The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-07-11
WASHINGTON LETTER.


WASHINGTON, July 9th, 1896.
Republicans don't care continental
whether the Populsts swallow the Demo-
Gratis, or the Democrats the Populists. at
Chicago this week. They can not see how
any ticket on any platform that could be
gotten up the Chicago convention can pre-
vent the triumphant election of Mckinley and
Hobart. Consequently the worrying and
fretting which the Democrats and Populists
are going through on account of what the
Chicago convention may do or not do merely
furnishes the Republicans amusement, as
they fan themselves and try to keep down
the humidity which accompanies the present
warm weather. This is Republican year.
Nearly four years of deficits, bond issues and
hard times generally have caused majority
an overwhelmingly majority, as will be
seen in November-of the people to definitely
decide that the party which gave the country
twenty-eight years Of the greatest continuous
prosperity ever experienced by any country
on earth is the proper party to have charge
of this government, and nothing that the
conglomeraton of isms and sore-heads which
meets this week in Chicago can do will
change that decision. The asses may bray
but that will change nothing. People prefer
capacity to incapacity.
Secretary Olney has slipped away from
Washington, and all inquiries at the State
Department us to his whereabouts are met
with the mysterious reticencc which officials
of that department have invariably assumed
since this administration has been in power.
1t is Il good guess, however. that he is ut
Gray Gables. and that he carried with him
| the much written-about report of Gen. Fitz-
hugh Lee, on Cuban affairs. 1t is not prob
| able that Mr. Cleveland is rs much interested
in that report rs he expected he would bc
when he nominated General Lee to bc Consul
| General to Cuba. Then he expected that the
nominee Of the Chicago convention would be
Grover Cleveland and hoped that the nature
of the report would be such that he could
use it as basis for action that would result
i'll arousing such a tidal wave of patriotic en-
thusiasm throughout the country rs might re.
elect him. Now he knows that the nominee
of that convention will he II man who holds
views directly opposite to his. and that his
administration will be condemned by the
convention, by implication. if not in direct
words. Knowing this he has lost interest in
the report, and will probably make no use of
it until he writes his last annual message to
Congress. 1t is reasonably certain that he
will not Use it, or anything else. to help make
vote, for the Chicago ticket, even if he does
not publicly bolt that ticket. 1t is generally
believed in Washington that Mr.. Cleveland and
ii ma ority. if not all Of his cabinet. will re-
ca.o. Mr.. Cleveland is said to personally
favor the nomination Of Il democratic gold
tickct, but that is something which will he
determined later. At least one prominent
Democrat who is now at Chicago has sug
gcst"d that Mr.. Cleveland lead the forlorn
hope by accepting the nomination of the gold
Democrats.
There is ut least one Louisiana democrat in
Washington who doubts the ability OF the
democrats to carry that state this year. He
is MIR. II. Dugas, and he says: "Louisana is
10y no means certain to 20 democratic this
year. although the nomination of the free
silver candidate will undoubtedly strengthen
the party in the state. \ great many of our
people are partial To Mckinley on account
his protection perfection policy. They want
protection for their sugar. and the demo
cratic Tree trade program is anything but
popular among them. Though Il lifelong
democrat. | would b" glad to see the re-
pubicans carry the state and the country