Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-11-21
WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, D. C. Nov. 16, 1897.
Mr., Harrison is usually very careful
of the language he uses in his public
speeches, but he made q break in his |
speech of welcome to Senior Mont,
the new CHILEAN minister, that will |
be snickered at in diplomatic circles
all over the civilized world. After
telling the minister how glad he was
to receive him, he told him of the
policy of this Government in dealing
with its neighbors unfortunate
enough to suffer from internal dissen-
tions and civil war. Said he: ut is
our policy to preserve an honorable
and strict neutrality, as was done
during the late war in Chill. Tempt
ing commercial and political advan-
tages may be offered for our aid or
influence by one or the other of the
contending parties, but this we have
not deemed to be consistent with the
obligations of international honor
and good will" 1t surely must have
been difficult for Senior Montt to
keep his face straight while listening
to this high-flown talk, in view of
the very short time since the news
papers of the entire world were ring.
ing with charges of bad faith made
by this Government against Hippo.
lyte, the present president of Hayti,
because of his refusal to cede the
Mole st Nicholas to the United
States, in keeping with the promise
he had made to obtain the support of
this Government to aid him in driv-
ing President Legitime OF! of Hayti,
and in assuming the presidency
thereof himself. That was an odd
sort of honorable neutrality, wasn't
it? And Senior Mont must have
wondered if Mr.. Harrison considered
his bargain with the insurgent Hippo
lyte consistent with the obligations
of international honor and good
will" Even Mr.. Harrison's friends
admit that he made a mistake in the
phrasing Of this speech, short as it
was.
1t is evident that some sort of a
deal is being Matched, whereby the
pOstmasters of the country are to
make their influence felt in the cleo.
ton Of delegates to the republican
National Convention. 1t is needless
to say that this movement is in the
interest of the present occupant Of
the White House. 1t Is being ma
nipulated by Boss Clarkson, aided by
Mr.. Wanamaker, who is said to be
ambitious Of becoming a politician
Within the last week a number o.
the more prominent postmaster
have been in Washington and none
of them went away until Clarksor
had taken them to Mr.. Wanama
ker's residence, where a secret con
ference was held at which the whole
programme was gone over and ex
planned, as far as Boss ClarksoI
deems it wise to trust the postmas
tiers. The only aid that Mr.. Wanna
maker can give is to let the post
: masters know that he approves 0
their undertaking the work mapped
, out for them by Boss Clarkson
who lets them understand that MI
Harrison is behind him.
1t is now stated that Secretary Eos
: ter has made up his mind, after con
: sulting Mr.. Harrison, not to make
: change in the Office of the Comptrol
D Ter of the Currency, notwithstand
c ing the popular impression that tn
' incumbent, Mr.. Lacey, had by hi
r seeming carelessness in the matter {
e the wrecked national banks in Phi
3 adelphia, Boston and elsewhere, 10:
Q the confidence Of the public, whic
8 it is 80 necessary for the holder {
: that position to have, if discredit
i not to be brought upon the entil
9 National banking system. 1t is III
e derstood that Secretary Foster will
L in his annual report, attempt to sho'
e that it is weakness in the;law and M
IS lack Of vigilance on the part of Coy
! eminent officials that is to blame fl
e the hoodwinking of the departmeI
i by unsound banks.
e If confdence were votes, all of ii
q candidates for Speaker would
a elected. Votes are mighty scar,
here, because the members of Il
e House are apparently in no hurry
s arrive. 1t is noticeable that the tigh
d ing between the friends of several
d the leading candidates has again tai
IS en- on the vicious and PERSONAL
!, abusive style that was so much d
Z prepioted nv the cOOl-hpadad friani