Washington Letter

Washington. D. C.,!Jan. 21, 1895. The republicans in congress have another bad case of Hawaüan fever, arought on by the news of the very feeble revolt against the republic of Hawaii, which was published in Saturday's papers. In their ravings against the administration the republicans forget that the absence of a U. S. warship from Honolulú at the time of the revolt was directly due to a request made by President Dole, of Hawaii; also, that Minister Willis in his official dispatch to Secretary Gresham, giving news of the revolt and of its failure, says: "President Dole expressed to me his gratification that no national ship has been in port during this disturbance. " In other words, that the president of HawaiL was glad that he had been able to sUate to the world his ability to put down a revolt without the moral support which the presence of a foreign war vessel or vessels would have given him. But these are facts, somet íing the republicans never trouble themselves about wlien they start to abusing the administration. The cruiser Philadelphia has been ordered to Hawaii. There has been no apparent change as to the outlook for financial legislation during the past week. Efforts to reach an agreement on some bilí that can be passed are still being made, but prospects are not encouraging. Representative-elect Fitzgerald.of Massachasetts, was probably the first man to ask President Cleveland the direct question, "Will there be an extra session of congress?" Anyway he is the first man who has asked the question and made known the president's reply thereto, which was as follows: "I have not yet made up my mind. If nothing is done at this session of congress, and the best interests of the country demand it, I shall not hesitate to convene congress again, without regard to any party feeling and unintluenced by any consideration save that of the public good." Mr. Fitzgerald then said to the president: "But suppose that the republicans undertake to pass a tariff bill and send it to you to sign." To which Mr. Cleveland answered: "J cannot be responsible for what they do. There are questions to be settled, and it is the duty of congress to legislate upon them in its own way. If the new congress is convened, my responsibility will begin when a measure that has passed both houses is sent to me for action." Although the reopening of the case raises a doubt as to whether the committee on the judiciary of the house will report that impeachment resolution against Judge Ricks, of Ohio, it may yet do so, unless the hearing of Judge Ricks and any witnesses he may introduce shall put a more favorable aspect on the charges against the judge, which the committee has once decided were proven. Time need cut no figure in the matter, as according to Senator Gorman, who is good authority, impeachment proceedings when once formally brought before the senate by the house would not be affected by the expiration of the session, but would be taken up at the next session and carried to a conclusión. There have only been seven impeachment trials in our history, four of them being of judges, one of a senator - Blount, of Tennessee, - one of a president - Johnson - and one of a secretary of war - Belknap. Speaker Crisp, who has not been well recently, has by advice of his physicians gone away for a few days' rest. The naval appropriation bil!, which has been reported to the house, carries, in accordance with Secretary Herbert's reccommendations, $12,000,000 for the construction of three coast-line battleships; also the provisión for the construction of twelve torpedo boats of from 100 to 300 tons each. The bill provides that one of the battle-ships and three of the torpedo boats shall be built upon the Pacific coast or in adjacent waters, if it can be done at a fair cost; abolishes speed premiums, and says that one of the battle.ships shall be named Kearsarge. When the proposition to build these battleships was first made many congressmen were first disposed to oppose it on account of the slim condition of the treasury, but upon consideration of the fact that the largest part of the money for them will be paid for labor, thus giving needed employment to many, the most of them have withdrawn their opposition, and it is now regarded as certain that the bill will go through practically as reported. Secretary Hoke Smith decided some time ago that the interior deaartment was paying th4 Bell teleahone monopoly entirely too much money for the telephones in use be :ween the main department building and its branches, the geological survey, the bureau of ethnology, the pension bureau, the census office, the bureau of education and several others. The telephone company refused to reduce its charges and Secretary Smith has made a contract with other parties for the erection, of a telephone line which will belong to the government and will save a considerable sum of money, as there will be no charges to pay after the line is up except for its being kept in repair. The Bell Telephone company is threatening legal complica - tions.