Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 April 1904 — WASHINGTON LETTER. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON LETTER.

Political and Oeneral Gossip of the National Capitol. Special Correspondent to The Democrat: Legislation in Congress proceeds sluggishly again, but it is probable that by May 1 there may be effected a round-up of ‘‘those cattle,” as the President facetiously calls the law-makers at the other end of the Avenue. The Senate Friday indulged itself in sixteen fervent eulogies of the late Senator Mark Hanna, at least two l of them, delivered by men who were not on speaking terms with him for many months. Senator Foraker’s frdnk speech was on the perilous edge of impropriety. Yet it was an occasion of deep sincerity and even of real emotion, and suggested the apostrophe of Shakespeare: "O mighty Caesar! Dost thou lie so low? Are all thy conquests, glories, triumphs, spoils, shrunk to this little measure?” t t t The reverberation of stump speeches for the campaign in Senate and House has been succeeded by much quiet comment on Cleveland’s letter endorsing Judge Parker. Some think it was inopportune and premature; others, that it will tend to unify a discordant and dissevered party. Perhaps the dominant conclusion is that it will make no particular difference; that. aB Judge Parker has been Mr. Bryan’s personal friend and voted for him, in 1896 and 1900, and as he is Mr. Gorman’s second choice; and as Tammany is not really hostile, the general effect of the letter will not be harmful. t t t It has been arranged that the transfer of the Panama canal property to the United States shall take place at our embassy in Paris on April 25, if the stock holders agree. A formal appeal will be made against the recent decision of the French court in favor of the sale of the concessions and property to America, but this is declared “dilatory” and the high contracting parties will go ahead. The members of the canal commission had an “ovation” and luncheon at Panama on the 6tli and were welcomed by President Amador. Meantime gold has gone down and prices up in Panama, and a strike is announced, fully equipped with resolutions, demands, walking delegates and boycotts of Uncle Sam’s outfit of excavation. t t t The labor organizations here and their representatives from other parts of the country have been thrown into a condition of inextinguishable rage by wh»t they call the duplicity and hyprocisy of the republican party in relation to labor legislation. Mr. Gompeis is so angry that a republican Congress has promised to pass an eight-hour law and an anti-injunc-tion law, for the protection of the mechanics and other manual laborers of the land. But every year on the close approach of adjournment they have switched the industrial train off the track. This week the trick has been turned again. The committee on Labor in th,e House has held a good many meetings this winter, has heard a host of witnesses who came here from all parts of the country at their own expense, and has made voluminous and vociferous promises that now Congress would pass the law which laboring men require. Congressman Gardiner, Rep., of New Jersey, authoritatively repeated this solemn pledge only last week, but this week the Republicans of the com-

mittee have concluded not to pass or report any bill “this time” and have referred the whole question to Cortelyou of the Department of Commerce and labor, to report in the dim future. The Federation of Labor, the Knights of Labor, and all other associations of labor, union and non-union, declare that they have been misled, deceived, defrauded, hocus-pocused, and, in short, lied to very deliberately and systematically, and they are correspondingly resentful, wrathful, outraged, and disgusted. t f t Ex-Senator Charles A. Towne, of Michigan, Minnesota and New York, is considerably talked of in the dark horse category of Democratic candidates. He was a member of the Senate three weeks and made one notable speech which attracted much attention, against the subjugation of the Filipinos. At the conclusion of his speech while receiving congratulations Senator Depew sidled up to him and took him by the hand. “Mr. Toyne,” said Senator Depew, with appropriate condescension, “I congratulate you, sir! Your delivery was fine, your diction elegant, your peroration superb, and your argument damnable.” Senator Towne instantly replied, “Mr. Depew. I am delighted to know that you approve of the only features of it you could comprehend.” The witty retort is still pleasantly repeated at the Capitol. t t t Easter Monday was egg-rolling day in this city—a holiday peculiar to Washington. Early in the morning thousands of children headed for the White House, armed with baskets of boiled eggs of flamboyant colors, all ready for the great game. It consists in flinging the eggs up hill and then gathering as many as possible. Before sunset the White House lawn was a sight to behold —covered with paper, broken victuals, eggs and egg-shells, and everything that could decorate it. A street cleaning brigade has been busy ever since trying to clean it up and restore the lawn to itß normal color. Loads of stuff have been carted off. It is to be hoped that this imbecile game will not become contagious. t t t Personal: —The lawn festival of the Countess Cassini, daughter of the Russian ambassador, for the benefit of the Czar’s Red Cross Society, will begin on the 27th.... Doctor Mary Walker is lecturing here on consumption... .On the Ist Senator Depew tried to pick up a pocket-book near the Capitol. He says it was nailed down —just like the Vanderbilts’.... The supreme Court has not yet decided the case of Turner, ordered deported as an anarchist.... Col. Edwards, “Chief of the Insular Bureau,” has gone to St. Louis to pose the Philippine exhibit... .Postmaster General Payne has gone to Old Point Comfort to recuperate.... Senator Burton is here again but will not resume his seat in Congress next week. Then what?.... Secretary Moody declares that the president has always paid the entire expenses of the yachts he and his family have used. Whom did he pay? Call on Austin & Hopkins for terms on farm and city loans for five years. Barred Plymouth Roce Eggs —One dollar per setting of 13. We have as fine a lot of hens as we have ever seen together. - O. K. Ritchey, Rensselaer, Ind.