The Idaho Republican., 1912-03-01
AFFAIRS AT WASHINGTON
u. S. Press Association

We believe it was in the DAYS OF
Grover Cleveland that some very
saucy remarks were directed toward
Great Britain regarding the inspec-
tlon OF the sealing interests, and pos
slDly 1t was about the same time that
Kansas senator twisted the British
Ion S tall-part of j. Bulls offense
having to do with these same seals
ana now 1t appears that the subject
is still very much alive, and after a
discussion before the committee on
foreign affairs of the House, the de-
struction of the seal herds in the Pri-
bllof islands was made the subject of
warm debate one cold afternoon re-
Gently, by reason of Mr.. Sulper of
New York, chairman of the commit
tee, bringing the matter before the
House with recommendations, the
purpose of which were interpreted by
Mr.. Kendall Of Iowa, and others, to
withdraw protection from the great
seal herds. In a very spirited de-
bate which followed, Representative
Mcclure of Oklahoma, declared that
Notwithstanding the herds had been
great diminished in this choice pre-
serve, that twice as many of the ami
mails were born each year as were
killed. Mr.. Towner of Iowa, spoke
in similar view, but Mr.. Kendall
made vigorous stand to secure some
sort of effective and legitimate pro-
lection of the wild life in the north
Pacific ocean. He pointed out that at
one time there were five million seals
In those northern waters, and that the
number was reduced through slaugh-
ter to sixty thousand. By protective
measures the number was laterly in
creased to 4,700,O0O, and again the
number of seals have been reduced to
less than 100000. He held out these
facts as an illustration of how easy
it would be to furnish the great
worlds supply of seal, which comes
principally from the Pribilof islands
with proper laws affording protec-
ton.
Baltimore is only an hours ride
from Washington and when the DEM
ocratic national convention is held, it
is expected that most of the visitors
will make their headquarters in the
national capital. 1t may be remarked
that one of the enterprising cities on
the edge of the south, which seems
to be very much alive, is this metrop-
oils of Maryland, and some affairs of
unusual Importance have been pulled
off there during the past few months.
One of the greatest of the Lincoln
day celebrations occurred in that city
a significant fact, owing to the part
Maryland took in the civil war In
doing honor to Lincoln splendid pro-
gram was arranged and was held un-
der the auspices of the Union League
club. The governor of Maryland rep
resented the state, while Congress
man Charles e. Pickett of Iowa, was
selected as the orator of the occasion
and made notable address.
AnHp1inu t0 tot D,,;n
of Illinois, the cavalry force of the
United States army should be cur
tailed, while Representative Pepper OF
Iowa, expressed different viewpoint
in the debate. Uncle Joe Cannon pre-
facing his remarks by saying "What
do not know about the army would
make several books and directed at
tention to the feature of the debate in
which 1t was developed that in the
Russian-Japanese war the Russians
were rich in cavalry while the Japa-
nese had practically no cavalry. Mr..
Prince suggested that the real fight
Au6 lOlCO VI LuC dIluy was
never pitted against the Japanese.
Nearly the entire membership helped
to refight the Russian-Japanese war.
Mr.. Mondell of Wyoming, threw con-
siderable light upon the conditions in
Mexico.
The Sherwood pension bill, which
has passed the House, has finally
been brought to a vote-in the SEN
ate committee through the persist
ence of Senator Curtis. The result
is that substitute measure has the
approval of the committee with Sena-
tor Smoot as it's author 1t embodies
provisions to pension civil war veter-
ans, sixty-two years old who served
ninety days or more, or any Mexican
war veteran who served sixty days or
more. The Mexican war veterans
would receive $50 per month and the
civil war veterans would be put on a
graduated scale from $13 per month
for ninety days or more, at sixty-two