The Charlotte Democrat., 1896-03-06
WASHINGTON LETTER
From Our Regular Correspondent

reVolutlonists develops ratner singular
tendency on the part of some OF the de-
baters to question how Spain will regard
such action. The whole trend of the
queries was in that direction. How will
Spain look upon us? Will it lead to com
plications with Spain? This delicate con-
sideration OF the feelings of any other
nation on the part Of the United States in
dealing with matters ofinternationsl right
and Justice is Enthusiastically AmerIo
can and the opinion properly prevails
that it is out of place. 1t gives fuel to
the assertion too often heard that t he
foreign policy of the United States is
almost uniformly weak. Recognition of
the belIigerent rights of the Cuban rev
olutionists seems to be entirely within
the bounds of international law and US
tice. The case may be illustrated IN
homely way. Two men are fighting, and
their next door neighbor is standing by.
The big combatant goes into the prem
iscs of the neighbor and gathers up all
the missiles be needs and with them may
belabor his antagonist without interter-
ence. The little com Blatant is not allowed
to touch stick or grasp stone from
the neighbours domain, though he IS
fighting for everything that is dear and
sacred to him; he is doing the best he can
against whelming odds, yet his neigh
bor withhoIds from him the privileges
which are open to his enemy. Thisis the
exact situation in Cuba, and the United
States is the neighbor. The recognition
of the belligerent rights of The Cubans
simply means impartial treatment OF the
big and little combatants. 1t does not
necessarily carry with it any recognition
of the independence of the Cuban gov
ernment If the big combatant, Spain,
does not like such action, it makes no
difference in right and justice. Nations,
like individuals, must respect the right
of independent lawful action on the part
of others: whether that recognition OF
right be pleasant to all parties is incon-
sequential.
The tariff bill is probably to all intents
and purposes corpse, but when It IN
dulges in such twitchings as have been
noticed during tho past week, there Is a
good deal of speculation as to whether
the spaems are what physicians call
reflex muscular action or whether the
bill is really showing signs of life. The
republican program is to get the bill
back to the committee, if possible, and
there have it recreated, so to speak, into
protective measure, with much higher
duty on wool and with increased duty
on lead ore and other articles in which
the Western con ,ingent is vtally inter-
ested. For such bill the silver senators
are expected to vote, but they will not
sanction the bill in it's present shape.
They reserve the right to press silver
amendment. But such a bill as is thus
proposed would not come within thou
sand miles of securing the signature of
the occupant Of the White House; so,
after all, the dubious pathway of tariff
bill this session seems to be nothing but
blind alley.
AS compared with year ago Thomas
B. Reed appears a changed man. No
more remarkable metamorphosls has been
noted in an active public man. There
was a time when Reed was the very en-
bodimeat of good comradeship. He was
prodigal in his witty comments, he was
willing to disport himself IN any appro~
pirate company, he was uniformly genial.
But the shadow of the Presidency, or
something else, has wrapped around him
an unusual exclusiveness. He cracks no
more Jokes and he seems to choke back
the risky, keen and sarcastic comments
which constantly wrestle with his lips,
for they would breed o line of enemies.
There was time, too, when the genial
Thomas B. Reed would navigate his pon>
derous hull jaun lily down to the Capitol
accompanied by a crowd OF attendant
craft in the shape of cronies, all gen al,
laughing and good natured. Now, with
seeming burden upon his broad shoul
ders, he usually stalks along the Avenue,
thoughtful and unobserViDg, and all by
himself. But the bubbles Of wit and sar-
oasm are only temporarily concealed.
You can't change the natural tempera-
ment of a man like Reed.
1t is, of course, unfortunate that the
unpleasant complication in which Assist
ant Secretary OF State Rockhill and the
French Ambassador are concerned should
have become a matter of common gossip.
Now that the incident has been made
public all over the conntry, it is just as
we'll to reduce the controversy TO the
minimum Of mischievousness. 1t has been
a subject of gossip in society circles here
for many months past that the relations
between Mr.. Rockhill and NJ. Patenotre
were strained. 1t is remarkable that the
savory incident was not published a year
ago. me UaIGef is really persoual one
between the two families, and originated
eleven years ago in China when Mrs.
Rockhill sent word to M. Patenotre, in
response to an ill-timed call, that "she
was dead" But, without discussing the
origin of the quarrel. one important state
ment should be made. Any steps taken
here by Mr. Rockhill were with the full
knowledge of the administration. What
he did was done under provocation and
done deliberately. There is, of course.
no way in this unfortunate matter of ar
resting conjecture or Of muzzling the vi
vacious quid nunc, but the simple fact OF
the matter is that whatever the Assistant
Secretary of State said or did 10 the
French Ambassador was done some weeks
ago, before Mr.. Rockhill's promotion.
His promotion was therefore ordained
with q full understanding of the facts and
significance thus attached to that pro-
motion.
The social blinds are merely pulled
down in Vanity Fair. Within, sub rosa,
there will be going on in society many a
quiet and delicious affair. You might as
we'll expect squirrel in tin cage to
stop still forty days as some society peo-