Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-04-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.


WASHINGTON, April II, 1s9S.-From
he dawn of civilization to the present
line nations have been and are peculiarly
sensitive about every thing in any way
with their national flag. This
accounts for the news of the lowering OF
The American flag, raised over Hawaii by
the U. S. Minister at the request OF the
provisional government, by ex-ConSress-
man Blount, now in Hawaii as the COM
missioner and personal representative Of
Cleveland, having become the
topic of conversation in WASH
ington as soon as it was received. and for
its still retaining its prominence. Further
than to lot it be known that Mr.. Blount
had only obeyed his instructions the ad-
ministration has maintained a digniped
silence as to its reasons and Intentions
Senators are as rule reluctant to sx-
press an opinion on the subject when
Senator Lodge, offered resolution calling
upsn the Secretary of State to inform the
Senate by whose authority the American
flag was hauled down, it was quickly
proposed By Senator Butler that it be
amended By adding the words land also
By whose authority the same WAS holsted'"
The position of these TIVE Senators may
be said to represent the positions OF their
respective parties, although 1t is difficult
to understand what partisan politics can
have to do With the matter. There is no
question about its having required courage
Of a high order to direct that flag taken
down. 1t was taking risk of making
the administration unpopular that few
Presidents would have willingly taken,
and the result will be in doubt until the
Hawaiian question is definitely settled
II 1t be settled satisfactorily the adagc,
calls well that ends well" will soon cause
the lowering of the flag to be forgotten
but should there be sggraTating COM
plicatisns or an unsatisfactory disposition
of the question, the lowering of that flag
will be continually rising up to plague
the administration. l have not talked
with a single Senator or man OF proml'
nence who has any doubt of the patriotism
of President Cleveland, or Of his COED In
teut;ons, but many Of them, not few
members of his own party, express ap.
prebension of the result of lowering the
flag after il was once hoisted, even if its
hosting we're in q sense both illegal and
irregular. These men know the sensi-
tivensss of the people about our flag.
Your correspondent has been watching
and writing about Congress for number
of years, but has never yet been able to
understand why it is that when
questions said to be purely constitu'
tional in their nature come up in
either the House OF the Senate the
division is invariably upon partisan p0-
lltiGsl lines. Tho proposition to inVssti-
gate Senator Roach, at the extra session
Of the Senate just closed, was case in
point. The democrats interpreted the
constitution to mean that the Senate had
no right to investigate the antscedents Of
its members, while the republicans took
the contrary view. The populstS kept
out of the muddlS. To a man up tree it
looks like it is majority, and not the
constitution, that settles Congressional
disputes.
For the first time since the resumption
Of specie payment the Treasury has sus'
pended the issue Of gold certificates, and
it Is generally believed that bonds will
b issued at once, in order to meet the
renewed demand for gold for shipment
abroad. In suspending the issue of gold
certificates Sec. Carlisle anticipated the
law, which says they shall be suspended
when the gold falls below 500 900, 900.
Considerable speculation has be-" IT,
dulged 10 as to tho srrand of the quartette
of distinguished Canadisns-sx-Premisr
Mercisr, Hons. P. Z. Leblanc, Z. Farrer,
and J, C. Langelier-who have been in
Washington several days. They say their
visit is merely for recreation, but mas
much as they have had private interviews
with President Cleveland and Secretary
Gresham have the impression that they
are here to further the growth of annexa-
ton sentiment.
1t is not regarded as certain that the
delegation of Cherokee Indians will sue
coed in getting its bond scheme endorsed
By the government. In fact, it is claimed
that the administration has no authority
to guarantee the payment of interest on
the bonds. Others. however, say there
will be no trouble in fixing up the matter
legally and satisfactorily to all concerned.
According to the figures of the Bureau
of Statistics there has been falling off
in cur exports of bread stuffs, hog, beef
and dairy products tor the nine months
ending March 81, 1893, of S94. $40, 900, as
with the same period in the
previous fscal year. These are significant
figures for the agriculturlsts Of the COM