Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-05-19
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent

b.
WASHINGTON, May IA, 1897. -Presi-
dent Mckinley, Vice-PresidentH Hobart
and members of the cabinet have gone
to Philadelphia to participate in the
dedication of the Washington monu-
ment. They will return Saturday
night. 1t looks now as though the
president would not be able to accept
any of the numerous invitations which
have been extended him to participate
in Memorial day exercises away from
Washington, and that he would be
with his comrades at Arlington Gene
terry
Cuban matters are rapidly coming
to a head. The administration has
received information from Consul
General Lee and other United States
officials in Cuba, which has been laid
| before the members of the senate COM
mittee on foreign relations, and which
1t is believed may result in definite
action on the part of this government.
| Whether this action will be recogni-
! ton of Cuban belligerency, as provid-
ed for in the senate resolution, or the
absolute recognition of Cuban indie
| pendence, is a matter that is expected
to be speedily determined tits very
plain that the Spanish officials have
been deceiving this government right
along as to the condition of affairs in
Cuba.
Senator Aldrich says he will call up
the tariff bill in the senate on the 18th
| 81 ~, A.
ment made when the bill was reported
to the senate, but it is the opinion of
many senators that the bill will not be
taken up Until later, owing to objec-
tions that will be raised by Democrats
on account OF delay in furnishing them
with a comparative statement of the
estimated effect of the amendments
1t is now Practically certain that the
bill will have to be changed to a con-
siderable extent before it can be
passed by the senate, and it will then
be further changed by the conference
committee before the house will &C
cept it. One of the schedules that it
is known will be radically changed in
the senate is that dealing with sugar
1t is also almost certain that the clause
declaring for the maintenance Of the
Hawaiian reciprocity treaty which
was in the house bill, but was struck
out by the senate committee. will be
restored, as President Mckinley has
taken especial pains to impress upon
the minds Of senators and representa-
tives hat nothing should be done that
would be likely to ALLEVIATE the Hawaii
ans. 1t is certain that the president
favors the annexation of Hawaii in
some form, and probable that annex
alton will be an accomplished fact in
the near future.
Probably the strongest endorsed
man who has been given appointment
by President Mckinley is Judge AL
bion W. Tourgee, the well-known
author and speaker, who was this
week nominated to be United States
consul at Bordeaux, France.
Senator Quay has offered two
amendments, affecting the civil service
law, to the deficiency appropriation
bill. One provides that deputy col
lectors of internal revenue, storekeep-
efS anu SduSefS shall De 08CIuuGC
from the classified civil service; also
examining surgeons. The other takes
Indian agents out of the classified
service and authorizes their appoint
ment by the president, by and with
the consent of the senate. The amend.
ments were referred to the civil ser
vice committee, which is investigat
ing the whole subject.
A new policy has been adopted il
the handling of business in the pen
sion bureau that means much tt
> many applicants for pension. Under
:. this policy the applications for orig
inal pensions are to be given prefer
ence over the applications for increase
a made by those who are already draw
r inc pensions.