The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-05-08
Washington Letter.
WASHINGTON May s. 1895

the position. they took in the dispute
between Great Britain and Nicara-
qua, the outcome of that affair would
furnish a Full supply, showing as it
does that the administration was
thoroughly alive to American inter
ests. To say that the Monroe doc.
trine was at any time involved in the
affair is simply to display ignorance
of the Monroe doctrine. But the
treaty between the United States and
Great Britain, known as the Clayton
Bulwer treaty, was the foundation
upon which the administration stood
when it consented to the temporary
occupation of Corinto by the British.
That treaty says: "Neither the
United States nor Great Britain will
ever erect or maintain any forti6ca-
tons commanding the ship canal, or in
the vicinity thereof, or occupy or
fortify or colonize or assume or exer
else any dominion over Nicaragua,
Costa Rico. the Mosquito coast or
any part Of Central America" In
the face of..that explicit language how
silly appears all the wild talk about
the intention of Great Britain to COB
BILE up as much of Nicaragua as would
give her control of the canal. 1t just
shows. however. how lameptablv
ignorant many of those who write
about public affairs are. But vicious
ness has been responsible for more of
the misrepresentation in this case
than ignorance has.
Civil Service Commissioner Lyman.
whose rumored forced resignation
has been a sort of bi-monthly or
quarterly publication appearing with
sufficient regularity to entitle it to
claim second class postal rates, ever
since that Congressional committee
investigated the charges made
against him, several years ago, by
the Washington Post, of favoritism
towards a relative in Office, is really
going this time. His resignation,
which it is needless to say was not
voluntarily rendered, is now in the
hands of the President. and it is ex-
pected that his successor will be
named at the same time that, the
vacancy caused by the resignation of
Theodore Roosevelt is filled. Both
Lyman and Roosevelt are repuhli-
cans, but it is the Presidents inten
ton to appoint a democrat in place
of one of them, which will make the
commission consist of two demo-
Gratis and one republican, instead of
two republicans and one democrat,
as it has been during this entire ad-
ministration.
Senator German doesn't Otter
allow his opinions to be quoted in a
newspaper, but be has this to say Of
the personal attack lately made upon
him by the Hon. Isador Rayner, an
aspirant for the Maryland democratic
gubernatorial nomination II regret
to be compelled to say that l regard
Mr.. Rayner's speech as that of an
over.anxious candidate, who has for
gotten his protestations of friendship
and what he has always claimed to
be his undying gratitude for my
friendship for him during the past
twenty years. Why he has made
the personal assault upon me, am
at a loss to comprehend, unless it be
that HE earnest pleading with me to
support him for the nomination failed
to receive a favorable response. He
ought, however; to have been salts
fed with my assurance to him, that
| believed the best interests of the
party required that the nomination
should seek the man. and not the
man the nomination."
Secretary Gresham is not sick
enough to justify the sensational re-
ports sent out from Washington,
although he is confined to his room
and is likely to be for four or FIVE
days more. 1t is the same old trou-
ble-stomach and liver-that laid
him up a few weeks ago, and the
cause is also the same-overwork
and failure to take proper care of
himself. He is in no danger and
only requires rest to bring him
around again.
Attorney General Olney has de.
eided that the construction put upon
the law governing the purchase of
seeds by the Agricultural department
by Secretary Morton was correct ;
consequently instead of spending the
100000 appropriated, Secretary
Morton will only buy such seeds as
are "rare and uncommon" unless
Congress makes a new law COMPEL.
ing the expenditure of all the money.
Ex-senator Blair, OF N. H., evil
IDENTIFY insn't a Reed man. He says:
ssNow Enuland ia onporont1v for