The silver star., 1897-10-14
W WAsH1NGToN
LETTER.
From our Washington Correspondent.

the launching Of q new war scare
would seen quite strange, it has
Peen soFlong since there was one.
The war scare of the present week
was based upon the action of the
Cabinet in discussing the placing
of orders for a million dollars worth
of smokeless powder for the Navy,
as soon as the money could be made
available to pay for it. This is
really about the most war-like step
yet taken by the administration, and
It is not surprising that it should
havc created sensation. 1t may
pc bluff, and there may be no in-
tention to purchase such large
quantity of slnokeless powder.
There would certainly be no use for
It. except for fighting purposes. 1t
is the belief of some very cool head
ed men that unless the administra-
tion can bluff the new Spanish min
istry it will Big ip position where
it must choose between fighting and
backing down, and the strongest
opponents of the administration do
not believe il will back down, s:m-
ply because ta DO so would be to
arouse such public indignantiap
that every member of the adminis-
tFation would be driven in disgrace
to private life. Americans can
stand lot, but they wouldn't stand
backdown from, Spain on the part
of McKinley's administration.
The country is beginning to see
that those who charged Ex-Secre-
tary of State Foster with making
mess Of his scaling negotiations with
Great Britain knew what they were
talking about. England's notifca-
tions to this government that it
would take no part in the sealing
conference to be held in Washing
ton has opened the eyes of the world
to Fosters bungling. Representa-
tives of Russia and Japan are now
on their way to Washington to take
part in the sealing conference, those
governments having accepted the
assurances Of Foster that England
bad promised to also take part,
when it had not done so, Months
ago Prof. Elliott said that England
had no idea of doing SO.
When man gets down everybody
seems disposed to give him a kick.
The case of Senator Wellington, Of
Md, is an instance. Months ago,
before Wellington had made that
fool exhibition on the floor of the
Genate, Bosa Hanna asked him to
makc some speeches in the Ohio
campaign and he agreed to do so.
Several days ago Wellington was
given hint that it would greatly
please Hanna if he would cancel his
Ohio engagement on account Of his
heath, or any other old reason, and
the encouragement was duly made
that Senator Wellington's health
had compelled the cancellation Of
his Ohio engagements to speak,
One Of Hanna s Ohio friends, speak.
Ing of Wellington, said: "Hanna
has been afraid Of Wellington ever
since he made that money-speech
In the Senate, and was determined
that he should not be allowed to
speak In Ohio. His adoption Of q
gentle hint prevented embarrass-
ment to oil concerned"
A we'll known newspaper man,
lust from Ohio. said: "During the
past two weeks. I have been cam
paiguing with Senator Hanna. The
audiences that have turned out to
hear him have not been large, nor,
to tell the truth. have they display
ed q great amount Of enthusiasm.
The frst weeks meetings were In
the nature Of . FROST but lntterly
the attendance has improved. The
fact Is that the republicans, for some
cause. seem apathetic.
Mr.. Mckinley is very anxious to
have the country believe that he Ia
not taking sides In the hot fight now
going on in greater New York's
municipal campaign, and statements