The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1896-11-21
Washington Letter.



WASHINGTON, November 16, 1896.
There are lots of people in Washing
ton who take no stock in the alleged in
formation received 10y the ad,nnistra-
tion that Spain has decided, if it fails to
lick the Cuban insurgents within the
next few weeks, to try to lick Uncle
Sam. Among them is il naval officer
who has had opportunities to know the
Spaniards thoroughly. Discussing the
matter, he said to a personal friend:
"Somebody is tricking the administra-
by giving it falls" information, and my
impression is that it is being done to
prevent cleveland and Olney following
Fitz Lees advice and doing something
that might help the Cubaus. The pres
ent race of Spaniards are as a,rant COW
ards as can he found anywhere on earth,
and if the United States should demand
it, they would rather go down upon
their knees in suppilcation than to at
tempt to fight us. Spain is a poor conn
try and was growing poorer all the
time, even before the drain which has
resulted from its attempts to put down
the Cuban revolution was started. 1t
has Il few good fighting ships, but it
needs them all, and its rulers do not see
where any more are to come from;
therefore they have not the remotest
idea either of seeking or of accepting
war if it were thrust upon them lY i,
country which they know has a navy
that would either sink or capture every
Spanish warship within sixty days of
the opening Of hostiltes. | haven't
the slightest hesitation in saying that if
President Cleveland were to recognize
the Independence of Cnha tomorrow,
the Spaniards would not dare to resent
it, outside of thIcir home newspapers"
While most people agree with this ofli
Ger in believing that the administration
is acting upon false information, its ac
ton in making preparations to tight, II
it becomes necessary, Is generally COM
mendcd and the cOmmendatiOn would
be still hcartier if, when everything is
ready to fight, use shonld be made of
the preparations by forcing Il cessation
of the war iii Cuba, which is making
desert ont of the most fertile island in
the world, and is losing to citizens of
tie United States more than 100000,
600 year in profitable commerce.
1t is perfectly we'll understood in
Washington that there are three menl-
bers of President Cleveland's cabinet
Carlisle, Herbert and Wilson-whOm
Mr.. Cleveland would like to see provid-
ed for before he retires from office.
They are all poor and they are disposed
from education and experience TO be
better satisfied in public than in private
life. Mr.. Cleveland hopes that Repub-
llcan sqnabh!es in Kentucky will result
in sendl ,g Mr.. Carlisle back to the Sen
ate. fro!is which he stepped on entering
the cab. act and, although Mr.. Carlisle
has saidshat lie would r,sfspffer II returning
to priTbb life and tL" practice Of law
atsk.s home, there sn't the slightest
ApSbt that he woqth willingly accept
tie Senatorship. II failing that, aud
probably in pretl,en TO that, seat
on the bes.s..11 ~ r. the United States Su-
prene Coult 1t is pretty generally be-
lieved that Secretary Herbert will short
ly resign and be appointed to a coming
vacancy in the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia. and that Mr.. Will
son will be given some sort OF Judicial
appointment later. When these things
were first talked about, prominent sill
veI men declared that the silver ma jor-
ity in the Senate wOnld refuse to con-
firm the nomination of any member of
Mr.. Cleveland s cabinet to any position,
but that was during the excitement of
the campaign. 1t is quite certain that
neither Senator Morgan or Senator
Pugh, of his State, would object to Sec
retary Herbert-in fact, they would
probably be glad to see him provided
for. Mr.. Wilson is personally popular
in the Senate, as we'll az everywhere
else, and even Mr.. Carlisle has stannch
personal friends among the silver Sen
ators who would be MOI @ likely to help
him than to- fight him. But Republican
Senators would be glad to hang up
every nomination made by Mr.. Cleve-
land this winter, as it wonld mean just
that many more appointments for Nc
kinley to make.