Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-05-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Written and compiled for the HERALD
WASHINGTON, May 8, 1898 IF there
$ financial panic in this country" said
Senator famous for his conservatism in
during private conversation,
1T VIII be directly chargeable to tie
politicians who are more intent upon
carrying out their theories than upon the
welfare of the country at large. There
exists not the slightest reason for panic, /
and regard the furry in Wall street
which has crippled the cordage trust ard
several other similar concerns as bene-
fetal to the country rather than injqrous.
There was time when the operators in
Wall street vera regarded as controlling
factors in the finances of the country, but
1t has long since gone by, and today they
are known for just what they are
gamblers. They cot up the recent scare
for the sole purpose of frightening the ad-
ministrstion into issuing bonds, and IN
the en- 1 they became its victims, and they
have few sympathizers and deserve
fewer"
While there is no apparent connection
between the slump in Wall street and the
condition of the National finances there is
no question that the situation in Wall
street is being used as an argument by
those who are trying to persuade Presl-
dam Cleveland TO call an immediate eX-
ira session of Congress, to deal With
financial matters. On the other hand,
some prominent men who two months
ago were strongly in favor of an early
extra session now doubt the wisdom OF
calling one. They argue that in the pres
emf unsettled state of public sentiment
regarding finance 1t would but add to the
stir to have Congress meet and fail to
agree upon any financial measure that
would meet the approval of the President,
and those who ought to be best informed
on the state of Congressional sentiment
insist that such would be the certain re-
sult of an extra session at this time.
Representative Boon, of MINI, enid
die of the road" populist says the present
situation vindicates the position taken
by the popullsts IN the last campaign as
to the real issue, which they contended
was finance, and not the tariff. Mr.
Boen believes in the reconciliation OF
silver at full legal tender value.
There seems to be a general impression
here that the Geary Chinese Excl usion
act will not result in the deportation OF
any of the numerous Cinnamon who
ignored it and refused to register. There
are two reasons for this opinion, one be-
Ing that the Supreme Court, which VIII
hear arguments en- tie new law this week,
will decide it unconstitutional, and the
other that the administration Will, even
if the law be declared constitutional, not
attempt to carry out It's provisions Ii
the administration is opposed to the law,
"a if is said to be, it has a good excuse for
not carrying it out by shipping the China
man back to China, IN the failure of Con
gress to appropriate sufficient money to
paw for their tickets but should the
Supreme Court decide it unconstitutional
no excuse will be needed.
The long expected fight between the
New York factions for the federal patron
age of New York city is expected to open
in a few days, and both sides are already
well represented here. Tammany has by
no means abandoned the hope Of getting
the postmaster and the collector OF the
port. the two places which control the
bulk of the patronage, but the anti-snap-
pers are confident that they will get
neither. There are reasons for believing
that these appointments have been de-
layed because Mr.. Cleveland has been
irving to fiud men who while not being
exactly identified with either faction will
he in a sense satisfactory to both, or will
at least prevent either from claiming that
it was recognized and the other "'uTned
down"
Washington has a stone cutters strike
on hand, the trouble growing out OF the
refusal of the employers to agree to Ger
tain demands made by the men, one OF
them being for a weekly pay day, instead
of fortnightly, and another reducing the
number of apprentices in each yard to
two, without regard to the number OF
men employed the old rule allows four
to each yard. There is no trouble about
wages. as tie men have been receiving
fourty-fve cents an hour for eight hours
work a day. The strike is very serious
thing right in the midst of the building
season, and the men say they will not re-
turn to werk until their demands are
granted.
The postponement of the Resembling
of the international monetary conference
until next November excited little or no
interest here, as nobody seems to expect
that it will amount to anything practical
" at any time.