The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-02-27
WASHINGTON
From our Regular Correspondent.

Washington, d. c., Feb. "a, 1908.
The House, during the past
week, was the scene of notable
demonstration when Rep. Boutell
of Illinois nominated Speaker Can
non tor the presidency and Demo-
Gratis as well as Republicans cheer
ed to the echo. lust why the Demo
Gratis would have joined in is not
quite clear and there indications
tnat they now feel that they yield
ed somewhat to hysteria, for Rep.
Henry has since demanded in pub
lie debate to know why, if Uncle
Joe" is such "a good fellow" he
does not permit the President's s
policies to become laws, as for in.
stance, the employers liability law,
the anti-injunction bill, and similar
measures which are in the interest
OF the plain people; why he has
killed the Appalachian Forest Re-
serve bill, by referring it to the
Judiciary committee for a report on
its constitutionality, when there is
no genuine question OH that score
and the purpose is only to kill the
bill by indirect methods etc. Every
once in a while the members of the
House demonstrate the truth of
the old adage that "men are but
children of larger growth, by
permitting themselves to get by.
sterical and cheer and applaud
things which, OH sober second
thought, they do not approve at
all. This applies quite as much to
the Republicans as to the Demo-
Gratis, for recent poll of the Re-
publicans showed the members of
the House to be for Secretary Taft
two to one.
**#
There are indications that the
Aldrich financial bill will not get
through the Senate without the
stamp Of Democratic craftsmanship.
Senator Johnson, the new Senator
from Alabama, has offered an
amendment affecting the bank re-
serves which he supported with
such a clever application of Mr..
Aldrich's own logic, quoting even
his very words, that it now looks
as if the Johnston amendment
would be adopted without opposi-
tion. There seems to be 10 doubt
that the Aldrich bill amended will
pass the Senate and Speaker Can
non has promised to jam it through
the House, regardless of the fact
that there is great opposition to it |
there.
***
The Senate Committee on For
eign Relations held secret meet
ing one day last week in which it |
seriously criticised the extravagant |
expenditures of Whitelaw Reic, |
the American Ambassador to Great |
Britain, who is spending money so
lavishly that it will be almost inn
possible for an American of moder-
ate means TO follow him in this i'm
portant post. One member of the
committee recited the case of an
American who was invited to visit |
Mr.. Reid. He spent several days
with the Ambassador and when he
came to leave he felt he must follow
the English custom of tipping all |
the servants. When they lined up
to receive his gratuities there were
one hundred and thirty-hve OF
them and the poor man was oblig.
ed to give away so much money |
that he had to go to a friend in Lon
don and borrow the money to pay
his way back to this country. This
was at Ambassador Reds town
house, but he maintains also
country home the size of which
may De gauged by the fact that he
thirty-fve gardeners alone. |
After the discussion of Mr.. Reid IS
extravagant method it was decided |
to report favorably the bill provid-
ing for the purchase of the embas-
sizes and legations in most of the
foreign capitals and provision was
added compelling the foreign repre-
sentatives of this country to live in |
the houses so provided. The bill |
does not, however, provide an en-
bassy in London.
*MT
The opponents Of war will be glad |
to learn that the Senate has ratified |