Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1908-04-10
Our Washington
Letter
Special Correspondence.

the RepuDlican members would be
quite willing to adjourn after passing
the appropriation bills if they did not
fear the effect of such do-nothing poll
| cy upon the voters. No reform bill
has been passed by Congress and
from the first there has been nc inten-
tion by the Republican leaders of al
lowing any such legislation, even that
recommended by President Roosevelt
An exception, perhaps, Ia the Aldrch
currency bill, (which has passed the
Senate in an emasculated form. The
reason that the republican leaders will
try to pass the Aldrich bill is that
Rockefeller and Morgan and Wall
Street favor it, and the amount of
their contributions to the Republican
campaign fund evidently depends up
on its favorable consideration. A strong
faction of the Republican members of
Congress and all the Democrats are,op-
posed to it and the business interests
of the country favor the Fowler cur
rency bill, if the expressions in its ia
vor by commercial and banking or
CARNATIONS are fair indication. 1t is
said to be the intention of the Repub-
lican leaders to hold a Republican eau
Gus to force through the Aldrich bill
On March q John Sharp Williams,
the Democratic leader in the House of
RaurasantatiyaG ,nada a x,ar,, ;,,,,.,,.
tant speech and announcement that
there were some recommendations in
the last message to Congress by the
President that, "are so Immediately
important to the interests of the entire
country as to pass The bounds of parti-
sanship." Mr.. Williams then publicly
| informed the country that "all the
President has to do is to deliver twen-
ty-nine Republican House votes in ia
vor of such measures. These conjoined
with the solid Democratic vote will
put them through He then gave tn g
| recommendations of the President
that he Democrats would support,
namely:
| Campaign contribution publicity,
within constitutional limit, giving
names, postoffiee addresses, and
amounts of contributions to be pub
lished before election.
| Regulation of child labor, but not
the unconstitutional Beveridge bill.
An employers liability law.
Compensation to Government en-
ployes for injury or death incurred in
it's service.
Requiring that no temporary re-
straining order should be issued bv
any court without mott ce.
| Abelishing the tariff duty on wood
pulp and print paper.
1t seems unlikely that any of this
important legislation will be allowed
to come to vote by the Republican
leaders unless the employers liability
bill introduced by Senator Knox be
taken, which is not acceptable to Or
ganized Labor. 1t also seems unlikely
that there will be enough Republican
members, who will support the Presi.
dents recommendations added to the
Democrats, to pass such bills.
| To bring the Republican leaders to
the point which will impress the coun
| try with their do-nothing policies Mr..
Williams gave notice that he would
object to any unanimous consent for
the consideration of bills and would
require a roll call ON all occasions
when the rules of the house required il
La other words, the Democrats will fl
ibuster until the Republicans act upon
what.the Democrats consider urgent
| legislation needed by the people.
There ore two war clouds on the DO,
litical horizon that although now no
larger than mans hand may devel-
Top into storm centers. Although diplo-
mstic relations with Venezuela are SO
lstrained that President Roosevelt
finds himself unable to proceed furth-
Ter in trying to adjust the differences
about the asphalt aud other issues and
the whole matter has been referred to
congress. 1t is reported that the Sen
ale Committee on Foreign Relations
has tentatively agreed on the vigorous
program of placing productive tariff
on Venzuela products AMI the exclu-
sion of all importations of asphalt
Also that the President will be author
lied to take whatever steps he NAV
consider necessary to treat with Vene-
zuela in the future. AS President Cas-
tro has so far outwitted President
Roosevelt in negotiations and as both
these rulers are somewhat hotheaded.
1t Is more than probable that armed
force will be used TO bring Castro 10
time. AS to the merits of the asphalt
question there lisa strong presumption
of Venzuela being in the right, but as
l the asnbaIt frlat afaDp1 - - ~, g.,