Catoctin clarion., 1895-07-25
WASHINGTON Letter
FROM OUR REG uLAR CoRpEsroNDENT

WASHINGTON, ID. T., July 22nd, 1910.
Sensational rumors have followed
each other thick and fast since Secre.
tary Olney came here and presided over
a secret Cabinet meeting. These ru-
mors might easily have been quoted by
an official statement from Secretary
Olney, but when a newspaper man
ventured to suggest as much to Mr..
Olney Just before he started to return
to his summer residence he was given a
look that was intended to completely
annihilate him, but it didn't-black
looks do not phaze newspaper man, if
he knows his business.
About the same time Secretary Olney
arrived, the Spanish minister, who it will
be remembered went to Massachusetts
to Weep in touch with the Secretary Of
State" also arrived in Washington.
That made it certain that the Cabinet
meeting was connected with Spanish
affairs, and the fact that the Spanish
minister had been specially active,
through detectives in his employ. in
trying to locate filibustering expedi-
ton said to be fitting out in this coun-
try to go to Cuba, made it equally Ger
tain that a stricter enforcement of the
neutrality laws was one OF the particu-
lar subjects discussed.
A gentleman connected with the dip
lomatic corps told friend that the
Spanish Minister had been urging Sec
retary Olney to order the arrest of all
the Oubans in the United States who are
openly working to aid the revolution
either materially or morally, including
the recently elected President of the
Cuban Provisional Government also,
that he should warn those Americans,
including editors, who are openly 81 m.
pathizing with and encouraging the
reyolutionists. If any pubic step is
taken by the administration it will pro.
badly be through proclamation Issued
by the President.
The most intelligent members Of the
labor organizations in Washington do
not hesitate to express the opinion that
Mr.. Sovereign made mistake when he
issued that order to the knights of La
bor, that national bank notes must after
September lst he refused by all mem
bers Of the organization. Mr.. Sovereign
says that similar orders will be issued
by all the other labor and kindred Or
CARNATIONS, but other labor men don t
think so. At the Treasury the whole
thing is regarded as merely bluff TO
to call the attention Of the country to
the non-legal tender quality of the ma.
tional bank notes. OF course knights
of Labor, or any other people, have
right to refuse to accept national bank
notes as money but to be logical they
ought also to refuse gold and silver GER
tifeates which also lack the stamp of
legal tender. But as all three classes
of notes are convertible into legal ten
der upon demand at the U. S. Treasury
or any of the sub Treasures it is diff
cult to see what would be gained by
refusing any Of them except the i'll will
of those who rendered them and who
would be put to he trouble of exchang.
ing them for U. S. notes to pay their
debts. No one doubts that the National
Banking laws need reform in lots of
ways, but boycotting notes, the payment
of which is guaranteed by the United
States Government, will not reform the
system, nor injure the banks to any
marked extent. 1t would, Of course, if
it became general greatly inconvenience
The banks, but it would inconvenience
the people more. Somebody has appar-
emily blundered.