West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-06-17
OUR washington LETTER
rarln Bill Still Vending lis Weary
Way Through Senate.
no DATE YET SET FOR FINAL VOTE
Administration Comes In for Share O,
Condemnation-Seeret Board.
Investigating Navy.
From Our Regular Corresponds,

From Our Regular Correspondent.
"AsnISoroS, June l5.-The progress of
the tariff bill through the senate Is strik-
lneiy suggestive of Il trip up the side of a
mountain on cog railway The bill pro-
crosses, but it is by a series of short and
emphatic jerks. In fact, il recalls the
somewhat witty conundrum propounded
by Democratic statesman regarding Mr..
Roosevelt He inquired why President
Roosevelt was like gasoline automobile.
ms answer being, Because he proceeds
by series of explosions"
considerable progress has been made
during the last week. The cotton sched.
ule, over which there was probably more
wranglIng than is likely to attend any
other section of the bill, has finally been
disposed oil, and material progress has
been made on the wool schedule. When
tins troublesome proposition is out of the
way date will probably be set for the
hnal vote on the measure, and once that
Is done the debate will move along with
increased CELEBRITY and diminished interest
Hx&
The explosions which have attended
the debate recently have not been con-
hned to either side of the chamber. Sena-
tor Aldrich, as leader of the organization.
and Senator Beveridge, as would-be leader
oil the insurrectos, have been clashcd fire.
quently and violently. Senator Stone, as
the close personal friend of Mr.. BRYAN.
and Senator Bailey, ms the determined
opponent of the peerless Nebraskan. have
crossed swords and made the sparks fly.
senator Newlands, who a. statesman is
SUI generis, has contributed TO the gaiety
oil the situation 10y a wealth of declama-
ton which has emptied the senate cham
Der on more than one instance and proven
the occasion for numerous wagers con-
corning the school of political economy
To which the Nevada statesman might
prove ultimately to belong.
The administration, despite its efforts
TO hold aloof from the tariff squabble, has
come in for its share OF condemnation
| The secretary OF the treasury, than whom
there is no more discreet member of Mr.
Tafts cabinet, took occasion to express 9
lew modest viewson the tariff to the Com
mcrcial Club of Chicago, and as a result
the Republican leaders in the senate ar,
now explaining that Mr.. MacVeagh's re
vlslon-downward views are due solely Il
ms experience in politics and are init
mating that President Taft knew nothins
oil the purpose of his secretary of the treas
ury to discuss this subject, whereas TN,
TACT IL that the president carefully vised
ms secretary's speech before Mr.. Mac
Veagh left Washington.
| That noblest Roman of them all. vii.
liam Alden Smith, of Michigan, whose
chief function in the senate is TO secur,
protection for the beef industry and tc
| prevent any curtailment of the water
power monopoly of great electric cor
poration, has publicly declared that Sec
rotary MacVeagh could not make ND hi,
mind for him, which led Senator Stone t.
reply that not being omnipotent Mr.. Mac
Neagh could not make up anything which
did not exist-all of which illustrates TN,
spirit of brotherly love which has per
vaded the upper house OF congress durins
the tariff debate.
| PRESIDENT Tafts secretary OF the nav,
seems destined TO earn the soubriauet O
Secret Board Meyer" When Mr.. Meye
became secretary of the navy he foun,
himself heir to an extremely troublesom,
controversy bequeathed to him by In,
Roosevelt-N ewberry administration. I'm
mediately he appointed secret boar,
with Admiral Spcery at its head To de
wise method of extricating the navy de
partment from its difficulties. Twenty
four hours after the board was appointe,
an enterprising newspaper correspondent
robbed it Of its secrecy and thereby
apparently, destroyed Iits efficiency. II
finally made two radically divergent re-
ports and the unfortunate secretary wa,
no wiser Ak 10 the merits Of the contro.
vcrsy than he had been in the beginning
After threatening courtmartial TO all
newspaper correspondents in Washington
and 10 all officers who talked to them, he
created another secret board. composed
OF commandants Of navy yards. These
also fell from grace, lost their secrecy as
expeditiously as did their predecessors,
and finally submitted two more radically
conflicting reports.
In still greater perplexity Secretary
Meyer created third secret board with
Rear Admiral Leutze as its head, and %
1t confided the four divergent reports OF
its predecessors. This board managed ia
preserve its secrecy for almost a week. II
~ still in session, but is understood 10 he
preparing majority and minority reports.
Secretary Meyer is breathing anathema
against the newspaper correspondents.
and unprecedented naval officers intimate
that they are making surreptitious ar.
rangements for suitable accommodations
for the secretary Of the navy and all the
members Of all his boards in the govern.
ment hospital for the insane
49,
Yankee enterprise hasinvaded the quiet
precincts Of Bermuda and the residents
Of that charming island are systematically
abandoning the bucolic pastime Of raising
onions and lilies for the New York mar
ket. The thrifty Bernudian proposes