The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-05-03

From Our Regular Correspondent.


WASHINGTON. April 29.-President Cleve-
land declines to get excited because England is
engaged in giving Nicaragua IL metaphorical
spanking, and yet there is Il great howl from
his enemies, who accuse him of abandoning
the Monroe doctrine. If the Monroe doctrine
means that the United States shall fight, or
threaten to fight, every European country
which those cockey little South and Central
American republics by their hot-headed acts
get into trouble with, it ought to be abandon
ed. AS Il matter OF fact no administration has
ever put any such construction upon the Mon
roe doctrine. While England's demand upon
Nicaragua may be eXtortionate, there is no
doubt that it was provoked by Nicaragua.
which had somehow got the idea that the
United States would Interfere i'll its behalf be
fore the worst came to the worst. England Is
doing precisely what the United States would
do under similar circumstances-compell ing
reparation for insult and injury to her subjects
although this country would probably have
gone about it differently. The administration
deserves commentator for its policy OF nom
interference i'll this matter, and can be depend
ed upon to act promptly and patrotlcally
when any American interest is assailed, but It
has no idea of being driven into an uncalled
for with England by the irrespons:b BILE
jIngo element.
Ii is every day becoming clearer that the
Republicans are going 10 try to Straddle the IL
nancial question ii their next national plat
form. \ proposition. which is said to have re-
ceived the endorsement OF Il number oil their
most prominent men, including two candidates
for the Presidential nomination, is that plank
be inserted i'll the platform for the coinage OF
the idea being that this will prevent the boiling
of the silver Republicans in the west
1t is nothing new to say that Secretary Nor
ton is opposed to the indlscrlInnate distribution
of all kinds of seeds by the Department OF Ar
riculture. He has been opposed to il from the
day he learned OF the absolute waste winch ac-
COMMANDED the distribution OF seeds. TO say
nothing about those Congressman who solG in
bulk their quota of seeds, and If he could have
had his way Congress would not have appro'
printed one dollar for the purchase OF seeds
for indiseriminate free distribution during the
coming fiscal year But he did not have his
way, and AN appropriatlon-Som smaller
than uSIIal-waS made for that purpose. 1t Is
not certain, however, that Secretary Morton
will spend that appropriation. The appropria-
ton act says the money Is appropriated Tor the
purchase, propagation and distribution oil
seeds las required by law" The quoted clause
| is what Secretary Morton believes is bar TO
spending the money, as the law expressly and
distinctly limits the purchase and distribution
of seeds to ''such as are rare and uncommon III
this country" and it is customary to buy only
Il few of these for use mt the department eX-
detrimental stations.
The Supreme Court cannot finally dispose OF
the income tax cases, upon which arguments
| for rehearng will be heard next Monday, toe
soon to suit Treasury department officials
| The vote of Justice Jackson. who will sit t.
| hear the argument for II rehearlng, II cast
| against a rehearing will settle the whole Dusl.
| ness as it is understood the other eight mem
| bers of the court are equally divided; but
| should he vote for q rehearlng 1t Will be letl
| open until that rehearing has taken place ano
| u
| that may not be until after the first of July
! which is the last day upon which the income
| tax can be paid without IL penalty. The votes
| by which bonds and rents were exempted were
| such that the result cannot be changed, nc
matter how Justice jackson may vote upon
| them.
Wonder what those hair-trigger individual:
| who were so much afraid, sometime ago. that
Secretary Herbert would not have the Navy
properly represented at the celebration attend
| ing the opening of the sea canal ut kiei, or
| June 10, think of themselves now? In add
ton to the San Francisco and the Marblehead
| first designated, Secretary Herbert has order.
| ed that the New York and the Columbia shall
| also go to kiel. And there is Il possibility
that the Secretary may go himself Oh the Dol
| phin.
| Secretary Mortons beef Investigations must
be disquieting the beef trust when one of it:
members makes the ridiculous charge thai
| those investigations are keeping up the price
| of beef Secretary Morton smiles at the charge
which he correctly characterizes as nonsense
| and asks pertinently "Why should asking
| plain questions, in order to get ut the truth
| agitate anybody. or affect the beef market =
| That why will doubtless be echoed by the beef
| consumers who have been compelled to pay
| tribute to the greediness of the men who com
| pose the beef trust.