The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-03-15
Washington Letter.
From 0ur REGULAR CORRESPONDENT.

WASHINGTON, March lit is fortunate for
the country that the present administration Is
free from ing oism. If 1t were not there woilu
be Il certainty of an immediate tlflit war ne
tween the United States and the countries
which have followed the lead OF Germany eN-
Guiding American cattle and meat, professedly
on hygienc grounds, ana grave DANGER OF war
of more murderous nature. Although Secre-
taries Gresham and Carlisle have been contln-
ed to their homes by sickness Tor the greater
part of the last week they have not escaped
the pressure brought to bear on them by the
iingoists to rctaliate upon those nationS-Ger-
many, France, Belgium, the Netherlands ana
Denmark-by imposing the ten per cent. addi-
tiOnal duty authorized by law upon all imports
brought to the United States i'll vessels sailing
under the flag of Il nation that dlscrlmlnates
against American products. 1Els may even
tualy be done, but there are several reasons
why the administration has no desire to do 1t
unless compelled by circumstances. First, 1t is
believed that European combination mas been
formed for the express purpose OF Trying 10
force a tariff war in order to cripple the rapid
ly growing foreign trade OF the United states;
second, the Treasury is i'll no condition to lose
the revenue which must necessarily be lost by
u tariff war with the countries named; thlrd,
the struggling business interests OF this country
could ill afford at this time the entire loss OF
the trade of those countries. which would al
most certainly follow retaliation on the part OF
this country, and lastly, these countries all
declare that they are not DISCRIMINATING Dut
are only actuated by Il desire to preserve the
health of their citizens. Secretary Gresham
believes in exhausting diplomatic remedies be-
fore resorting to retaliation; but If retaliation
is reSorted to il will be carried out thoroughly
and in the end we shall not be losers.
The Republican editors who have jumped on
Secretary Gresham because OF ms reported Ell
forts to get the government OF Great Britain
to settle its boundary dispute with venezuela
by arbitration have simply shown their lgnor-
ance. Every administration since that OF Pres
ideEt Arthur has endeaVored to bring about
this arbitration, and in keeping up the effort
Secretary Gresham is not introducing anything
new, but merely endorsing policy when mas
hoo Tod hJr inf
FrelinghuySen, Bayard, Blaine and Foster, and
which is creditable to him in every respect.
There is common sense IN the conciudlng
words of IL statement made 10y Assistant Secre-
tary Curtis, of the Treasury denying the sCnsa-
tional statement sent out from Washington
about the Treasury being embarrassed by rea-
son of delay i'll the delivery of the gold pur-
chased by the late issue of bonds. Those words,
which follow, are especially cOmmended to
those Democrats who are fond of getting their
news from Republican OF assistant Republican
papers: THE prosperity OF the country Will
be greatly FASTENED when some effective meth
cd is formed of checking these alarming arti-
cleS written by newspaper correspondents ana
newsgathcrerS who arc wiling To sacrince the
truth and their own consciences-if they have
any-to create Il cheap sensation, ana play
upon the feelings of an already oVerwrought
public"
Chairman sayers, of the House Appropria-
tons Committee, closes his analysis of the ap-
preparations made by the Fifty-third Congess
with the following: ITO have checked the
biennial billion dollar pace set by the Ftty-first
Congress is an achievement in itself. To have
done not only that, but to have reduced the ap-
preparations of Congress below the billion mark
is a triumph vast in its proportions and signifi-
cant of a return to economical and honest gov
ernment."
The first fight in the ranks of Republicans of
the Fifty-fourth Congress is already on, the
principals being Reed and Cannon. The row
began over the Crisp complimentary resolution
adopted by the last House. Mr.. Cannon asked
Mr.. Reed to offer that resolution and when he
declined said he would do it himself, and he
did. He also made few cutting remarks to
Reed about his churlishness. The row has
grown since then, and although Reeds election
to the Speakership seems assured, Cannon is
said to be engaged in raising distractions
thereto and to be not without hope that Il COM
bination can be formed to beat him.
Ex-Speaker Crisp, who is Il silver man and
one of the commissioners who will go to the
monetary conference, if there be one held,
says: Il have been greatly encouraged by re-
cent indications of change of sentiment in
Europe towards silver, and to have strong
hopes that if another conference shall be held
practical results may be obtained. | would re-
joce to see the silver question eliminated from
the Presidential campaign"