Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-16
WASHINGTON DULL.
CoNGREssMEx THINKING OF HOME
AND CHRISTMAS.
THE CUBAN SITUATION.
Even This IL Losing It's Interest,"
The Trend of Things Now FaVor-
able 10 spniD-Senerni Lee IN"
Oiney.

(Special)-As the holidays draw near III
tie interest Is exhibited by members OF
Congress in political topics, or, for the
matter OF that, in general subjects OF
legislation. Everybody is thinking Oh
home and Christmas and of the good
times they are going to have. The fres'-
dent is off ducking, or shooting wild geese
or brant, in the South Carolina Marshes
the Secretaries are taking IL easy, having
closed up their annual reports, and AFFAIRS
at the Capitol 90 on in a perfunctory sort
Of way, without a ripple Of excitement
TO enliven the proceedings. The utmost
dulness prevails, and II it were not for the
Cuban matter-the alleged assassination
Of Maceo being the latest phase of 1t
there would be absolutely nothing like
| spark Of animation left in the statesmen
and political gossips. Even this seeming
| ~ important subject is beginning TO wear
out and become stale and fat, and 1t be-
gins to be suspected by those who couid
be classed as Cuban enthusiasts that
nothing will be done for the "ever-falth-
| ful isle'' during this session Of Congress
or by the present administration. 1t Is
reluctantly admitted by the friends OF
cuba, despite the desperate Efforts to
make IT appear TO be contrary, that the
cause of Cuba Is daily growing weaker
and that II the Spanish arms continue TO
/ be crowned with success there will be no
| shadow of pretence for Intervention LETT
| by the time the Mckinley Administration
/ takes hold in March next.
| The report so industrlously circulated,
| to the effect that but for the fact that
| Mr.. Cleveland did not wish 10 unload
war on his successor, he would have
taken action looking TO the independence
! OF Cuba. has no foundation In fact, ana
neither has the companion report which
made Mckinley say that he was satisfied
with the position taken by the present
! administration, and that he would deal
7 vigorously with the Cuban matter as soon
as he came into Office. The Inference from
the latter is that Mckinley wanted TO do
/ II all himself-recognize the independence
OF the CuOans set up government Tor
them, declare war against Spain, conduct
1t. and wind it up in short order The
probability is, however, that Major Nc
Kinley will be, II anything. more con-
| servatve and pacific than Mr.. Cleveland,
and that he will hesitate a long time be-
fore he will take charge of Cuba-which
recognition would mean and plunge this
country into a war with Spain. which
might be very serious, however weak the
latter Power may be.
GENERAL LEES REPORT.
There is a great deal said about General
Lees report just now, and II is stated by
the friends Of cuba that If that document
! were laid before Congress II would at
| once result I'm legislation looking to the
recognition Of Cuban independence. The
intimation is made that General Lees re-
port is strongly sympathetic with the
struggling Cubans, and depicts such a
horrible state of affairs as existing in the
island that intervention is demanded in
behalf Of humanity and civilization. All
this may be so. but it Is only guessworK-
The best authority for the contents or
General Lees report IL that part OF Sec
J retary-of-State Olney's report touching
Cuban affairs. That is believed 10 be
nothing more than a paraphrase Of Gene
ray Lees report, or reports. II bears all
the semblance OF a military document
written by a person used TO making mill
tarv reports. and though strongly SYM
pathetic with the Cubans does not go so
far as 10 Justify interference by this gov
eminent at the time II was written.
Since then the situation has changed con-
s.derably I'm favor Of the Spaniards, and
probably before the holiday recess is over
! another and very different report may be
received from General Lee.
AS intimated before in this corre-
spondence. there will hardly be any
recognition Of Cuba, or Intervention in
Cuban affairs by the United States in
the near future, unless the Spaniards
furnish the provocation by committing
some act that would demand immediate
action by the United States.
This may possibly occur at any time,
, and on that slender thread hangs rccog-
milton Of the Cubans and war with
Spain.
II is reported here tonight that Genera
Fitzhugh Lee will sail from New York to-
morrow for Habana, taking Mrs. Lee
ana Miss Lee with him. This latter fac
is not regarded as an indication Of ar
early rupture between Spain and the
United States.
, Patents were issued to-day as follows
George w. Kellar, Shenandoah, Va, rail
, way signal; James T. Moran, Ashburn
, Va, assignor Of one hat 10 r.. H. Plea
, sans, drill rod coupling
Assistant General Passenger Agen
John ID. Potts. Of the Chesapeake anC
Ohio railway. was in the city to-day, II
: attendance upon one of the courts her
In a suit against his company.
MCAULL AND MKINLEY.
To-day. when the sessions Of boil
houses were peculiarly dull. the attention
! OF those who were on the lookout 70
something of public interest. was at
tracted to two individuals who wer
quietly sauntering along the Senate cor
ridors. and who quickly became object
of some political curiosity one OF then
was well known, and 1t did not tax
long TO discover who his companion was
but when the identity Of the latter trans
pired II created somewhat Of a sensation
Il among the political loungers and politi
clans from Virginia. who are Away
to be found there during the morning
| hours. They were two Macs, one Of then
r Pat McCaull OF Virginia, and the Other
Abner Mckinley, OF New York. Their
WAC no significance whatever in the nam
3 of the latter, hailing from New York
but when II became known that Abne
Mckinley was the brother OF William
1 Mckinley, of Canton. o., there was quit
I autter Of excitement among the small-fr
t Virginia Republican politicians, who ar
0 always hanging around the Capitol read
? 10 take advantage OF any straw that in
. dicates how the political-patronage win
l is likely 10 blow.
D The two Macs were together so Ions
$ and they hobnobbed so agreeably, that
. was evident they were on very intimat
= and friendly terms. They walked back
e ward and forward. and talked and chat
@ ted I'm such a familiar manner as [
alarm the followers here OF Colonel jaime
ID. Brady, General Edgar Allan, and tina
wing Of the Republican faction In VII
qinia who are bent on depOsing Colon'
E Lamb from the chairnanship OF the partl
when the committee meets at Norfol
ON Thursday next. 1t Is well known tina
McCaull, who Is an applicant for his oil
: position OF Collector OF Internal Revenu