The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1896-11-28
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent.
.SIIINf.TnN Nnvan har 13 Is

From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, November 90, 1896.
The first round between the Mckin-
ley and anti Mckinley Republicans has
been fought aud the McKinleyites have
won, but the victory isn't substantial
enough To crow over. AS quick as it
was known that the Republicans had
won the national election, sucI, men as
Senator Sherman and Speaker Reed be-
gan to aunOuce the necessity for push
ing the Dingley bill, or some similar
revenue measure, through the Senate at
the short session, if it possibly could be
done. That caused IL lining up of Re
pubicans for and against the Dlngley
bill, and the contest was getting lively
when the word was passed that Mckin
ley would not have the Dingley bill put
through. That ended the round. The
Dinyley bill is dead, and the anti Me
Kinley Republicans are temporarily
licked, but they will have their innings
later on aud will do their part towards
showing the country how badly divided
the Republican party is, even on tho
tariff question, and tho financial divls-
ion will not be overlooked either. The
Fifty-iittl Congress promises to bo one
ef the liveliest seen for years, and al
be numerous enough to accomplish
much by voting rs IA party, there is no
guessing what they may do by holding
the balance of power between the Re
publican factions in the Senate.
There Is no more amusing feature OF
the situation than the talk OF tho pOpG-
lists about the Democratic party having
to come to them in the next national
campaign. 1t would be a case of the
tail wagging the dog sure enough, for
the party which cast moro than five
sixths of tho votes Bryan received be-
ing absorbed by the party which cast
less than one sixth of tho votes.
There are some things in which this
country might take a few profitable
lessons from older nations. and one of
them is in the wording of official reports
which are intended to be made public.
A case in point is the annual report Of
tho Board of Ordnance and Fortifica-
inent army officers, including General
Miles, and has ex-Congressman Outh-
waite for civilian member. In its
anxiety to impress upon Congress the
necessity for large appropriations for
coast defcnses, the board made the mis-
take OF using the following language:
"Should "a conflict arise we are liable to
he embrOiled with some power whose
navy, in tho present defenseless condi-
tion Of our coast, might destroy nr ex-
act enOr nous rans0ms from our chief
cities." That sort of staff may do very
we'll in tie sensational newspaper off
ces, but i!tis decidedly out Gf place in i'm
official d, sument. IL ianne publicat'nn
of TIA Style Of matter ID official reports
---f-Ftl,is isn't lhe iiyt time it has been
dGhe--that has ma,t every country
owning a few mosArr1n waraiips eocEy
in its deals"HSSa SS II q the United States,
make us stand almost anything from IL
country with a navy. Chilli had that
idea several years ago, and Spain has it
now. While there in no doubt that these
gentlemen meant we'll in using such
language, such report would never
have been made public by any Europe
an power, and it should not have been
published here.
-Seuator Walsi. Of Georgia, now
visiting Washington. retains the editn-
lial faculty of stating the situation in
nutshell He said "ft ls to be sincerely
hoped that prosperity will come to tho
county with the coming administration.
Every patriot hopes for that. The Re-
publicans will have the responsibility,
and il their methods and policies are
for the general good, to them will be-
long the credit. Bat if they fail to car
that if entrusted with power, great ben
eft would accrue to the country, then
the Democracy will meet them at Phil
lippi. Any man who reckons that the
Democratic party is dead is making a
serious mistake. Ii | am not greatly
mistaken it will be very much alive in
1902
Those who always jump to conclm
sions have taken it for granted that Nc
kinley wonld send to the Senate for rat
ifcatiOn the treaty negotiated during
the last days OF the Harrison admins
tration providing for the annexation of
Hawaii, which was withdrawn by Mr..
Cleveland. He will do nothing of the
sort. He is opposed to the wording of
the treaty aud will not send it to the
Senate all. Mckinley, while not OPP
posed to annexation, will take no steps
toward that end. until fully assured
that the people OF Hawaii desire annex
alton aud shall have formally asked for
it. Then he will agree to the negutia-
ton OF a new treaty.
Chief Ford, of the Treasury Bureau
of Statistics, agrees with Senator Cor
man both in the belief that the Djngley
tariff bill would do the treasury no good
and that the best way out of present
difficulties would be to put u duty Oh
coffee and tea. IIe said: If Congress
desires to pass purely revenue bill at
this session it will be easy enough to got
up one that would stop the deficit. A
tax of forty per cent on coffee and tea
and dollar barrel additional on beer
would do it to Il Diccty, by adding about
$75, 600 900 year to our revenue"