Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1897-10-30
SPANISH BLusTER
Not Considered Dangerous Secretary
Cages New Idea.
(From our Regular correspondents


WASHINGTON, Oct. a5.--Presideni
Mckinley will not begin the work o.
writing his annual message to Con.
gress until after he returns from
Ohio, where he will go the last of thi:
week, TO remain until he casts his
vote for the Republican ticket. but he
is spending considerable time iusi
now in obtaining information from
members of the Cabinet and in dis
cussing with them matters that will
be treated in the message. All Of til,
members Of the Cabinet have furnish
ed him with the substance Of theii
annual reports. none of which are yet
completed
The administration is not devoting
any time to the consideration of the
answer of the new Spanish ministry
to Minister Woodford's proposition,
the full text of which is now on its
way to Washington, because the sub.
stance oft has been known for some
time and it has been fully determined
to grant the new Spanish ministry a
reasonable time in which to try to put
its new policy into effect in Cuba.
The only thing that may change this
programme is the manner in which
the Spanish reply deals with the ef-
forts which have been made by this
government to prevent the departure
of filiisbustering parties for Cuba. If
the tone of the answer is what Spanish
publications have indicated it to be,
it will be promptly resented by the
Administration More than S., 900, 600
has been spent by this Government in
efforts to prevent fillisbusteriug and to
live up to its international obligations
to Spain, and no intimation that this
government has been negligent will be
tolerated from Spain. It is thought
that such talk appeared in the Spanish
papers solely for its effect at home,
and that nothing Of the sort will be
found in the official communication.
Secretary Alger will attend the
meeting of the Army Of the Tennessee
on Wednesday and Thursday OF this
week, at Milwaukee. He left Wash
ington today.
When really good idea is made
known the average person of intelli-
gence wonders why it had not been
thought of before. An idea OF that
kind was laid before the Cabinet by
Secretary Gage, and at once met with
general approval The government
issues three kinds Of paper money,
and the notes of each denomination
of each series have different designs,
which are not only confusing, but
which are taken advantage Of by that
class OF swindlers who make prac
tice of raising notes and passing them
in crowded places or upon ignorant
and unsuspecting persons. Secretary
Cages idea is to adopt one design for
all the notes Of the same value Of the
three kinds of notes issued, and to
make tkat design so simple and dis.
tinctive that it will be impossible to
mistake a one dollar note for ten or
two for twenty. etc. The change
which will probably be put into effect
as soon as the necessary plates can be
prepared, will be welcomed by the
handlers Of money in banks and busi-
ness establishments. to whom the pic
torial silver certificates now in use
are a source of much worry
The resignation Of Gen. w. w. Dui.
fields as superintendent Of the Coast
and Geodetic Survey has been asked
for on the ground of his general in
competency to fill the position into
which Mr.. Cleveland put him for no
other reason than to please Don Dick
inson. Charges against Gen. DUFF
fields were filed early in the present
administration, and he would doubt
less have been asked to resign before,
had it not been for the iDnuence Of
his brother. who is a prominent
Michigan Republican.
Senator Piatt was in Washington
Saturday, but he said that his visit
had no special political significance
He spent halt an hour with President
Mckinley aud told him and his other
Washington friends that things were
looking more favorable every day for
the election of Gen. Tracy to be ths