Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-03-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Washington, March 2, 1896.

about to compel him to aid the Gu
bans. He succeeded in getting the
resolution declaring the Cubans en-
titled to Immediate recognition as
belligerents and asking that the Pres
ident 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 concurren Mt, 'instead of "joint, -
which makes it just about as valuable
| to the CuOans as the concurrent reso-
luton adopted by both branches of
congress some weeks ago and which
is now hid away in the pigeon in
some White House desk has been to
the Armenians whom it was intended
to help. He wanted the resolution
made concurrent because it would
then leave him free to act just as he
pleased and just as though such res
olution had never been heard Of He
was afraid that the resolution would
be made joint, as many senator's wish
ed it to be, as in that case he would
have been compelled to show his
hand, either by vetoing it or allowing
it become a law, with or without his
signature.
Although he succeeded in getting
his way in the senate, Mr.. Cleveland
is very much afraid that he will notin
the House, and there is good ground
for his fear. Unless there is an I'M
expected change in the existing sem
timent 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 prob
able that it will also be made stronger
than the senate resolution. Then if
the senate will adopt the House reso-
luton without amendment Mr.. Cleve-
land will have to come out of the
woods and let the country see just
where he stands upon this question,
within ten days after its final adop-
ton. If he vetoes it it will be adopt
ed over his veto, and he will be COM
PEELED 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-
sentative 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 a 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
a surprise by vetoing the bill provid-
ing for the leasing of school lands in
Arizona by the territorial authorities,
which was passed unanimously by
both House and Senate, and the House
returned the favor by promptly pass
ing the bill over his veto by vote of
200 to 50, and there is little doubt that
the senate will also pass it with the
required 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 re-
publicans were working to have a
special meeting Of the republican ma
tional committee called for the pur-
pose of deposing Chairman Carter,
have received no serious attention in
Washington for the very good reason
that everybody know them to be en-
tire1y without foundation. Senator
Carter will retire from the champion
ship of the National Committee when
the St. Louis convention names the
new National Committee, and his
successor will be chosen as usual by
the man nominated for President by
that convention. Even if Chairman
Carter were trying to injure the re-
publican party, although nobody in
Washington would credit him with
being engaged in such business. he