Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1900 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

Proin Our Regular Correspondent: Will England accept the Am ericanized Hay-Pauncefote treaty which will start for London this week or will it reject it, and invite something even less palatable? That is one of the most discussed questions of tlio hour in Washington. Another is, will congress wait until Englnad signifies its intentions, before passing the Nicaragua Canal bill? No one can answer either with any certainty at this time, but the prevailing opinion appears to be that the refusal of England to accept the amended treaty would arouse a very bitter anti-English sentiment, which might result in legislation that ! would be disastrous to English interests, instead of merely defending American interests, as the amended treaty does. Tho Canal question is really puzzling and becoming more so. Some of the Senators who talk loudest for the Canal Bill, are under suspicion of not being sincere, and no one need be greatly surprised if there is no canal legislation nt this session, although at the opening of the session the Canal bill was considered one of the certainties, and it is fully known that public sentiment of the country, regardless of politics, overwhelmingly indorses the Nicaragua Canal Bill. The extent of the fight for reelection that little Billy Chandler has on his hsnds may be judged from his having begged letters of recommendation from twentythree of the republican Senators, to be printed and circulated in New Hampshire, ns an answer to the charge that he had lost the confidence and support of many of his republican colleagues in the Senate. This would have been a shrewd dodge, if the indorsement of a sufficient number of republican Senators had been secured, but when tho number is less than one-lmlf of the republican Senators, it seems more like a confirmation than-a refutation of the charge, as it is certain .that Chandler got all the letters he could.

Seuntor Bacon, just before leaving for his Georgia homo, where lie will spend the holidays, [laughingly said to a fellow Senator with whom he was exchanging good-byes: “I wish jou a merry Christmas and a happy New Year, but I cannot wish you a happy new century for I believe the new century began on January 1, IiKX). I can demonstrate to you, mathematically, that 1 am right, but I won’t take the time to do it, because my view seems to be at varience with thnt entertained by the rest of the world.” Minister Conger is to be recalled on account of his alleged botch work in the negotiations at Peking, which have at last resulted in the signing of an agreement by the foreign ministers on the demands that shall bo made on China, if close friends of the administration know what they are talking about. Others say that if Conger is recalled it will be merely to make him a scupegoat behind which the administration may conceal its wabbling, which ended in a peremptory order to Conger to sign an agreement —its full text was made public Saturday,—containing demands that this government had over and over again said it would not agree to. Semi-official statements emanating from the Sluto Department, chargo Conger

with the responsibility of having placed this government in a false position by bis blundering construction of instructions. The members of the diplomatic corps in Washington are all laughing at the whole business. According to a newspaper guess which may or may not be correct, but which carries not only the sign of cleverness, but of painstaking observation, the U. S. Supreme Court which last week heard arguments on one of the cases involving the constitutionality of the administration’s policy towards the islands acquired from Spain, now stands four in favor of the contention that the constitution follows the flag and four against it, with Chief Fuller in doubt. If that bo correct, the derision will really rest with the Chief Justice and lie is a goed old-fashioned democrat. While this guess may not turn out to be right, it was not wildly made. Members of the Supreme Court are human, like the rest of us, and they indicate their belief by their talk, some of them by lecturing to law students, some by privnte conversation, and some by the tenor of the questions they asked of counsel while the arguments were being made. The justices put down as believing that the Constitution Follows the flag, are Brewer, Harlan, White and Brown, and those holding to the contrary, McKenna, Gray, Peckham and Shiras. It is uncertain when the decision will be handed down as more arguments on a similar case are to be submitted January 7th, but it is believed in Washington that if it be adverse to the administration, Mr. McKinley will endeavor to have it held back until after the adjournment of Congress. Mr. J. A. Wilson, a Boston lawyer, who is in Washington on business with the State Department, said of the Ship Subsidy bill, against which a number of republican Senators are threatening to revolt: “It is wrong in principle and if enacted into law will establish a vicious precedent. If Congress really wants to build our mercahnt marine, it will amend the law, so that those engaged in the business may purchase theif | ships or have them built in any country in the world and give them an American registry. This proposition to give a few favored individuals some millions of dollars for floating the American flag is little short of stealing, and I am of opinion that Mr. Hanna’s pet measure will not become law at this session.” In order to quiet%ome of the republican opposition to the bill, Senator Hanna has indicated his willingness to agfee to its being amended, but it is not yet certain that any sort of an amendment will get the bill through.