Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-06-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.
tFRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENT. }
WASHINGTON, d. c., MAY 23TlI.

! The test vote taken on tn" income
tax question in the Senate this week
il believed TO furrshadow victory for
the Republican leaders in their plan
to refer both the Bailey and Cum
Minis amendments to the judiciary
Committee. The vote to defer con
sideration of the income tax amend
ments until June 10 means that no
amendments to provide for special
taxes will be taken up by the S,nat"
until the Schl dulles of the tariff bill
are. adopted, and it is the intention,
Of roHrs,., Of the Finance Committee
to show that TIE new customs duties
will raise sufficient revenue to support
the government and that any special
tax is wholly unnecessary.
The sensational character of the
dispatches sent ont from Washington
concerning certain defective armor
plates which have been found in the
construction of the battlcships North
Dakota and Delaware, is greatly dep
rccatrd by the officials at the Navy
Department. They explain that de-
fcctivr plates always are and always
have been found from time to time;
that it is not known what causes the
| hIsters and, therefore, it has been
! impossible thus far to prevent their
occasional occurrence. 1t has been
the custom, heretofore, mrrcl v to re-
jcct the plates when found defective,
without saying anything about it, but
recently the department has adopted
a new policy. As nothing was to be
gained by secrecy, no effort is now
, made to conceal the fact that such
defective plates have been found and
rejected, although the first informa
ton to reach the public has received
wholly unwarrantcd prominence.
Representative Hayes has acted on
| the suggestion made 10y President Taft
recently at dinner rendered by a
number of Washington business men,
in introducing IA resolution in the
House, this week, providing for the
restoration to the District Of Column
bia of the land which was coded to
Virginia in 1916, and which prior to
that time has been Il part of the Dis
trict of Columbia. This land com
priscs many thousands of acres in
Alexandria County, across the Poto-
mae River from Washington, and is
used chiefly for agricultural purposes,
although the town Of Alexandria is
included. Mr. Hayes resolution pro-
vidts that this he again made part of
the District, except the town of Alex
andria, and authorizes the President
to open negotiations through the War
Department and to complete the
transfer by July |, 1910 and author
ICES an appropriation of 100000 for
the transaction. In his address to
the business men the President cX-
pressed the opinion that the act of
Congress in rrcrding the land to Nir-
gnia was unconstitutional and that
the District of Columbia should re-
gain it. Mr.. Hayes resolution has
been referred to the District of Col
umbia Committee and will not he
acted ON until the next session, but
Rcpres, Hayes believes that
President Taft's interest in the plan
will insure its passage.
President Taft and Secretary Knox
are not little disturbed over reports
which reach them of conditions in
Cuba. 1t seems that the new Cuban
government is just awakening to its
freedom from American restraint and
is in fair way to muddle the fin
ances of the island if it does not pre-
cipitate national bankruptcy. The
government is devoting its energies
to the indulgence of varied and num-
erous extravagances while making the
small effort to supply the treasury
of the island with funds. Those ia
miliar with Cuban affairs know that
unless this epoch of extravaganza is
soon checked it will precipitate sit
uation such as to cause the foreign
creditors of Cuba to turn 10 the Unit
ed States for assistance, making neccs-
sary another assumption of authority
over the island. President Taft con-
siders the situation down there far
from satisfactory and is much con-
cerned over it.
The action of Senator Bailey in SO
far forgetting himself as to indulge in
fstic encounter with a Washington
',.",
representative of a metropolitan daily