The Press., 1897-03-04
Washington Letter.
Washinptnn- MAr 1

WaSn1ngGon, Mar. ], 1Sy7 Now the Cuban excitement connected with the news of Consul General Lees threatened resignation, on account of the failure of the Cleveland administration to properly back him up, and the debate i'll the senate on the resolution demanding the unconditional release of Julio Sangui- 1 ly, which was brought to sudden close by the pardon of Sanguily by Spain, about in forty-eight hours after Secre- tar Olney had apparently been trying to secure 1t by diplomatic methods for twenty three months, and congress has settled regular appropriation bills, work which it is not certain will be completed, the in- auguration is the all absorbing topic in Washington.
 The city is putting on it's inaugural at tire as fast as several thousand decora- tors, working night and day. can get it in place, and 1t promises to outshine all previous efforts, in that line, from an art istic point of view. The hotels are all, full, but there are plenty of comfortable quarters to be had in private residences. One half of President McKinley's cabinet are already in Washington.
 Two men who figured conspiciously in the late campaign, on opposite sides, were at the capitol today at the same time, but they did not meet. They were Hon. w. J. Bryan and Hon. Mark Hanna. MT. Hanna spent the most of his time confer ring with the leading senators of his party while Mir. Bryan remained longest on the house side, where he was pleasantly re- ceived by his friends and opponents alike. He also paid visit to the press gallery where he has some warm friends, and also where it was evident he wanted to make more. MT. Bryan has been cordially in- vited to remain to the inauguration, but so far he has good-naturedly declined.
 The senate committee on public lands made quick work of Investigating the Perrine land patent and announcing that the patent was regularly and legally is- sued by the interior department.
 Only three members of the house were sufficiently staunched in their support of the single gold standard to vote against the international monetary conference bill when it was passed by the house. There were Quigg, of N. Y, Henry, Of Conn.,, and Johnson of Ind.
 It now looks as though there might be some truth in the talk about some sena- tors being determined to head off the plan of Speaker Reed to confine the legislation of the extra session to the tariff by not appointing the house committees which would have to report upon other legisla- tion before it could be taken up, by causing the failure of several of the appropriation bills. If there really is such plan, it will be very easy matter to carry it out owing to the condition of several appro- priation bills at this time.
 There is more or less talk about the removal of the yellow and the white dec- orations from the treasury building, which were being put up for inauguration day, and rumor says that the removal was made on orders from MT. Cleveland, who objected to 1t because of the newspaper publications that the blending of the two oolors was intended to be symbolical of the union of silveran gold in the financi al policy of the government. While many persons think the magnificent simplicity of the treasury building Is marred by decorating its fronts with gaudy colors of any sort, the opinion is unanimous that the ordering down of decorations because of their color, was bit of childishness on the part of somebody.