Middletown transcript., 1906-03-17
WASHINGTON LETTER


WASHINGTON, D. c., March 10th, IL
NEXT Monday the debate on tlie
~ burn Rate Bill will open in
in the Senate. Until then any fol
the situation is nothing more tbs
work. There are number of
ments to be offered. Some will b
down Immediately. Others will
chance OF acceptance after fig
it is believed as whole that the &
for conservative judicial review
accepted. This is the provisions
most nearly with tile views Of the Ff
dent. The only question is whether
scheme for judicial review can be
framed that the corporation lawyers
the country will be able to take adv i
tage of it SO as to practically nullify
intention of the law by opening Vi
to interminable litigation which the rait
roads can stand andwhichthe shipperscan
not. The negotiations between the two
parties and the two factions of each party
still continue. The Democratic side is
much divided. It is certainty that the
administration cannot count on anything
like a solidDemocratic vote to help out thu
majority of Republicans who will vot
for the bill. The Republicans also al
divided and Senator Allison and sever
others are working to secure reasonab
harmonious action within the par
would not be at all surprising
the circumstances if the ultra conserve
tive element broke entirely with the body
OF the party.
Much interest has beer. caused in all
official circles by the rel lrt from Gen.
Wood of the engagement of the Ameri-
can fore with the Moros in JoAo. a
the reports that have been Fd \
the War Department In additi
press dispatches describing the
would seem that there has be
the most important engagement
number of men killed since I'll
ton of the islands by the American
forces. It was stated at the War Depart
ment to-day that Gen. Wood has been
faced by very uncomfortable situation.
The natives do not know or understand
leniency in any form on the part of
the government. Leniency is re-
garded as a sign OF weakness. Conse-
quently an increasing number of outlaws
and malefactors concentrated in the CEN
ter Of the islands and it was a question
whether Gen. Wood should allow them
to remain there unmolested and allow
them to swoop down on the settlements
and upset the generally peaceful condition
of the island, or whether he should pro-
ceed against them and wipe them out as n
the dispatches say he has done. 1t aI
pears that he took the latter course, q
while it has cost the government asaa
Der OF men, there Isl question W
after all it was not the best thing
Gen. Weeds worst enemies in ti
vice, and they are many, would not accdsg
him Of lacking any Of the essential quail =
lies Of fighter either personally or as
The Moros are fighters
themselves from the way back counties,
ind it is little wonder that the reports
ire concerned entirely with casualties
ind nothing is said about prisoners. But
is safe to say that the bandits In Jolo
lave been taught lesson that they will
lot forget number of years to come.
~ ~
The fight on the statehood bill has
cached a point where it is safe to say
hat the bill will be passed with the For
ker amendment which will turn the
uestioH OF the joint statehood back for
nal settlement on the citizens Of New
Iexico and Arizona. While Senator
eperidge says that this is unnecessary Ii
ould seem tile decent thing to do, as it
rather against precedent to take any
ate into the Union against the will Of
le people. The vote on the bill will not
,me until next week, but if it is passed
such shape that the people OF the two
rritories have referendum vote in the
after, there ought not TO be any ques-
On OF its fair settlement. From the
ay things look now, the state of Okla
oma and Indian Territory will be ad-
tilted as a whole and no great protest
ade. But it is almost certain that there
III not only be hard fight in New
exico aud Arizona and that majority
the voters OF Arizona will stand ont
+ separate statehoo I il they have to wait
decade to get it.
~
The proposal to cut down on the postal
silities afforded the government is one
the most practical measures Of reform
at has been introduced lately. Il il
i intended that tile restriction shall ef-
u private indivialuals but ii IS intended
cut down the great amount Of governs
ut property Slipped over tile roads al
ssaifa seasons and prevent an undue
light allowance being figured out Id
ior Of tie railroads. The appropfistk'n
splnnlellsied BY the conpn IL I'll.
ICES ana posi- laeds wiIL1