Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1907-02-20
WASHINGTON LETTER.
ITEMS OF INTEREST FROM THE Ma
TONS CAPITOL.
Stories OF the Daily Incidents Which Occur
at the Seat OF the Nation. Doings OF
Congress and the President.


was the purpose at the start not to
pass any but the supply bills at this
session. If so, they can be hurried
through at the last moment and in the
meantime many of the Legislators
will have fun among themselves and
sacrifice the business of the country.
Just now the Senate is the center of
the fun making and here in Washing
ton this once dignified body is be-
coming known as "the greatest show
on earth. People flock in droves to
the Senate end of the Capitol and
crowd the galleries to sutfocation.
They go to be amused and they are
amused, for instead of listening to
the discussions that should be taking
place among the members OF that body,
they are entertained by the With
cisms of few Senators and the spec
tacle OF personal encounters between
them. all due to matters entirely for
eign to the business in hand. On the
House side things are somewhat diff
ferent. Most of the members arc hard
at work, the various committees are
holding regular sessions. important
measures are receiving proper con-
sideration, necessary appropriations
are being made and there is bustling
atmosphere about the whole place.
But much of this good work will fall
by the wayside unless the Senate cuts
out the amusement features, settles
down to business and removes the
blockade that is impeding vital legis-
lation. Such is the opinion of few
Representatives.
The Presidents policy for the ex-
pansion of the navy is being backed
by navy officers who are now appear
ing before the House Naval Com
mittee. which is framing the naval
appropriation bill. The construction
of two battleships a year instead of
one is being urged. because in build
ing one ship each year, the officers
claim that by the time "A unit of four
ships is completed, the first built will
be four years older than the last,
with the result that the former might
be out of date. This policy does not
apneal TO the Committee. A partial
canvass Of the members of the Com
mittee shows that they are in favor of
recommending 5be construction of an.
other gigantic battleship i'll addition
to the one decided upon at the last
session, but they will not go further
than the recommendations of the
President and of Secretary Metcalf,
both of whom advocate but one ship.
The latest pow-wow TO take place
at tile White House was between the
President and six Indians OF the Ute
tribe-the chief men of the fighting
Utes, who went on rampage last
summer in an effort 10 join the Chey-
enne River Sioux, and whose people
are now held as prisoners at Fort
Meade. S. ID. The Indians came to
Washington under guard and were
accompanied TO the White House by
several me;abels of the Sixth Cavalry.
Through an interpreter, two or three
of the chiefs made speeches to Mr..
Roosevelt. They told him they
wished to go and live with the Sioux
on the Cheyenne River, for they like
the Sioux and they like their country.
The President asked how they ex-
pected to live after they got there
and they replied that they had a
Great White Father who was very
generous and who would give them
rations. The President did not reply
to them but said that their requests
would be considered That the braves
were disappointed was evidenced by
the numerous grunts uttered by the
Indians on their way ont of the build
ing.
1t is now up TO the Chief Executive
10 say whether the Members of Con-
gress, the Speaker, the Vice President
and the Cabinet officers are TO obtain
the 30 per cent increase in salaries
The action OF TIE oeudIe III JdssluB
the measure makes the increase GER
tain unless the President vetoes it,,
winch is not likely% The cost to the
country OF the Senate's action in con-
curing TO the amendment to the legis-
lative bill as passed by the House re-
lative to salaries of members of Con-
gress will be 81. 23l, 500 per year.
This means that after March 4th the
Treasury will have to pay out that
much more than is now being paid
for the salaries of the Cabinet officials
and the lawmakers. The raise in sal
ary affects 1876 men on the Govern
ment payrolls. The total amount now
paid to these 1876 men is 50, 400, 600.
The total per year under the new
order of things will be 50, 694, 500.
The increase in salaries is highly
pleasing to Congress generally. 1t is
not disputed seriously by anyone that
the cost of living and the other ex-
penses incumbent on member of the