Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1914-07-08
ITEMS OF INTEREST
At NATIONS CAPlTAL
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sl:..s through the lc Ks in case an
e1erc ency arose. Since then the
adm ist;lticn has not become so ex-
~.ted over the performances of ia
pan, although il was declared by
Senator Wi liam Alden Smith of
Michigan that the visit of a Japan
csc naval oa2cer CT Huerta precipi-
tated the American attack upon
Vera Cruz.
The Secrets of Congress.
Senator Stone has apparently
thrown wide open the question as to
whether it is advisable to continue
running the government by secret
methods, and it is altogether likely
that his challenge to the effect that
Senators who have divulged some
thing Of the proceedings of the COM
mittee having in charge the hearings
CAL TWO-Wash. Letter.
on treaties. have violated their hon
or, will be met. The American
people are greatly interested in the
PENDING treaty with Columbia, and
many of them would like to know
the inside reasons for the proposed
payment of $25,O00,000. There
apparently is no objection TO an
apology being offered to Colombia if
it is actually due that country. The
large issue is the growing Impotence
against practices in Congress by
which treaties are considered in Sc
cret as we'll as the processes of exc
cutive sessions of the Senate and
secret committee meetings, and par
ty caucuses. Senator Norris who
opened the question of furnishing
greater publicity to the proceedings
concerning treaties with Nicaragua
and Colombia, and it locks as though
the issue as to whether statesmen
shall be allowed to continue doing
public business behind closed doors.
will be definitely decided before
long.
Sutfragist Converts.
The persistence of the suffragists
is smoking the politicians out one
by one, and although President Will
son is still partially in cog on the
proposition, yet in view OF the fact
that Speaker Champ Clark has COM
pletely surrendered the ladies are
pleased that the President has gone
so far as to say that suffrage is for
the states to settle. Independent of
the declarations that the two men
are standing together for a common
purpose, it has been demonstrated
more than once that neither of these
dis :nguished gentlemen appreciate
having the other beat him to it. y
Sneaker Clark has told the ladies
that for one thousand years the
men have been trying to run the
world, and some think they have
made a bad mess of it. ] hope that
when you women run it that you will
improve on it,"
The Isle of Pines.
After the Spanish-American war
there was long drawn out dispute
as to whether the Isle of Pines be-
longed to the United States or Cuba.
Uncle Sam finally surrendered his
title, but the island in the meantime
enchanted a good many people, and
now nearly ninety per cent of the
entire area is owned by Americans.
Stories of the great wealth OF tim
Der, on the island have been circulat-
ed, and there have been plenty of
investors patiently waiting to real
ize the promised fortunes.
Consul General James l.. Rogers,
at Havana, Cuba, has written the
State Department to the effect that
there has been a remarkable devel-
oIAment in the islands in citros fruit
raising and other agricultural effort.
While the consul does not mention
the fact, yet it Is a matter of knowl-
edge to some people in Washington
that at one time number of Unit
ed States officials in Cuba and the
Isle of Pines attempted to secure q
corner on pineapples, and did so. But
before they got through with their
experience most Of them had barely
enough money left to pay their fare
back to the United States. 1t is es-
timated that the population of the
island is about five thousand people,
of which perhaps one thousand are
Americans.
The Money Shot at Vera Cruz.
1t has already cost the American
government more than one million
and quarter dollars for its exhibit
ton pulled off at Vera Cruz. Notwith-
standing the big expense of our en-
terDriSa the protocol of Niagara