The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-21
Probable That Congress
Will Merely Endorse
Arrangement.
CASE OF BLACKBURN
CREATES SENSATION
# Charge of Practicing Before
the Departments Is Pressed
Against Him There Will
Probably BE Coun-
ter Charges-Purc
Food Bill.
From our Regular Correspondents J


From our Regular Corrcspondent.)
WASHINGTON. y. c., February 20
II Is generally conceded that the rati-
ncation Of tho treaty with santo Doniin
20, under the terms Of which this gov
eminent assumes the task OF collecting
III customs. turning over hfty-fve per
sent. 10 tho Dominican government. and
iepositing the rcmaining forty-6ve per
rcnt IN tie Standard OH Bank. In New
York for the bcncnt or European credi-
.erE Of santo domingo, is impossible
Tic Democrats OF the Senate have made
ratification an inpossIbility. by tnc adop-
Ion OF {, cauctis resolution, which binds
al minority aei.ators TO vote against It.
Senator Patterson attended the caucus
Ind protested against tho resolution, and
IN the courFe OF n speech on the floor
declared that he would not abide by IT.
Senator McEncry, Of Louisiana, has de-
:iarcd he would Jump" the caucus. 1t
!; said that ne will probably vote against
ratification, should the treaty come to
vote.
Senator Clafii. OF Arkansas, who has
niainfestcd'a gr{at admiration for Presi-
lent Roosevelt. and has been entertained
st the White House several times OF
latc, also eynced n strong inclination TO
vote for the treaty. Ii is understood he
Rill be counted In opposition should the
yo,. be taken.
But while tile defeat OF the treaty is
well assured should # ever be voted on
which IS doubtful. IL Is understood that
tho President is about decided To un-
dertake TO epadc tire provision OF the
Constitution which provides that trea-
tics shall be ratified by two-thirds of
Il t. a
Ia adopt Joint resolution approving the
arrangement he has made with santo
Domingo. To adopt such resolution n
bare majority OF each house Is ali that
is required, whereas two-tiiirds OF the
Senate IL necessary 10 the ratification
Of "A treaty.
Case of Senator Blackburn.
The news that Representative Spencer
Blackburn, of North Carolina. the lone
Republican from the old North state, is
about to lie indicted on the charge of
ptactIcipg before tho departments for n
monetary consideration. created stir
among Democrats and Republicans at the
Capitol to-day. Blackburn is the first
Southern man TO come under such grave
suspicion. such charges having been con-
fined heretofore to senator's and members
from the West
1t is not believed that the charge
founded. II lis common knowledge that
the State organization in North Carolina
Is fighting him. Judge Jcter T. Prchard,
former United States senator from North
Carolina. though now on the Federal.
bench. is recognized as the real head
OF tho Republican organization OF the
state. and is bitterly opposed tn Black
hurn. II is thought by friends OF Black
burn that back of the charges is a bitter
fsctional feeling.
But ii Is confidently asserted that il
the charge is pressed. counter-charges
viii he made by Blackburn. which will
ts,.of most sensational nature. and VIII
involve an investigation which Will de-
yeiop some startling facts. The nature
OF these facts, and the persons in high
places who wond be affected thereby.
cannot now be stated publicly.
Pcrhaps the President is today pre-
pared to reiterate with renewed emphasis
the savage declaration he made to
North Carolina delegation which waited
on him some weeks ago. for the purpose
OF protesting against the alleged nepotism
of Judge Pritchard, and Of making
charges against Mr.. Holton appointed
TO the place of district attorney:
II wish there was not n Federal office in
the Southern States to be filled by
Republican,
Pure Food Bill.
1t was asserted to-day by a senator, who
said he had accurate information on the
subject, that the Hepburn pure food bill
would pass the Senate tomorrow. with
few, r any. amendments OF Importance.
Whether the bill will get through the
House is not possible to forecast with
anything like accuracy. The chances are
said to be rather good. 1t will be pressed
by Representative Hepburn in the House.
and he is high in the councils of the Re-
publican cabal that rules that body. The
bill will reyolntionize the canning indus
try, the rectifcaton of whiskey, and the
sale of groceries and provisions generally.
The bill Is strongly favored by straight
whiskey tnen--that is, the dlstllers. Their
position OH the subject was very clearly
Indicated by speech which Edmund
Watson Taylor, of Louisville, made before
the Committee on Interstate and Foreign
y Commerce OF the House this morning, adj
vocating the bill. He said In part:
Nearly o. per cent. of so-called .whis-
key on sale is an imitation made by
blenders, posing as distilers. Only per
cent OF straight whiskey. aged In Its
integrity reaches the consumer, and only
3 per cent. reaches the 4public under tho
green guarantee stamp, applied over the
cork by the government under tho bot
Ting In bond act. A law should be en-
acted to compel rectltlers to rnmask the
l5 per cent. turned out overnight, that tho
public could know whether liquors sold
are genuine or coored and favored imi-
sations of tho aged, distilled otput,
"Dlstillers favor the bill, Rectiners OPP
pose 1t, because they need no dstillcry.
hut merely a vat for mixing neutral
spirits and chemicals The pure food bill
hlfferentlates tho products so tho public
ran know which 1t consumes. Dlstillerss
want every tub to stand on Its own hot
tom.
The distiller is compelled by the gov
srnment to produce a bona fide article.
q Tho reotlher, allowed ~ 'Spurlollslys ilni-S
tate.' makes ten barrels out Of one. and
objects 10 the public knowing the nature
ot.hls product"