The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-12-12
WASHINGTON LETTER.
lFrom Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, D. O., Dec. 6, '95.

with England, but now for the first
time in many years there is an actual
probibility of such war. In fact, un.
less the situation is misunderstood in
w ashington, there has got to be fight
or backdown, and it is certain that
even if the administration wished to
back down, that Congress will not allow
it to do so. The Monroe doctrine has
always been believed in by the Repub.
lican party, and the Republicans in Con.
gress can not only be depended upon to
stand by the administration in main.
tanning that doctrine, but to force it to
maintain it if such course is necessary.
The only portion of Mr.. Cleveland's
message that struck a responsive cord in
Congress was that clause dealing with
the communication sent to the British
government last July demanding a
specific answer as to whether it pro.
posed to submit to arbitration the dis.
puted boundary line between British
Guia ma and Venezuela, and giving
notice that this government would not
allow England to forcible take any terri.
tory claimed by Venezuela. England
has answered that demand, and although
the full text OF answer has not yet been
received-it is now on the way by mail
it is understood that it contains more
or less positive refusal to arbitrate the
dispute. Should that understanding
prove correct there is nothing left but
to tell England that the United States
will not allow her to steal Venezuelas
territory, and in order to give that in.
formation force it is probable that it
will be sent by Congress which alone
has power to declare war, in the shape
of joint resolution.
Mr.. Cleveland this week sent for
Speaker Reed and the two held a
lengthy conference, 1t is not positively
known that the subject of this confer
ence was the Monroe doctrine, but it is
believed that it was, and that MIR. Cleve-
land sent for Mr. Reed in order to
ascertain Just where the Republicans
stood and to arrange as to how the mat
ter should be dealt with by Congress-
As soon as England's answer is'received
it will be sent to Congress accompanied
by special message from the President,
and if it be of the nature expected Eng.
land would just as we'll prepare to
cho ose between backing down and fight
ing, for in the present humor of Congress
she will be allowed no alternative.
Mr.. Cleveland's message, so far as it
related to financial matters had just as
we'll never have been written, as there
isn't the slightest probability That Con.
gress will even consider the retirement
of the greenbacks at this time. His
ign oring of the Treasury deficit in order
to escape recommending legislation for
increasing the revenues, was plainly
done for the purpose Of throwing the
responsibility of amending the tariff
laws upon the Republicans. The Re.
publican party has never shirked a
responsibility and it will not do so.
Congress will provide in its own way
the money needed by the government,
and leave the responsibility of accept
ing or vetoing that legislation upon Mr..
Cleveland.
The Republican Senators have held
several conferences since Congress met
to deal with the question Of reorganiz
ing the Senate, and although no pro-
gramme has actually been agreed upon
there is little doubt that the Repub.
licans will in due time reorganize the
Senate. There are not enough Repub.
licans to make majority, but it is be.
lieved that the populist Senators, who
have agreed to vote together for a time
on the organization question, will event.
ually divide and that enough of them
will vote with the Republicans to make
a majority, but no inducements will
be offered them to do so.
Among the food of bills introduced
in the House this week was one present.
ed by Representative Johnson, of Cali.
fornia, which ought to become law.
1t provides for the amending of the nat
uralization laws so that no alien shall
become citizen who has not for five
years preceding his application resided
within the United States, and who can.
not read, write and speak the English
language.
q The application of Senator.elect
Dupont, of Delaware. for the seat in the
Senate to which he was elected has been
referred to the Senate Election commit.
tee, and there is little doubt about his
getting the seat. He has clear case.
Speaker Reed has not announced the
House committees, and until he does
the House will probably only sit two
days week, as it did this week, unless
there shall be some special reason for
changing the programme. Mr.. Reed
has not set any date, but the impression
prevails that the committees will he