The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-03-13

From our regular Correspondent. !

Who's afraid? Somebody is, q nd it
seems that his name is Grover Cleve
land. He is afraid that Congress is
about to compel him to aid the Cubans.
He succeeded in getting the resolution
declaring the Cubans entitled to i'm
mediate recognition as belligerents and
asking that the President use his good
offices to persuade Spain to recognize
the independence of Cuba, which was
adopted by the Senate with only six
dissenting votes, made concurrent"
instead of "joint," which makes it just
about as valuable to the Cubans as the
concurrent resolution adopted by both
branches of Congress some weeks ago
and which is now hid away in pigeon
hole in some White House desk has
been to the Armenians whom it was
intended to help. He wanted the reso-
luton made concurrent because it
would then leave him free to act just
as he pleased and just as though such
a resolution had never been heard of.
He was afraid that the resolution
would be made joint, as many Senators
wished it to be, as in that case he would
have been compelled to show his hand,
either by vetoing it or allowing it to
become law, with or without his
signature.
Although he succeeded in getting
his way in the Senate, Mr.. Cleveland
j. very much afraid that he will not in
the House, and there is good ground
for his fear. Unless there is an nnex-
pected change in the existing sentiment
OF the House, there is little doubt that
the Cuban resolution which will be
adopted by the House this week will
be made joint. and it is probable that
it will also be made stronger than the
Senate resolution. Then if the Senate
will adopt the House resolution with
out amendment Mr.. Cleveland will
have to come out of the woods and let
the country see just where he stands
upon this question, within ten days
after it's final adoption. If he vetoes it
it will be adopted over his veto, and he
will be compelled to carry out it's
instructions.
1t is rather extraordinary state of
affairs when men in Congress who are
disposed to be his friends have to ac-
knowledge that try as they will they
have been unable to ascertain where
the President of the United States
stands upon such an important ques-
tion-so important that the most con-
servative men in the Senate have
publicly stated that it may lead the
United States into war with one or
more European countries. And what
makes the situation even more extra
ordinary is the repeated cablegrams
from Spain saying that the Spanish
minister in Washington has assured
his government in the most positive
terms that he has personal knowledge
that Mr.. Cleveland has no immediate
intention of recognizing the belliger-
ency of the Cubans. 1t might be sup
posed that these cablegrams alone
would have been sufficient to have
caused Mr.. Cleveland to have at least
taken his friends in Congress into his
confidence, but no; he takes nobody
into his confidence. Consequently
there exists belief that he is afraid
to define his position. This is an un-
fortunate conclusion to arrive at, but
what else can people think.
Mr.. Cleveland gave Congress quite
surprise by vetoing the bill providing
for the leasing of school lands in Ari-
zona by the territorial authorities,
which was passed unanimously by both
House and Senate, and the House re-
turned the favor by promptly passing
the bill over his veto by a vote OF 2OO
to 3S, and there is little doubt that the
Senate will also pass it with the re-
ouired two-thirds vote. What made
the veto all the more surprising was
that similar bill was passed by the
last Congress for Oklahoma and has
worked profitably for that territory.
The rumors alleging that certain
republicans were working to have a
special meeting of the republican
National Committee called for the pur-
pose of deposing Chairman Carter,
have received no serious attention In
Washington, for the very good reason
that everybody knew them to be entire
| lv without foundation. Senator Car
ter will retire from the chairmanshlp
of the National Committee when the
St. Louis convention names the new
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