The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-21
Gossip at
the Capital

Washing lOllb Ahuy -V'
Reading the various programmes which |
are appearing in the daily newspapers,
announcing with apparent official au-
thority" the policy the president has for
mulated in relation to Cuba, one can fore
see that the day of censorship OF the press
is not far distant. at least 1t is generally
thought among those whose attention has
been called to the matter, that there must
be some way devised by which the admin
istration (this and al other ones) can be
protected from the misrepresentation
which is growing more and more reckless.
Ignorant Interpretation of motives, crlti-
cism of acts, complete distortion of the
meaning of things, do not hurt, but the
solemn assumption of newspaper writer's
of familiar converse with the president, of
the possession of his absolute confidence,
of being the repositories of his policies on
every imaginable question, is something
appalling. Mr.. Mckinley will really need
to edit the matter which these assumed
confidants are publishing, or, what would
doubtless be wiser, choose from among
them one which may be recognized as
the administration organ, after the man
ner of the governments of the older world.
Here is one of these familars of ne
president who solemnly announces that
the president has determined upon his Gu
ban policy, that as a matter of form he
houn, and then he will at once address
note to the Spanish government suggest
ing that the Cubans be permitted to pur-
chase their independence-that is pay for
the possession Of a God-given right in
cold cash. If Spain refuses, then will
come with a celerity that will make the
Spanish head SWIM the act of recognition.
This would be simply amusing If 1t were
not announced by paper which is not
given to lying, and with an air of having
been inspired by the president. OF course,
any one who reads carefully will see that
| if the president has decided so absolutely
regarding the matter, it would be hypo-
critical and dishonorable to pretend that
| his policy is in any way to be influenced
| by any report that 2 commissioner can
| make. This would be foreign, assuredly,
| to the frank and manly nature of Mr. Nc
| Kinley. OF course, the fact that these as
| sumed familiars of the president contra
| dict each other in the reports of their
| condolences, denudes the statements of
| any semblance of truth, but each paper
has its constituency, which reads no other
| print, and so each constituency swallows
what is given it as the posicy Of the admin
| istration. The story that the president
| will ask Spain to permit Cuba to purchase
| independence, is indeed grotesque. Nc
| Kinley is not copying the mistakes of
| Cleveland. When Cleveland made that
suggestion it was treated with scorn both
| by the Spaniards and the Cubans. the
| latter do not propose to burden them
| selves with debt of scores of millions
| when the war has reached a stage of col
| lapse, and the former has no purpose of
selling out until there is an absolute as
surance of purchase 1t would be idiotlc
for the Spanish government to admit de-
feat by an agreement to such a scheme,
| in the face of the knowledge that the Gu
| bans Will not consent to pay a single dol
| lar for that which they know Is their own.
| 1t is said the president is both amused
and annoyed by the solemn assumption
| of familiarity with his plans by some Of
the newspaper writer's, and that he has
suggested that they get together and at
least make their "ofiicial" statements har-
monize. But how would any of the gentle
men get scoop" if that were done?
As it appears that some sort of resolu-
ton must be adopted soon by the senate,
even if the tariff bill has to be antagon-
ized with 1t for the purpose OF forcing a
vote, the great dispute is about to resolve
itself into accusation and defense In re-
gard to obstruction of the measures or
recognition. Hale and Hoar assert that
the friends of recognition have done all
the talking, and therefore that they are
responsible for the delay. This is Hale's
version of it, and it is slippery and snaky
as everything is that emanates from that
adept at shallow cunning. 1t is fact
that on every occasion when the friends
of the resolution attempted to force a
vote, Hale interposed with the information
| that while he would ask for no unneces-
sary delay, he was not quite ready for a
| vote, as he had some remarks which were
| not yet ripe, or something to that effect.
1t is a fact that Hale and Hoar have held
up the Morgan resolution all along. Its
friends would have been ready for vote
at any time, knowing il would have u
large majority, but the two statesmen
named, for reasons which they have never
been good enough to give TO the public
have interposed the obstacle of senatorial
courtesy and asked for more time. As
for poor Wellington. of Maryland, who Is
the only one to come valiantly to the as
sistance of Hoar and Hale, and the only
one on that side so innocent as not to have
some secret and personal reason for pro
Spanish affections he Is already ausge
spielt lie Is denounced by his Maryland
constituents with general fury, and, 1t J.;
said, has demolished the last chance of q
= Republican majority in the Legislature
J which will choose a successor to German
The speech was certainly the silliest 4
has ever been my lot to listen to from the
; senate press gallery. one may forgive
! astute and brilliant wickedness, almost
rather than honest asininity. We are uset
. to the former, In the senate, but II /,
doubtful II we can ever look upon the lat
4 ter with patience.
, ] am told that the officers OF the Ret
Cross In other parts of the world ar,
much excited by accounts Of tho perform
\ | ancos Of the members Of the order II