aim being to make the bill uncon'
| stitutionaI. He has not this crlti.
! cism for the court review amend
ment recently introduced by Senator
Long.
Eastern newspapers are making
much Of the fact that the rate con.
test in the senate has become a strng.
gle between one force led by Ali
son, and another led by Aldrich.
The Washington Times says:
Senator Allison is to put his forty
years of experience, his prestige as
dean of the senate, his power as head
of it's most potent committee, his
skill as manager of legislation, his
tact in handling men and situations
and the genuine affection of his as
sociates for him against the skill
and accomplishments of the senator
from Rhode Island, who is conced-
ed to be the anti.administration lead
er. It is going to be from this time
forth a test Of Allison mettle against
that of Aldrich."
Ex.Mayor John MacVicar Of De7
Moines, secretary Of the league OF
American Municipalities, was tie
~ nnvf m
or Dunno of Chicago, among the
members of the delegation represent
ing this league that visited the White
house on the 5th. The purpose OF
the visit was to invite the president
to the annual convention Of he league
in Chicago in September. To Mr.
MacVicar fell the honor Of represent
ing the delegation's invitation to the
president, and urging upon Mr.. Roose.
felt reasons why he should attend the
meeting in Chicago. The invitation
Mr.. MacVicar presented was signed
by the mayors of about sixty cities
The delegation of which Mr.. Mac
Vicar was spokesman comprised q
number of Chicago business men In
addition to the mayors Of various
cities, among them Mayor Bookwalter
OF indianapolis. The president will!
rrohahly be unable to attend the con-
vention, but he expressed his csnv'"'
ton that municipal problems of tn"
country are of the greatest import
.ance. Fna pointed out that about q
third of the ronulation of the United
States was in the cities and that this
nroportion was constantly growing, i
tendency which he deplored.