The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-11-21
WASHINGTON LETTER.

w ASlllNGTON, NOV. ~, lSJ6.
Chairman Hanna has written a Washing
ton friend virtually confirming the rumor
that the Republican National Committee
would shortly open permanent headquarters
| in Washington, from which the educational
| fight against the free silver falacy, which
i to 20 right along until the the truth has
been argued into the heads of all mis-
guided people shall be directed. This
move would have been generally COM
mended anyway, but the announcement
that the Silver Committee, the Populist
Committee, and the Democratic Committee
intended to maintain permanent Washing
ton headquarters and to keep up the distri-
hutton of silver literature, made it almost
| necessary. The silver sentiment would
| not have been half 80 extensive if its oppo.
nents had met argument with argument,
Instead Of wasting time laughing at the
silver men sending out campaign literature
several years ahead of the campaign, and
doing nothing themselves. Mr. Hanna
knows how hard it was to undo in few
weeks the work that the silver men had
been doing for several years; hence he has
from the day the campaign closed favored
a continuation of the education of the
voters on the silver question.
There is enough work on the bills already
passed by the House to keep the Senate
| L.. II e Al, =
the Fifty-fourth Congress, but how many
of those bills the Senate will act upon, or
even devote any time to. is more than any
man can really say. Among the important
bills passed by the House and left Enacted
upon by the Senate are the Dingley Emer-
gency Bill, the bill TO protect the gold re-
serve and provide for temporary defcen-
ces III revenue, the bill to amend the
customs administrative law, the Bank
ruptcy Bill, the immigration Bill and the
Pension Bill. Doubtless other bills would
have been acted upon by the House had not
the disposition of the Senate to do nothing
been 50 apparent How much of that dis
position remains will not be certain until
after Congrest meets, Notwithstanding the
opinions pro and con which some of the
Senators have recently made public. 1t
will be noticed that men like Senator
Morrill, Of Vermont, ''the Father of the
Senate" are not attempting to say what
the Senate will do. Mr.. Morrill, is in
Washington for the winter, but he isn't
making any propbesics.
Mr.. Clevelands administration always
seems to have war scare ready to spring
on the public. Having just gotten rid OF
the principal cause of friction with Eng
land BY negotiating treaty providing for
the submission OF the Venezuelan boundary
dispute with England 10 arbitration, the
Spanish war scare is trotted ont in a new
dress While no official statement has
been made to that effect friends of the
administration say that it has trustworthy
information that spain intends to force
war with this country if her present cam.
paign against the Cuban reyolutionists fails,
and that the administration is accordingly
preparing to fight. If Spain really had
any such intention it would be wise to
prepare for war, and in any event it will
| do no harm. But it isn't at all likely that
Spain has any sucI, intention There has
been enough to prove that the men or
women who are running the government
OF Spain during the minority of the King
are not models OF wisdom, but that is no
reason why they should be foolish enough
to provoke war with the United States.
1t may be that some Spaniards are ignorant
enough to believe that one horse nation
like Spain is in the sans fighting class with
the United States, but it is impossible to
believe that men Of sufficient education
and intelligence to be entrusted with official
positions under the Spanish government,
share such an absurd belief. At any rate,
there is no reason for anybody to lose any
sleep over the probabilities of war with
Spain. If the Dons haven't any better
sense than to get up rumpus with us they
will find that the thrashing they will re-
ceive will be too sudden and thorough to
be dignitied by the name of war.
MI. Cleveland has decided to give Secre-
tary Herbert place on the bench, and he
would like to do as much for Secretary
Carlisle and Postmaster-G eneral Wilson,
but he has grave doubts as to whether the
Senate will sanction the nomination Of
either of these men, owing to the prejudice
Of the Silver Senators against them and
him. Republican Senators will not be
likely to over exert themselves in helping
him, as they will probably prefer to have
all vacancies filled by President Mckinley
When one considers that only four years
ago theDemocratie party won a Presiden.
tial election and obtained control of both
branches of Congress, its present condition
is pitiable indeed. Without n head, with