The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-05-21

/ L
holds and it is entirely possible tn,
movement will die aborrin', bur
that it is being seriously discussed
here in Washington, there is nc
doubt.
w**
The Republicans have once more
given notable exhibition of party
discipline by suppressing til c
Brownsville debate for this session.
Senator Culberson jumped into the
breech aud tried to force a vote be-
fore adjournment, but he was pow
erless against the almost solid Re-
publican opposition, led by Mr..
| Foraker himself who, only few
days ago, was swearing by all the
gods of war that the Senate should
not adjourn without voting on his
resolution restoring the discharged
negroes to the army. Just what
happened to Mr.. Foraker is, not
known, but of course he was in the
hopeless minority and it is probable
that the Republican leaders laid
down the law to him so emphati-
cally that he was powerless to do
otherwise, especially as he still
hopes to come back to the Senate
for another term.
m*~
The Republicans have tried to
sidetrack the Rayner resolution
providing that a court of inquiry
shall be granted to Colonel Stew
art, whom the President has order
ed to Fort Grant, Arizona where,
as one army officer expressed it,
He has nothing to command but
tarantulas." The Republican ma
jority referred the resolution to the
committee on Military Affairs where
they hope to keep it until adjourn
ment, but Mr.. Rayner has not CIV
Ell up the fight and he will do ev-
erything possible to secure prompt
action by the committee. The case
of Colonel Stewart is a peculiar
one. He seems to have displayed
an extraordinary capacity for quar-
reling with all his subordinates and
with civilians. but Mr.. Rayner's S
contention is that he at least de-
serves to have the charges brought
before court of inquiry or before
court martial, before he is pun
ished, while the President contends
that were it possible for officers to
appeal to Senator and get court
of inquiry whenever ordered to a
post they dislike it would disrupt
the discipline of the army.
*4*
The natural resources convention
which the President has brought
together at the White House was
probably the most notable in the
nations history and the distin-
guished men of both parties who
participated in the sessions are
mast hopeful that 1t will result in
genuine benefit to the country. Ex-
traordinarily enough, the purpose
of the conference, the conservation
of the natural resources of the
country, is wholly Democratic
rather than Republican, but then
Mr.. Roosevelt has never hesi-
tated to appropriate any good idea
which Democrats evolved. The
Republican policy mas been to con-
fer these resources on their political
favorites, precisely as they favcr
special interests by the tariff. How
ever, the question is assuming such
vast proportions that loyal Demo.
Gratis feel that they cannot permit
partisan bias to diminish the earn
estness with which they apply
themselves to the problems which
the President proposes for their
consideration.
f**
Speaking of party discipline, the
Republicans have apparently got.
ten together behind Secretary Taf,
and it now seems probable that nc
other name will be presented to the
Chicago convention. Many of ths
party leaders who were most oppos
ed to the nomination of the Secre
tary short time ago are now work
ing energetically for harmony a
Chicago. 1t has long been recog
nized as the keynote of Republican
success that the members of tina