The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-04-16
Getting Impatteut.

Getting Impatient.
| WASHINGTON, April 10. - Special i
| Members of congress are flooded with lot
tiers from their constituents imploring
them 10 quit and go home. IL is said by
veteran statesmen that they have never
! known time when the people were ap'
| parently so much out OF patience with the
| lawmakers. There is prevalent feeling
| In the country that congress is not doing
| any good and that its continued sitting
| only adds TO the uncertainty ~ 10 what l.
| going TO happen and prevents business a.
Stunning a normal aspect. Some of the let
tiers received by senator's and Representa-
tives are abusive in tone, vulgar and
coarse. But the majority come from husi-
ness men, who say the uncertainty about
legislation, and particularly concerning
the prospects for trouble with Spain over
the Cuban question, is holding the countr'
hack and stopping the wheels OF trade.
Voice of the People.
So many letters of this sort have been
received that there is almost a panic h.
congress in favor of adjournment at IA
early a day as possible. There Is talk OF
closing up the session by the middle Of
May, and here and there an enthusiast j.
heard saying congress will quit and go
home, as the country wants IL tn do, with
in a month She most probable thing l.
that the business of the session will be fin
ished up about June 1. This Is the date
on which Speaker Reed has set his heart.
and the probabilities are he will have his
way about IL. But IL Is agreeable To note
that the people are able TO impress them
selves upon the statesmen who assemble
here to make laws and who do not work
themselves 60 death while at IL.
Something Of the same force of public
opinion appears 10 have reached the White
House also. where President Cleveland
and his cabinet have been holding long
consultations over the Cuban question.
Leading men In the business and financial
world complain bitterly that the cloud of
Cuban disturbance between this country
and Spain Is the greatest obstacle In the
way of a return Of better times and they
have urged the president TO end the uncer-
tainty one way or another. This demand
has made serious impression upon the
president, and he has "sat up nights with
the Cuban problem" in the language OF
one Of his official family.
Patriotic Havana Ladies.
One Of the most interesting stories I
have heard concerning the war in Cuba
comes from Charles Cramp. the famous
shipbuilder, who had il direct from gen
tleman who had spent some time in Ha-
yana. II explains In part how the insur-
gents get their supplies of ammunition.
According TO this traveller, many of the
ladies Of Havana are openly or secretly in
sympathy with the cause of free Cuba.
But IL Is the fashion for the women there
TO entertain the Spanish soldiers and
minor officers in "A social way. The ladies
Of Havana are nothing II not hospitable.
When the soldiers pay visits 10 their fair
friends, they carry with them their belts
and cartridge pouches, and when they take
their leave the cartridges, strange TO say.
are missing. In great embarrassment the
hostess explains that her servants are ad-
dicted 10 pilfering, but begs that nothing
be said about the matter to the authori-
ties, as IL would get Der into trouble OF
course the gallant soldier promises silence,
for his own sake a. much as for hers
This sort Of thing is going on all the time,
and the supplies OF ammunition thus Sc
cured are struggled through the lines into
the hands OF the insurgents. In this way
the patriotic ladies Of Havana contrive to
contribute to- the cause of Cuba libre.
Here's a State of Things.
A curious fact appears in an official re-
port recently submitted to congress by
Secretary Carlisle. IL Is that the govern
mcnt of the United States still owes about
500, 900 Of a loan floatci more than a
century ago. Aug. 4, 1890, the congress
authorized the issuance of something like
500, 600, 600 of scrip, some of il g per cent
and other per cent stock. OF these issues
there are still outstanding and unpaid
sos, 757. so. OF course the claims will never
be presented, as IT is supposed the scrip
has been destroyed. But what a nice little
pickup II would be for some poor fellow II
he were TO find, on rummaging through
his at-grandfathcr's papers up in the
attic, a thousand or two of this stock
What would the interest amount 10 up &c
the present time, los years after issuef
There arc nearly $500, 600 of old loans
issued prior TO the war, still outstanding.
Included In this amount Is about $50, 900
Of treasury notes issued prior to- 1876. They
also, IL Is supposed, have been lost or de
stroyed, though some Of them may be still
in existence in the hands Of persons who
do not know their value Not including
the bonds issued during the present adj
the great items In the ubliga-
tons of the government now outstanding
are the following: Legal tender notes
(greenbacks) Of 1862, s346, 6sl O00; per
cent loan due in 1907, $3.50, 900 0oO silver
$346, 900 900; Pacific railway
bonds, Sol, 600, 600: gold certificates, s40,-
600, 600; loan at per cent due In 1904,
sl00, 600; 4 per cent loan due ia 1928,
SCI, 100000, and treasury notes of 1890,
s13S, 100000 Uncle Sam owes good
deal, does be not? But no one doubts his
ability TO pay. WALTER WELLMAN.