The Press., 1897-01-14
washiMgton Letter.
wasninotnn. 1an. 1lth. 18a,

Washington, Jan. 1ltn, 1897.
 President-elect Mckinley doesn't wish this congress to take any action upon any of the Cuban resolutions. This has been hinted for some time, but now 1t is fully known. Senators Cullom, of H., and Tnurston, of Nebr., who have both had recent consultations with Mai. Mckinley and who previous to the holiday recess of congress were among the most persistent a lvocates ofimmediate action by congress in behalf of Cuba, are now counselling d lay and pointing out reasons therefor. If Representative Money, of Miss, who us returned from his trip of personal in- vestigation to Cuba, made any important discoveries he is carefully concealing them. One of his friends says he will tell what he learned in Cuba in a speech. but when asked about it, MT. Money de- clined to either confirm or deny 1t.
 When the advocate of any idea does something to get that idea laughed at, he does it irreparable injury, and that is about what Senator Mills has done by his latest Cuban resolution, upon which he today made an unusally strong and able speech. Senator Mills isn't addicted to the habit of joking upon serious subjects, and it is certain that when he wrote that Cuban resolution he had no intention to make anybody laugh. All the same he has done so, and the laughter continues, in spite of his serious speech, and may prove more powerful factor than argu- ment in causing the whole Cuban question to be shelved for time. The Mills reso- lution recognizes the independence of Cuba, and declares that the president should act in harmony with congress but, the humor lies in its tail, which provides that minister to Cuba shall be appoint ed, and appropriated $1O,OOO to pay his salary and expenses. So far as known, the only capitol the Cuban iunta has es- tablished is the saddle and the most per- sistent off1ce-seeker would hardly care to be minister at such a capital.
 Everybody is talking about the personal attack made on MT. w. R. Hearst, the owner of daily papers in New York and in San Francisco, by Representative John- son, of California, in his speech in favor of the Pacific Railroad Funding Bill. Much of Mir. Johnson's language was so indecent that the newspapers declined to print it. Why Speaker Reed allowed such speech to be made on the floor of the house is one of the conundrums of the hour.
 The Loud bill, closing the second class mail to books, and to sample copies of newspapers, got through the house by a majority of 39, but its opponents are con- fidently asserting that it is as dead as last years nomination, because it has no possible chance to reach a vote in the senate. Whether this claim is true is yet to be seen, and will depend upon whether the bill is strongly opposed in the senate. It is perfectly we'll understood by all the senators that it will be useless to attempt to get vote upon any bill that can muster a score of senators who are earn estly opposed to 1t.
 
 Thomas E. Watson, of Ga., late populist candidate for vice. president, would appear , before the house elections committee 1T his own behalf when the contested cleo tion case of Watson vs. Black was called
 but Mir. Watson was not present. Hii interests were looked after by four law yers, and Representative Black, who was
 present, had the same number to, helE
 him retain his seat.
 The free homestead bill has the right of way in the senate this week, so far af , the republican steering committee could grant it. It is thought that majority O : senators favor this bill but it's opponents , are making sturdy fight to prevent its
 getting to vote.
 While nothing is perfect, excepting, O : course, lovers in each others eyes, the system of handling money in the D. S. treasury is so nearly so that it is ver1 } rare for any to be lost. Still there are , somrtimes attempts made to beat th' , system. The secret service is now work
 ing upon one of them. Recently tiv'
 sheets, each containing four $10 bills mysteriously disappeared, and up to thi' time no clue has been found to show th' way they went. The last furry of thi' sort was fifteen years ago, and the dis crepaney was caused, not by theft but b, an error in the counting machine. Thii . time the machines made no mistake, anC
 unless the missing money is found Treas urer Morgan will have to make 1t good as he is personally responsible.