The National tribune., 1907-10-10

+ blk to Bremerton in British bottoms
He holds that it was an emergency
where the President could not get
American ships at reasonable prices,
and therefore was justified in letting
| the contracts to foreigners. The owners
| of Ameri AN sailing vessels, howeve:.
insist that the Navy Department took
| little pains to search for sailing ships
which can carry the coal as cheap!y as
foreign steamships can, altho the voy-
age may take a little longer.
But while the Presidents record is
clear by reason of the Attorney-Gener-
/ ais decision, there will nevertheless be
la hubbub when Congress comes togeth-
er. The shipping men are ready u
make a fuss. They claim that this in
vasion of the coastwise shipping laws
will discourage the building of ships for
the coastwise trade, and thus another
blow will be dealt to the already pros
trate merchant marine. For if the Gov
ernment can break its own laws private
citizens will have little respect for the
self-same statutes or confidence that
they will be strictly obeyed
These disgruntled owners are also
claiming that the foreign ships now
engaged in the coastwise trade in car
rying coal for the Navy must pay ton
mage and light dues at the rate of vi a
ton for their cargo oes. A Collector of
Customs on the Pacific Coast is enforc-
ing that law, which means a new Snag
for the Administration. The entire
question will be thrashed over when
Congress comes, and when it is expect
ed efforts will be renewed to enact
ship-subsidy bill.
Otherwise practically NJ new ques-
tons of administration have been raised
in Washington of late. With the mid
die of October approaching the city
still enjoys Midsummer dullness
which will hardly be dispelled till the
President returns. There is little in
terest in the elections. due month
from now The municipal election at
Cleveland engr osses attention because
Representative Theodore Burton. the
Rcosevelt-Taft lieutenant. is the Admin
istration's candidate against Tom l..
Johnson.
State Politics.
Kentucky and Maryland are in the
tilroes of vigorous State campaigns, and
Washington, Of course, as far as Its
officials are concerned, would like to
see those two Border States elect Re
publican Governors and Legislatures,
as both of the Legislatures have the
choice of a United States Senator The
Gubernatorial fights are said to be close
in both States. A lively campaign was
expected in Massachusetts, but that
prospect has gone by the development
of a bitter factional quarrel among the
Democrats who nominated two sep
arate State tickets the other day. The
fight for tariff reform, which was to
have been advanced by the nomination
of Henry NJ. Whitney, accordingly re-
ceives a distinct setback.
New Jersey has already nominated
Gubernatorial candidates, and is having
a big State campaign, which, however,
is of little National interest. The vot-
ing will serve only as straws. New York
elects members of the Assembly and
Judges. Pennsylvania and few other
States elect some minor Offices
The voting Nov. will be followed by
the opening IF the ball in Washington.
There will be nothing in the way of the
playing of the great National game of
politics here after that time. The poll
ticians will flock here in numbers to
participate in the manuvering.