The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-03-13
WASHINGTON.
Legislative and Cen
eral Topics from
the Capital.
March Z. 1908.

The insistent demands of the
Democrats together with a firm
realization that contrary course
would cost thousands of votes on
election day, have induced Speak
er Cannon TO permit the passage
OF resolution providing for an
Investigation of Representative
Lilly's charges of bribery, in con-
nection with the appropriation
for submarine boats. The report
of the Rules Committee, which
accompanied the resolution and
which set forth the charges of
Mr.. Lilley, merely serves to ex
cite wonder as to how the Speaker
could have for a moment contem
plated a movement suppressing
these charges. The men who are
to conduct the Investigations are
Representative Boutell, of Hi.
nois, Stevens, of Minnesota. Ohm
stead, of Pennsylvania, Repub
licans. and Howard, of Georgia,
and Broussard, of Louisiana,
Democrats. 1t is earnestly hoped,
by the Democrats, at least, that
they will be able to probe this
matter to the bottom, and some
of them expect that il they do
they will unearth some very un-
savOry matter.
AprOpos of Speaker Cannon,
the news comes from South Car
olina, that the two delegates
whom it was reported had been
elected to the Republican Nat
iOnal Convention and instructed
for Cannon, were elected at fake
convention, composed and made
up Of a little group of negroes,
beaded and managed by a negro
who had just completed a term
in Jail. If this is the character
of delegates with which the anti
administration forces purpose to
carry the National Convention
agai.st Taft, it will mean, in the
Judgment of prominent mem bers
of Congress, a walk over for Mr..
Bryan.
There is every indication that
the strongest assistants Mr.. Bry-
an will have this year are the Re
publicans, who are seeking to
defeat Mr.. TAFT for tn uomina
ton. There is Senator Crane, of
Massachusetts, for instance. He
has gone to Boston to try and
prevent the delegates from being
instructed for Taft. Sc t o r
Lodge, on the other hand, has
come out with a statement TO the
effect that he is for Taft. Every.
one who knows Massachusetts, is
convinced that if these two states
men once break the com binatiOn
by which they have so long con
trolled the State, the Republican
party will go down to defeat in
this normally Republican strong
hold, but in the bitterness of their
opposition neither Lodge nor
Crane appears to take that fact
into consideration.
So too in New Hampshire.
Senator Gallinger, vino is re-
puted to have been elected TO the
Senate through the friendly as
sistaDce of the Boston and Maine
Railroad, is engaged in war to
the knife against Mr.. Taft. This
is all very we'll, so far as Mr.. Gal
linger's interests are concerned.
but this is the sort of warfare that
the Democrats have so often en-
gagged in to their loss, and if the
Republicans can only be induced
to keep it up, the Democratic
gains next November will be
amazing both from their extent
and from the quarters in which
they will be made.
Another Senator has passed to
his long rest since the first of the
session. Senator Proctor, of Yer
mont, died the past week, and
SENATOR Latimer died two weeks
ago. Probably Senators are not
more superstitlous than other peo-
pie, but they appear to be unable
to avoid the thought, "who will
be the thirdF" for like many other
people they believe, as rule,
that death always claims its vic
Tins in groups of three.
The House has passed bill
reimbursing the Roman Catholic
Church for damages done by the
United States soldiers in the
Philippines, the troops on many
occasions having been obliged to
occupy the churches as the only
available place for shelter. The
total amount of damages has
been fixed at $403,0 900, which is
the amount carried by the bill.
1t was rather surprising to hear
certain Democratic members, not
ably, Jones, OF Virginia, and Gar
rett, of Tennessee, speaking in
violent opposition to the bill.
! n.