Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1895-12-13
WASHINGTON AFFAIRS.
The Presidents .BaCkbOne,' Com.
amended = Recognition of Cuba
PrObabIc-Rcpub will Soon
Have TO Show Their Hand on the
Monroe DOCtrine-Etc.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
w No. E,l, IAn-

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9TH, 1879.
President Cleveland's statement of
what the administration had done to
maintain the Monroe doctrine and his
intimation of what it was prepared to
do in that line was no play to the
grand-stand. The paragraph in his
message which contained the state
ment has not line or sentence of
spread-eagleism; it merely notifies the
world in dignitied and diplomatic
language that the Monroe doctrine is
not fantasy, but 4 fixed fact behind
which is all the strength of the United
States. There is cue for President
Cleveland in the unanimous support
of that portion OF his message by Dem
ocrats in both House and Senate. 1t
shows the possibility OF uniting the
Democrats, notwithstanding radical
differences of opinion on the financial
question, and of the party putting up
II stiff fight in the Presidential cam
paign. Not only are the Democrats
all pleased with the Presidents Monroe
doctrine talk, but some OF the Republic
cans have not hesitated to openly COM
mend it-nine- tenths of them are
committed to the support OF the Monroe
doctrine. For instance, Senator Hale.
of Me-, said: His treatment of our
l.. t..
and satisfactory" and Senator Lodge,
of Mass, radical OF radicals, said
d" In regard to Venezuela. am happy
to say, the President has taken an ex-
cellent and sound position"
While President Cleveland's views
on Cuban affairs are not popular with
those who allow their sentiment and
enthusiasm to sway their judgment,
there are many level-headed people, in
and out of Congress, who believe that
he is correct, but probably not enough
to prevent the adoption Of resolutions
in both House and Senate declaring in
| favor of the recognition of the bellig-
erency of the Cuban revolutionists
At least that's the way it looks now.
Two such resolutions have already
been introduced in the Senate and
similar ones will be introduced in the
House There will be some sky-rocket
speeches made on these resolutions,
! and unless something now unexpected
shall prevent, one will be adopted.
1t seems to he disturbing some peo-
pie because the President devoted his
message exclusively to foreign affairs
and national finances leaving the
routine affairs of the government to
the heads of the various executive de-
partments. The innovation is an ex-
cellent one and ought to be kept up.
Why should the President go over the
same ground in his message that is
covered by the annual reports of the
members OF his cabinet, some OF which
are made public in advance of his
message?
The President evidently did not ex-
pect Congress to accept his recon-
mendation for the retirement of the
greenbacks and Treasury notes and
issue of longtime, low interest bonds,
upon which National bank notes might
be issued, TO redeem them. That is
why he said after making the recon-
mendation: a have suggested
remedy which my judgment approves
| desire, however, to assure the Con-
gress that | am prepared to cooperate
with them in perfecting any other
measure promising thorough and
practical relief" Now let Congress
devote the time it is giving to jump
ing on the Presidents plan to the pro-
duction of n better one. That's the
way to convince the country that it is
more interested in our national
prosperity than in trying to elect the
next President.
The Republicans in Congress will
probably have an early opportunity to
show how sincere their recent shout
ing for the Monroe doctrine has been.
England's reply to the demand of this
government for specific answer as to
whether it's demands for the territory
claimed by Venezuela would be sub
mitted to arbitration is now on its way
to Washington. Should it be re-
| fusal to arbitrate, as it is said to be,
President Cleveland will at once send
a special message TO Congress, and the
Republicans will have chance to
show what they are willing to do for
the maintenance of the Monroe doc
trine.
1t seems that at last President
Cleveland has succeeded in nominal
ing man for seat on the bench of
the U. S. Supreme Court who is salts
factory to everybody and whose nomi-
nation will be unanimously confirmed
by the Senate. The lucky man is
Judge Rufus W. Peckham, now a
member of the Apologize Court of
New York, lifelong Democrat, and n
brother of w. Peckhsm whose nomi-
nation to he justice of the Supreme
Court by President Cleveland was re-.