The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-03-28
T r
WASHINGTON, March u, 1894

WASHINGTON, March 81, 1894.
President Cleveland probably never
did a harder or more wearing weeks
work than that which has just closed.
Last Monday Vice President Stevenson
signed the Bland bill for the coinage of
the seigriorage aud it was at once
placed in the hands of the president.
Since that time he has devoted his
entire time to the bill, aud although
no announcement has been made to that
effect, the opinion seems to be gaining
ground here that be will veto the
bill. If he neither vetoes nor signs
the bill by Thursday Of this week it
it will become a Law without any
action on the presidents part. The
veto Of the bill will be a great disap-
poinment to democrats from the south
aud west in Congress, but if it be
vetoed no attempt will be made to pass
it over the veto.
Secretary Gresham smashed some
presidents when he made public the
new treaty with China in advance OF the
action Of the Senate upon it. but it
was the sensible thing to do, even If
garbled extracts from the treaty bad
not leaked out and been printed in
papers u~nfriendly towards the admin
%istration. Of course Secretary Ores.
ham would have preferred that the
making public Of this treaty should have
been deferred until i. could have been
accompanied by the commercial. treaty,
to which it was the stepping stone,
which has been negotiated and is now
awaiting the approval of the Chinese
government. The present treaty relates
entirely to the rights of the citizens of
the two countries when living in either,
aHd contains several marked conces-
sions concerning the coming of Chinese
to America. For that reason it is
objectionable to some of Senators and
Representatives from the Pacific coast,
bat in view of the advantages to be
gained by the commercial treaty. TO
come later, it is not thought that the
opposition will be strong enough to
%endapger the ratification of this treaty.
but the Senate may decide. on account
Of the slipperyness Of Chinese diplo-
macy, to withhold ratification ansil it is
known that the commercial treaty has
been approved by Chioa.
Nothing is easier than to build up
absurd stories by accepting wrong
constructions Of an act as a foundation
upon which to build, and nothing is
apparently more enjoyable to those
Washington correspondents who furnish
imaginary matter for the sensational
republican press than to put a wrong
construction upon every act Of Presi-
dent Cleveland's. A case in point was
the designation by the President of
Rear Admiral Walker for the COM
mapd Of Pacific Station. Although
it was officially stated that Admiral
Walker was given this command be
cause the administration had decided
to extend an appropriation made in
1892, by Congress, in fitting up a coal
and naval station at Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii, the tight to do SO having exist
ed since the ratification Of the treaty of
1887, and he was thoroughly familiar
with the harbor and IFS surroundings.
but putting a wrong construction upon
it. these correspondents built up stories
showing that the selection was made
because of au intention to interfere with
the provisional government of Hawaii.
These stories were not only false and
known by their %concocters to be false,
but they we're a positive insult to the
President Of the United States, who had
months ago formally and officially
turned all matters relating to the
government of Hawaii over to
Congress yet they were printed.
Legitimate criticism is all right in its
proper place. but lies and m~!srepresen-
tations are always cowardly and always
contemplate 20 matter who make use
of them.
General Wade Hampton knows as
we'll how to snub impertinence as any
man in public life. The other day he
called on a Senator who has a private
secretary who is a victim Of the imper-
tiueut habit. AS the General after
leaving the Senator was passing through
the room occupied by the private
Secretary that individual stopped him
and said You asked for half a minute
and have stayed in half an hour: you
ought to get a medal" Young man."
replied General Hampton without a
moments hesitation. "you remind me of
what Mrs. Darlington told Ike when
be said be was going to get a medal y
"What was that ?" asked the smart
Aleck with a grin. "'Well, Ike, you
deserve a medal, for you are the most