The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1896-12-25
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

~ IL w ASH NHlpN LIZ l FIN.
W>suINGToN. ID. c. December 2lSt.
Talking war and voting for what would
| bring actual war are two very different
things. The leading republicans furnish
ed their share of the war talk which pre-
cedcd the election in t!,e hallsof Congress,
| but now that the election i over and Il
republican president is on the eve of be
ing inaugurated, some of these ie.'uhll-
cans have change their tune. This has
been especially noticeable since the Sen
ate Committee on Foreign Relations took
the bull by the horns and reported Il short
resolution declaring the independence of
Cuba. and that the l. :. would use its
good Offices to bring about peace between
the Spaniartls and Cuba, notwithstanding
a protest from Secretary Olney, who APP
| peared before the Committee and "rgucd
for Il continuance of the policy of nom
action. The republicans have not made
any party announcement on this resou
ton and probably will not until the public
| discussions during the Congressional holt
dav recess shall have shown Enthusiastically
whether it would be wise for them to
make the defeat of the resolution a party
question. Mckinley doesn't want the res
olution adopted. and his closest friends in
Congress are scheming to get up a plan
under which it may be hung up without a
| vote. Speaker Reed declines to publicly
| commit himself but he is believed to be
| against it. That the resolution. if put into
force would result in war with Spain is
| believed by all. hut it is long ways from
being in force and your correspondent
| would not ike to put up Il cent on its ever
being in force. In the first place. it would
| have to get Il two-thirdS vote in both
| branches of Congress in order to be adop-
ted over President Clevelands veto, which
| it would certainly meet upon its first adnp-
| ton. Mckin'e,s wishes may not effect
the Senate, but they will nave much weight
| in the House The fat of the resolution
| depends largely upon the state of public
| opinion when Congress reassembles, and
that NAV be affected one way or the other
by news from Cuba during the next two
weeks.
| The remarkable position assumed to-
ward the Cuban resolution 10y Secretary
Olney is causing much talk among the
| Constitutional lawyers in and out of Con
gress. He SAYS that the President alone
is vested by the Constitution with author.
| ity to recognize new state and that Mr.
Cleveland will not obey the resolution
even if it should receive the unanimous
vote of both branches of Congress. but
| will regard it simply as an expression OF
Congressional opinion. Most of those
who will talk eN res the opinion that Mr..
Olncy is wrong.
The Tennessee delegation in the House
are under obligation to Speaker Reed for
counting a quorum to pass the bill appro-
| priating $3.50, 900 for a Government build
| ing and Exhibit at the Nashville Centen-
NAL, which was fought by Representative
Bailey, of Texas.
\ goodly number of Senators and Rep
resentative didn't wait for the adjourn
ment on the 22d for Christmas recess
Congress will reas>emblc Jan. >
In addition to Senator Aliens resolu-
ton for a general investigation by Il Sen
ate Committee of the expenditure of mon
ey in the Presidential campaign, Repre-
sentative Meredith, of Va, has offered
resolution providing for an investigation
of the report alleging that National Banks
contributed large sums to the republican
campaign fund. \ preamble says that
National banks being under Government
control, it is clearly within the province
of Congress to protect their stock holders
from misuse of their funds The resolu
ton provides for IA committee OF eleven.
| including representatives of the rel ubli-
can democratic silver republican, popu-
list and National democratic parties.
which shall have power t" send for per
sons and papers in its invest CATION, and
| which is directed to report if it be found
that such contributions were made wheth-
er the same were lawful, and if not, what
penalties are provided by law. The reso-
luton further directs that all Government
bank examiners shall assist the Committee
by investigating under its instructions,
the banks in their districts.
Senator Vest declares the report ridicu-
lous that he had the nomination of Secre-
tary Francis held up to help him get re-
elected to the Senate, and calls attention
to the fact that there is neither Palmer
nor Mckinley democrat in the Missouri
legislature. AS to why this and other
gold democratic nominations have been
held up, Mr.. Vest said The nomination
of Francis was postponed for considcra
ton until after the recess as were the
nominations of all the Palmer or Mckin-
ley democrats" There was a look in the
eyes of the Senator when he spoke which
bodies no good for these held up nomida-
tons
Charlie Crisp, son of the late ex-Speak
er of the House, was sworn in as mem
Der on Saturday. He is the Youngest mem
Der of the House.