Amador ledger., 1906-03-23
Washington
Letter.
(From Our Regular Correspondent

Washington d. q. March 10, 1906.
Next Monday the debate Oh the
Hepburn rate bill will open in ear
nest III the senate. Until then any
forecast of the situation is nothing
more than guess work. There are
number of amendments to be offered.
Some will be turned down immedi-
ateIy. Others will stand chance of
acceptance after a fight But it is
believed as whole that the proposal
for conservative judicial review
vii be accepted. This is the provis-
ion meeting most nearly with the
views of the president. The only
question is whether the scheme for
Judicial review can be so framed
that the corporation lawyers of the
country will be able to take advantage
OF it so as to practically nullify the
intention of the law by opening way
to intermlnable litigation which the
railroads can stand and which the
shippers cannot The negotiations
between the two parties and the two
factions of each party still continue.
The democratic side is much divided.
1t is certain that the administration
cannot count on anything like a
solid democratic vote to help out
the moiety of republicans who will
vote for the bill. The republicans
also are divided, and senator Allison
and several others are working to
secure reasonably harmonious action
within the party. 1t would not DO
at all surprising under the circum-
stances if the ultra conservative
element broke entirely with the body
of the party.
Much interest has been caused in
all Official circles by the report from
Gen. Wood of the engagement of the
American forces with the Moros in
Jolo. From the reports that have
been received at the war department
in addition to the press dispatches
describing the battle, it would seem
that there has been one of the most
important engagements in the number
of men killed since the occupation
of the islands by the American forces.
1t was stated at the war departm ent
today that Gen. Wood has been faced
by a very uncomfortable situation.
The natives do not know or under
stand leniency in any form on the
part of the government. Leniency
is regarded as sign of weakness.
Consequently an increasing number of
outlaws and malefactors concen-
trated in the center 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 con-
dition of the island, or whether he
should proceed against them and
wipe them out, as the dispatches say
he has done. 1t appears that he took
the latter course, and while it. has
cost the government a number of
men, there is question: whether
after all it was not the best thing to
do. Gen. Woods worst enemies in
the service, and they are many,
would not accuse him of lacking any
of the essential qualities of fighter
either personally or as a commander.
The Moros are fighters themselves
from the way. back counties, and it.
is little wonder that the reports are
concerned, entirely with casualties
and nothing is said about prisoners.
But it is safe to say that the bandits
in Jolo have been taught lesson,
that they will not forget for
number of years to come.
The fight on the statehood bill has
reached point where it is safe to
say that the bill will be passed with
the Foraker amendment which will
| IliA III ChO iuOSGlOh VI JOl16 SIdleuOOu
back for final settlement to the citi-
Zens of New Mexico and Arizona.
While senator Beveridge says that
this is unnecessary, it would seem the
decent thing to do, as it is rather
against precedent to take any state
into the Union against the Will of
the people. The vote on the bill will
not come till next week, but if it is
passed in such shape that the people
of the two territories have a refer
endum vote in the matter, there
ought not to be any question of its
fair settlement. From the way things
look now, the state of Oklahoma and
Indian Territory will be admitted as
a whole and no protest made. But
it is almost certain that there will not
only be hard fight in New Mexico
and Arizona and that a majority OF
the voters of Arizona will stand out
for separate statehood if they have to
wait a decade to get it.
The proposal to cut down on the |
q aVyga 99@ 3