The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-02-07


WASHINGTON, Feb s.-[Special THE
new government loan will add something
like sl09, 900, 900 TO the treasury balance,
the available money In the vaults. In
other words, even II the deficit were much
greater than IL 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 $40, 900, 900, including the gold re-
serve, the day before the bond bids were
opened, and IL the proceeds of the bonds
be added IL will be seen that the total
amount of money which Uncle Sam has
either In hand or sure to come In during
the next three or four months gives him a
surplus or working capital of about $780,
100000 This is very large sum of
money, so large as to be almost beyond
comprehension. But It is not so large that
statesmen are unable to devise means Of
disposing of 1t.
Use For the New Loan.
During the last few days, when the GER
tainty of the reinforcement of the treas.
ury with such magnificent sum as $110,
600, 600 began to dawn upon our senators
and representatives, there has arisen a
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-
tion circle as well.
A member of the cabinet said to me to-
day: Il hope congress will pass a bill
making large appropriations for coast de-
lenses. That would be a good use TO put
the proceeds of our new loan to. The
treasury does not need the money for its
ordinary expenditures, and there is no use
of having it lie idle, now that we have the
gold. am sure the president would sign
a bill providing for coast defense construc-
tion on pretty good scale. To be sure,
he would not care TO have large sum of
money taken out at 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 more
money in circulation and to give more
employment TO labor.
similar idea is entertained by many
rombers of congress, and it would not
surprise any one familiar with the facts to
see a bill for coast defenses strongly push
ed during the next few weeks. All the
naval and military authorities are In favor
of it, and for some days past Mr.. Medill,
the veteran editor of the Chicago Tribune,
has been in Washington on his vacation,
urging all the senators and representatives
he has met TO vote for coast defenses. Mr..
Medill has great deal of influence and is
besides IA most engaging and forcble
talker, and he has made many converts.
General Miles has done good work in edu-
eating the congressional mind in this di-
rection too. The sentiment is increasing
in favor of putting the nation in condition
to meet war if war should come, and for
this reason 1t is believed provision will DO
made not only for coast defenses, but for
several new battleships and number of
torpedo boats.
Interest In the Monroe Doctrine.
If any one wants evidence of the great
popular interest throughout the country
in the Monroe doctrine question:, /" said the
superintendent of the house document
room, let him come in here and spend a
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
large portion of them are written by
schoolteachers, who want Information so
they can discuss the subject with their
pupils. That strikes me as a good sign,
indicating that the country is full of pa
triotism, and that If the president wants
soldiers all he has to do is TO raise the flag
and beat the big drum"
Another evidence of popular interest in
this subject is the fact that every senator
and representative has had his mail filed
with requests for copies of what is known
as the Venezuelan reprint-a republica
ton of documents bearing on the bound
airy question which was exhausted some
time ago 1t was this book which the
president placed in the hands of his cabi-
net officers last May, bidding them study
it, for the subject was sure to come up In
an important way before long.
Queer things happen sometimes at din
ners. At dinner party TO gentlemen
only, given recently by prominent SEN
ator, the guests did not take their depar-
ture till o'clock in the morning. One
senator, who is noted as the statesman
who gets full in his legs while his head re.
mains clear, fell under the table three
times and had to be helped out. Another.
who has long wanted to make big speech
in the senate, delivered himself of an ad-
dress on the silver question fully three
hours long. But his fellow jewellers did
not mind what he said or how much
They had carefully propped him up in
corner Of the room, and while he was
speaking TO his hearts content the others
went on with their fun. Still another sen.
ator, who has up to this time been too
timid to make speech In the senate.
started out to make few remarks In re-
Spouse to a toast, and made such bril-
liant and witty address that he is now
K 0aEipg aost elaborate speech for use
\ ington ARD sc"'b r.
-. - to Statesmen.
A phase of the silver question which
bothers congress a. good deal is rarely
mentioned In the newspapers. This Is the
demand for the loan of a quarter or a
half dollar constantly being made by men.
and even women, who send their cards I'm
TO the statesmen. When n member of con-
gress gets card with the owners address
given at some town In his district, he al
ways goes out, for IL Is considered good
politics to show attention to visitors from
home. In great many cases the stranger
is hard up and after talking a little of his
folks in the congressman district (where
he may never have been in his life) he
reaches the real object Of his call, which is
the loan Of a small sum. These little loans