Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1899 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

(From our regular correspondent.) The Morgan Nicaragua Canal bill, with amendments, passed the Senate, Saturday, by a vote of 48 to 6. ♦ * * At Mr. McKinley’s request, an amendment will be offered to the Sundry Civil Appropriation bill to provide the money to begin the work of caring for Confederate graves located outside of private cemeteries. * • * The River and Harbor Bill carries direct appropriations for sl2505,138, besides continuing contracts aggregating $16,791,536, as reported to the House, and it is the invariable rule of the Senate to increase it by a few millions. * * * Dr. Daly, who was chief Surgeon on the staff of Gen. Miles, demonstrated for the War Investigating Commission, by actual tests made by government chemists, that the refrigerated beef issued to the troops of Gen. Miles in Porto Rico w’as with Boric and Salicylic acids,—was in fact “embalmed.” ♦ * * Senator White says he will not obey the instructions of the California legislature, to vote for the ratification of the treaty of Peace, because he is unalterably opposed to its ratification, and does not regard the instructions as binding upon him, against his convictions. Senator Perkins says that in deference to the legislature he will swallow his convictions and vote for the treaty. • • * Commissary General Eagan has been relieved of all official duties pending his trial by Court-martial which has been ordered to assemble in Washingto this week. That the court-martial will find Eagan guilty of the charge of conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman, is regarded as certain. The punishment is dismissal from the army, but inasmuch as the President has authority to set aside or lessen the punishment, it is regarded as doubtful whether that penalty will be imposed upon Eagen. War department officials have allowed it to become known that they do not expect Eagan to resume the duties of Commissary General. Mr. McKinley’s action on the Eagan verdict may determine whether Secretary Alger will remain in the Cabinet, although some think that Alger will remain anyway, unless kicked out, in order to try to get even with Gen. Miles. ’ He is known to be pulling all the political wires within his reach for the purpose of trying to make trouble for Miles, and the beef contractors are helping him. There is a rumor in Washington that both Alger and Miles will be iismissed as a result of the report as the War Investigating Commission, but that the report Will be held by Mr. McKinley until after Congress adjourns, as he fears its affect upon that body.

Senator Gorman publicly called a halt on the statement that he and the Senators who are acting with him in trying to procure a declaration that the policy of this government does Dot contemplate permanent ownership of the Philippines, are trying to delay or prevent a vote on the Treaty of Peace. Privately, Senator Gorman proposed to Senator Davis, who is in charge of the treaty, that a day be set to vote upon it, and Mr. Davis was afraid to accept, because he was not certain that the treaty could control a sufficient number of votes to be ratified, and the opposition were claiming to have thirty-six votes pledged against the treaty, and it was amended to meet their views. Of course, Mr. Gorman would not speak publicly about this private interview with Senator Davis, but in discussing the matter, he said the following significant words, after having said that the administration could get a vote on the treaty whenever it wanted to: “Of course, if the friends of the treaty deem it wise to postpone action until an extra session of Congress, they are in a position to carry out their purpose.” There is little doubt that the sentiment against our permanent retention of the Philippines is growing in the Senate, and while it may not be strong enough to secure the adoption of an amendment to the treaty, it begins to look as though it will be strong enough to compel the adoption of a resolution by the Senate, unless the administration decides to allow the treaty to go over to an extra session.

* * * The speech of Representative James Hamilton Lewis, of Washington, in which he pilloried Representative Grosvenor, of Ohio, unmercifully, just after Representative Bailey, of Texas, Carmack, of Tenn., and Simpson, of Kansas, had peppered him with short retorts, was as fine an example of the proper use of sarcasm in a sjieech as had been given on the floor of the house for years. No extract can give a correct idea of Mr. Lewis’ speech, but the following, which came after his charging Grosvenor with posing as the exclusive custodian of the patriotism of the country, and with ringing the changes on one speech, always ending by pointing dramatically to the Stars and Stripes behind the Speaker’s desk, will give some idea of his style: “When all these arrows were shot from the quiver of my friend from Ohio, it occurred to me that there was something on his mind besides an humble Representative from Washington and a distinguished gentlemen from Kansas. There was aU. S. Senate, . which had not received from the gentleman the bastinading that it deserved. And then it was that we witnessed this Fidus Achates of the administration, this sole deputized executor of its castigating powers—this eminent and worthy Representative, let me add—rising to warn that honorable branch of the executive power, the Senate of the U. S., that if it did not proceed to do that as to which there seems to be some doubt in my friends mind whether they will hear from him again.”