The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-02-07
FOR COAST DEFENSES.
Use For the Proceeds of the
New Loan.
HIGH AUTHORITIES FAVOR IT.

It Would Put Us In Condition % Msst
War. Give Employment TO Labor and
Put More Money In Circulssion-wAsh-
ington Gossip.
WASHINGTON. Feb. o.-fSpccial The
new government loan will add something
Ike tl09, 000, 900 to the treasury balance,
the available money In the vaults. In
other words, even II the deficit were much
greater than 1t is, the necessity OF issuing
bonds to maintain the gold reserve would
solve what is called the revenue problem.
The treasury had an available balance Of
about $l70, 900, 900, including the gold rc-
serve, the day before the bond bids were
opened, and II the proceeds Of the bonds be
added 1t will be seen that the total amount
| of money which Uncle Sam has either IA
hand or sure to come in during the next
three or four months gives him a surplus
or working capital Of about $780, 600, 600.
This Isl very large sum Of money, so largo
as TO be almost beyond comprehension. But
| IL is not so large that statesmen are unable
TO devise means of disposing OF 1t.
Use For the New loan.
DurlnR tne laSt lew uhys, when Tuo Cef~
tainty of the reinforcement Of the treas-
ury with such n magnificent sum as $780,
900, 600 began to dawn upon our senators
and representatives, there has arisen
strong sentiment In favor Of large appro-
priations for coast defenses. This senti-
ment exists not only in congress, where
Senators Lodge and Squire and various
| other members OF one house or the other
| have endeavored to secure attention to
bills providing for systematic construction
of coast defenses, but In the administra-
ton circle as well.
A member of the cabinet said to me to
day: 81 hope congress will pass bill
making large appropriations for coast de-
| lenses. That would be good rse TO put
the proceeds Of our new loan to. The treas
ury does not need the money for its ordi
nary expenditures, and there is no use OF
having 1t lie idle now that we have the
gold am sure the president would sign
bill providing for coast defense construc-
ton on pretty good scale. To be sure,
he would not caro- 10 have large sum Of
money taken out ut once. 1t would not
| do to exhaust the treasury. But that
would not be necessary. The payments
would have to be gradual, and it would
not do the country any harm to put moro
money in circulation and to give moro en-
ployment TO labor"
A similar idea Is entertained by many
members of congress, and It would not
surprise any one familiar with the facts to
see bill for coast defenses strongly
pushed during the next few weeks. All
the naval and military authorities arc In
favor of it, and for some days past Mr..
Medill, the veteran editor of the Chicago
Tribune, has been In Washington on his
Ill a. 80
resentatives be has met to vote for coast
defenses. Mr.. Medill has a great deal Of
influence and Is besides a most engaging
and forcible talker, and he has made many
converts General Miles has done good
work in educating the congressional mind
In this direction too The sentiment Is
increasing in favor of putting the nation
In condition to meet war II war should
come, and for this reason 1t is believed
provision Will be made not only for coast
defenses, but for several now battlcships
and number of torpedo boats.
Interest In the Monroe Doctrine.
eff any one wants evidence of the great
popular interest throughout the country
in the Monroe doctrine question, said the
supcrintendent of the house document
room, "let him come In here and spend
few hours We are flooded with requests
for documents bearing on this question.
They come from every part OF the Union,
and one peculiar thing about them Is that
a large portion of them are written by
scboolteachers who want information so
thew can discuss the subject with their
pupils. That strikes me rs a good sign,
indicating that the country Is full OF pa
triotism, and that II the president wants
soldiers all he has to do IL to raise the flag
| and heat the big drum"
Another evidence Of popular interest In
this subject Is the faut that every senator
and representative has had his mail filed
with REQUESTS for copies of what Is known
as the Venezuelan reprint--a republication
of documents bearing on the boundary
question which was exhausted some time
aeo, It was this book which the president
placed In the hands OF his cabinet officers
last May, bidding them study it, for the
subject was sure TO come up In an impor-
tant way before long.
Queer things happen sometimes nc din
ners. At dinner party to gentlemen
only, given recently by n prominent sena-
tor. the guests did not take their departure
till 8 O'Clock In the morning. One sena-
, tor. who is noted as the statesman who
gets full In his legs while his head remains
clear. fell under the table three times and
had to be helped out. Another, who has
. long wanted to make n big speech In the
senate. delivered himself of an address on
the silver question fully three hours long.
But his fellow jewellers did not mind what
he said or how much. They had care
fully propped him Up In corner OF the
room. and while he was speaking to his
J hearts content the others went on with
, their fun. Still another senator, who has
: nm TO this time been too timid to make q
speech IN the senate, started out TO make
n few remarks I'm response TO a toast and
made such n brilliant and witty address
that he is now preparing n most elaborase
, speech for use in the senate chamber
A Nuisance TO statesmen.
A phase of tho silver question which
} bothers congress good denl Is rarely
mentioned in tho newspapers. This Is the
!, demand for the loan Of a quarter or hal
dollar constantly being made by men and
| even women who send their cards In u
. the statesmen. When member oil CON
! cress gets card with tho owners address
given at some town in his district, he al
ways goes out, for IL Is considered goot
{ politics to show attention to visitors from
3 home. In great many cases the strange
E is hard up and after talking n little OF hi
n folks In the congressmans district (whcr
4 he may never have been In his hfe) ID
reaches the real object OF his call, which
is the loan of small sum-. These htti
loans are so numerous that some OF tb
statesmen, especially those from nearb'
: states, arc wondering " IL will not pa
them to organize sort Of detective On
} rcau by means OF which the logitinet
visitxru NAV l,n aseorted from tho "sfrtk