Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-05-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.

Washington, May 9th, 1897.
When it comes to expressing their
sympathy for Cuba, or showing their
confidence in President Mckinley, the
republicans of the House stand with
the President. They know that it is
not necessary to pass the Senate re-
solution declaring that the belliger-
ency of the Cubans should be recog-
nized, in order to convince the coun-
try of their sympathy for Cuba. They
also know that the adoption OF that
resolution at this time would unneces-
sarily embarass the President, who is
working out policy that will be of
some practical benefit to the Cubans,
which it is far from certain that the
recognition of belligerency would be.
This being the situation, it is not like
Iy that the House will act upon the
belligerency resolution or take any
other action relating to Cuba, until
Pres. Mckinley has had time enough
to formulate and announce his policy.
The real friends of Cuba want more
than a recognition of belligerency;
they want to see the island indepen-
1lant; and to that end they are stead
tasty working, meanwhile, the money
appropriated by Congress for the re-
lief of destitute Americans in Cuba,
is being used for that purpose by the
u. S. consuls. There is no good rea-
son for any undue haste in taking the
next step, especially when haste
might defeat the very object sought
the ending of bloodshed in Cuba.
President Mckinley has promised to
act in short time, and republicans
are willing to accept that promise
and wait.
Republican Senators held a caucus
today, in order to smooth down little
difference as to modes of procedure
during the tariff debate, now open.
There was general interchange of
opinion, and, while there was no at
tempt to bind anybody, general un-
Outstanding was reached that no time
should be devoted to lengthy speech
es by republicans. At the caucus of
democratic Senators, it was decided
to open their fight on the tariff bill by
moving to strike out the entire inter
nal revenue section of the bill, in or
der to try to curry favor with the
brewing interests. Republicans do
not believe the motion will carry.
The Bryanites are constantly talk
ing a bout the increase of free silver
senti ment in the country and saying
that the results of last November
would be reversed if there were a
Natio nal election held now. Of course
every body knows that sort of talk to
be mere bluff and buster. If proof
was needed, it is furnished by the fact
that the democratic leader of the
House Bailey of Texas-and other
prominent democrats have gone into
the first Congressional district of Mis-
souri, to speak and work for the cleo
ton of democratic successor to the
late Representative r. P. Giles. The
silver sentiment is growing so fast in
the silver state of Missouri, that the
stumpspeakers of national promi-
hence are needed to make sure that
the republicans do not carry a dis
trict that last November elected
silver democrat. Facts like this are
more convincing than loud talk, Just
as man is always judged to a large
extent by his actions than by his
words.
President Mckinley has been so oc-
cupied with other matters that he has
not had time to decide what to do
about revoking the extensions of the
civil service rules made by Mr.. Cleve
land, but he has heard the complaints
of msny prominent republicans con-
corning the injustice of the most of
those extensions and there is very
little doubt when he takes the ques
ton up, some, if not all, of these ex-
tensions will have to go. Some idea
of how some of these extensions are
regarded by prominent officials, who
know by experience just how they are
working, may be had from the follow
ing vigorous language used by Assis-
tant Secretary Ryan of the Interior
Department: s'The civil service law
has been perverted and dragged into
mire to serve partisan ends, but even
that is not the worst of it. A new ad
ministration has come into power,
pledged to carry out policies which in
many important respects are directly
contrary to those of the last admins
EratiOu and If finds itself confroptod |
on the very threshold of an army of
official incumbents hostile, or at the
very least, Indifferent, to it's aims and