Middletown transcript., 1906-12-08
WASHINGTON LETTER


THE opening Of Congress this week ha
II course been ille event in the politi
cal World IL means much to the socia
world also becanse L is the signal for ,
rauisJ uf ga,et, with official, semi-offi
cial d private entertainments that hsys
come NOR : d more in recent years Il
oscupy NJ. .rortant place in the winter
life II Washington. The big white build,
/ ing IN :he hill was crowded for the open.
i ing day, as il always is on snch occasions.
Speaker Cannon at ole end o the build
! ing fairly divi,ied interest With yice-Pres-
/, ident Fairhank at the other. The CALLER.
les were pscked, the diplomatic gallery
especially and the crowd OF distinguished
Sisitors entirely ovefflowed the private
galleries aud nearl, filed the seats usually
, designated to accommodate the people. OF
, course the first day's session was produc.
tive Of nothing in particular, this day
necer ~. In fact the whole OF the time
betgeen now and Christmas will, in all
probability. he devoted largely to orga.
iising the two houses and getting things
IN running order before the Christmas re.
cess. The rnmored change that was to
come abt ut with Senator Platt's resigna.
tion did not msterialize, and the quiet old
gentleman was on hand in his seat as
usual. Senator Allison was not there,
aud his absence created some comment,
but il ID said not to be due TO serious i'll
health bit is simply because his physi-
clans have advised him to- take things
easy at the start so he will not show up
nnlil after Christmas, when the big ap-
preparation bills, over whose destinies he
presides, will have advanced far enough
to warrant his personal attention. 1t is
NOT likely that any measures except the
Legislative. executive ard Judicial appro-
priation bill win reach the Senate before
the. Holidays are over.
80
There is great deal Of speculation over
the legislation that Congress will be able
10 get througl, in the brief time allowed
il during short session. Il is generally
agreed that the Ship Subsidy bill will be
passed. There is hope also in great
many quarters that the Speaker will con-
sent 70 the passage OF River and Harbor
Appropriation. This will mean picking
for nearly every congressional district in
the country Such bill is usually held
back till toward the end OF session, when
the Speaker can always use it judiciously
TO bring reluctant members into line.
Representate Burton. of Ohio, Chairman
OF the River and Harbor Committee is
naturally much interested in the measure
aud has assured the River and Harbor
Congress, which met here last Autumn
that he would do all in his power to see q
bill passed at this session. The plan OF
the River and Hmbor Congress is for a
widespread and s. ystematic scheme OF river
and harbor improvement. which would
involve an outlay of about $50, ,000, 600
annually, for several years to come. This
is large amount, but it is held that with
reasonably certain fixed appropriation
work can be carried on more economi-
cally and effectively than when it is left
to guess work whether or not any money
will be available to complete projects al
ready under way. There are number
of other measures of considerable impor-
tance which will probably furnish basis
for great deal oftaik. These include re-
form currency legislation, the inheritance
tax bill and the Philippine tariff. All Of
them very good measures, but which are
lnotslikeiy to stand much show during the
brief three months session.
-
War talk is coming up again over the
Japanese situation. Most Of it comes
from abroad where foreign powers profess
to think that the United States stands in
very serious position with japan. Sec
retary Metcalf, who has come back from
the Pacific Coast, has made a private re-
port to the President on the San Fran
CISCO school situation and while he is not
raping very much for publication. ID 10
not believed that he takes the. situation
very much TO heart. His investigation
In San Francisco showed very conclu-
#siveIy that it will be impossible for tine
Federal government to force any measure
on the people of the coast which they are
not willing TO accept. He has told the
President this much frankly and he has
pointed out, moreover, that it would not
take much federal interference to shove
the state ont of the Republican column.
Politically speaking therefore, federal in
terferenee will be rather tickiish propo-
sition. Tits impossible to imagine Japan
going to war over anything so TRIBAL az
the exclusion of her children from the
white schools. This is not the sort of q
provocatior out Of which wars are made.
Further, Japan has had recent and thor
ough experience Of just what war means
and while her showing against Russia was
undoubtedly surprising and put her in.
line as first-class power. It is not thought
that she would want TO pull on another
fight while her material and financial re.
sources were still so seriously strained.
None of the speculation over Secretary
shaw's plans has yet developed inst what
that gentleman win do on his retirement
from the Cabinet. One Of the most ser.
iousls discussed bsrths for him has been
a position in one Of the great financial in
istitu.ioas in New York. This may be
bis conrse but at the same time Secretary
Shan : poIitical aspirationsare not to be
entirely neglected. He still considers
himself In the running for the Presidency