West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-05-20

OUR washington LETTER
Senate Losing Its Dignity and Grow
Ing PeeViSb.
-
DEMOCRAT FOR FEDERAL JUDGE
Aerial Flight and Wireless TeIearaphy
Experiments by Army
Officials.
DEMOCRAT FOR FEDERAL JUDGE
From Our Regular Correspondent.

From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, May When will con-
gress adjourn" is the question put TO the
vice president, Speaker Cannon, senator's,
and representatives whenever they appear
at the White House. Speaker Cannon re-
piled recently: eff you will tell me when
the senate will pass the tariff bill / will
give you pretty good guess as to when
congress will adjourn. The only thing
that moves and carries the previous ques-
ton i'm the senate is from 90 to 100 i'm the
shade"
Every week further evidences are given
that the senate is not in good humor, and
every day there are outbursts Of peevish-
ness and irritation on the part of themem
bers of that dignifed body The lead
schedule, so far rs pig lead is concerned,
has been disposed Of, and in the last few
days the earthenware and chinaware para
graphs have provoked much debate. The
opinion is quite general that the real tar
if bill will be made in conference, and
that such bill will be turned out as the
president can sign. At present the presi-
dent and congress are not in perfect ac-
cord in regard TO the bill, but there is
every reason TO believe that compromise
will be the effective method by which the
bill will be shaped into what it should be.
N%K
When President Taft sent TO the senate
the nomination of Henry Groves Connor.
Democrat, for judge of the eastern dis
trict of North Carolina, he only carried
out his avowed policy of appointing the
best lawyers he can TO places on the fed
eral bench, whether they be Republicans
or Democrats. The contest for the place
has been bitter one and the Republi-
cans of the eastern district of North Caro-
lima recently urged the president not to
appoint Democrat, even ii he had to go
out OF the district to find suitable Re
publican for the place. The nomination
OF Judge Conner did not come IA a sur
prise 10 those who have followed the mat
ter closely. He is regarded at the White
House rs a man OF liberal views and was
on the bench of the supreme court of
North Carolina for about ten years, and
before that for a number of years was a
judge of the superior courts.
Washington is much disappointed over
the failure of congress to provide funds
Il for tho condemnation of a ,,oo ,,lo,,t a,,1
balloon house at the Fort Myer aero
dome. On account of the lack OF appro-
priations Gen. James Allen, the chief Off
Ger OF the signal corps, has been forced to
| change his plan for the aeronautical trials
and tests Mt Fort Myer this summer The
| army motor balloon No. l, purchased last
fall, will be shipped Immediately to Fort
Omaha, where a modern hydrogen gas
plant and balloon house have been erected
The change in the program, however, for
| the balloon flights will not interfere with
| the plans of the Wright brothers and
Herring aeroplane trials at Fort Myer.
500
The signal corps of the army is to make
| experiments also, with view to increas-
ing the range OF field wireless telegraph
equipment. The apparatus now in use is
carried on pack animals, and is capable
of sending and receiving messages twenty
three miles. a set of portable wireless
| apparatus of German manufacture has
been recently purchased for trial. The
| equipment is carried on wheels instead of
on the backs OF mules, and il has range
of over a hundred miles. Four horses are
necessary 20 haul the vehicle, which is
equipped with an extensible mast capable
OF elevation to the height of sixty feet.
The German apparatus will be carefully
examined and tried, to determine il it pos
sesses any advantageous features which
may be adopted by our service.
The army status of Capt Peter c. Haines,
who has been convicted of manslaughter
in the New York courts, IL the occasion
of considerable speculation. At present
Capt. Haines' name is on the roll of the
army with the designation "absent in
custody of the civil authorities" An Off
Ger cannot be courtmartialed without his
being present during the trial, and it Is
regarded ~ unlikely that, in the event
Capt. Haines is finally convicted and SEN
fenced TO the penitentiary, the civil au-
thorities would permit him 10 appear be.
fore an army cOurtmartial This would
iorestall his being dishonorably dismissed.
or course no action will be taken by
the war department while Capt. Haines'
appeal is pending, but il he j. finally con-
victed it is probable that his case will be
presented 10 a retiring board which will
find from the record that he has become
morally and physically unfit for the
service following which decision he will
b. absolutely retired "by order Of the
president" Absolute retirement, unlike
retirement for age, will deprive him Of an
rank and pay, IL being practically analo-
gous 10 the dismissal without honor" of
the men implicated in the Brownsville
raid
Attorney General George w. Wicker
sham, Of the Taft cabinet, was formerly
the attorney Of !. Picrpont Morgan. 4
COOL man b. Jet loose on the criminal
trusts ch?
The Grafton Republican objects 10 the