Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1893-07-20
Washington Letter
From OUR REGULAR CORREsrONDEN

TKoM OUK hEHUbAK NOKkESfoNDENi
WASHINGTON, d. C.. July 18th, 1893.
ut is lust as WE'LL remarked naval
officer Of prominence whose name for
obylous reasons cannot be mentioned,
mot to be too fast IN ridcullng the re-
ports that Great Britain is preparing to
resist by force the decision Of the Behr.
ing Sea arbitration tribunal, it 1t be
against her, which now seems probable.
The decision is bound to be unsatisfac-
tory, and am sure that many infuen-
tlal people in the United States would
advise the administration not to give up
American rights in Behring Sea, even
if the arbtrators should decide that
there was no such things as American
rights in that Sea. The presence of
Russian fleet of war vessels in New
York harbor and the announcement
that the vessels would remain pcrma-
nenty on the Atlantic coast furnishes
good presnmptive evidence that on.
Government is taking precautions to
strengthen its floating fighting force !;
for,eyen if there We're no special alliance
in existence between The two govern
ments, Russia would be our natural ally
in case of trouble with England oyer
Behring Sea matters, and go far as Great
Britain is concerned the Russian war
vessels in New York harbor are so many
additions to the American Navy. In.
derstand me, am not predicting trou-
bic. Still l should not call man silly
who talked of the probability Of trouble
growing ont of the arbitration.
An attempt is to be made, according
to silver men now in Washington, to
unite the silver Senators for the purpose
of hitting back at President Cleyeland
By refusing to confirm every one Of the
large number Of recess nominations who
is known to be an opponent of silver.
Such a combination might easily be
formed if there was anything to be
gained by 1t, but there isn't. 1t would
probably worry Mr.. Cleveland little,
but he could ii so disposed keep on
nominating the rejected men. and as
they are already holding their places
they would continue to draw salaries,
Notwithstanding the rejection of their
nominations by the Senate. Besides,
even if the Senators succeeded in get
ting some Of them out OF Office that
would not be Of the slightest benefit to
the silver men. For that reason your
correspondent does not think such a
combination will be made.
How little the general public knows
about government finances was illus
trated the other day by the experience
of a small note, silver certificates issued
under the Bland act of 1878, which are
IN general circulation. The bank Off
cial informed him that those certificates
were not legal tender and that the New
York clearing house had re fused to ac-
cept them. And the official was right.
The silver dollars coined under the
Bland act are legal tender, but the
certificates issued upon the deposit of
those silver dollars are only receivable
for customs, taxes and other public
debts These certificates are still is
sued by the government and on July
there were $526, 4S9, 1875 OF them in
circulation and $4.468, 339 in the treas.
ury. That member of Congress says he
will introduce bill to make these GER.
tiGcates legal tender. Certainly there
should be no two opinions about that
bill. The silver dollars upon which they
are issued are full legal tender, and the
certificates ought also to be.
Those WHO hereafter receive seeds
from the Agricultural Department need
not be afraid to plant those labeled
cabbage for fear Of propagating a crop
of double Jolntod, never-get-rid- Of
them suntlowers. There Is to be no