The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-01-22
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASuINGToN. ID. c.. January 18th.

Mr.. EDITOR: Cuba! The formal
announcement that John Sherman had
been compelled to become Mcknfey's
place in the Senate for Boss Hanna, makes
it certain that unless this Congress does
something for Cuba. it will have to go on
fighting alone. There has been Il Suspi
cion for sometime that Mckinley occupied
very nearly the same attitude towards Cuba
that President Cleveland does, and Mr..
Sherman has made that suspicion Il GER
taintv by saving: II do not believe this
government should interfere between
Spain and the CubanS. | do not believe
this government should attempt to settle
the war or take any steps putting uron us
the burden of determining the nature of
rule in Cuba in case the Cubans win" As
this language was used when he was Just
from the presence Of Mckinley and after
he had accepted the Secrctaryship of State,
there isn't the slightest doubt that it is an
advance statement of Mckinlcy's Cuban
policy. 1t is several shades worse than
the present Cuban policy; President Clevr-
land has at least tried to hrin" about
peace. Mckinley proposes to do abso-
lutciv nothing and to let the butchery con-
tnue indefinitely, This may result in
stirring up the friends of Cuba in Con
grcss. There are now in Washington pc
titions signed by six hundred thousand
American citizens, asking Congress to
recognize the Independence of Cuba.
1t is evident that Speaker Reed doesn't
expect Representative Boatner, of Louis
lana, who was unseatcd at the last session
of Congress and re- elected to fill the va
cancv and for full term beginning March
4th next. to he unscatcd in the contest
which is again being made for his seat.
Otherwise he would not have selected Mr.
Boatner, who is one of those rare demo-
Gratis who favors protection to Il certain
extent, to fill the democratic vacancy on
the Ways and Means Committee. Repre-
sentative Bailey. of Texas, who was given
the vacancy on the Rules Committee, was
it is said given his choice of the vacancies
by Mr. Reed Charlie Crisp son of the
late ex-Spcaker. was given the vacancy on
the Post Office Committee. and Represen-
tative Stokes, of South Carolina. that on
| the Committee on Agriculture.
The republican steering committee of
| the Senate has given the Nicaragua Canal
| Bill the first place in the order of business
| # In which i morally a
| way of killing the time during the foul
| days week the leiSuIely Senate conde-
| scends to sit during this Session. as they
know that the bill has no chance of got
| ting acted on in the House
If there is any legislation on the matter
of the Pacific Railroads Funding Bill it is
likely to be along the line of the bill which
has been reported favorably to the Senate
and which is now being considered by the
House Committee. 1t provides for com
mission of Cabinet officials with authority
to settle the whole business
| If the free homestead bill fails t. get
through, Speaker Reed will make runner
Gus Western enemies who will be heart
| from if he is again candidate for his par
tvs Presidential nomination. Tie bill
when passed by the House only provided
| for free homesteads in Oklahoma, but be
| fore the Senate passed it, amendments
| added, extending the area of free home
steads. When the bill went back to the
| House, instead of allowing the House tC
| vote on the Senate amendments SO thai
| the bill could he sent to Conference, il
| they were not accepted by the House
| Speaker Reed sent the bill back to tn,
Committee on Public Lands, and it,
friends are whispering that he did it fol
| the purpose of having the bill smothered
| Representative and Senator-clect Mon
ey of Mississippi, thus dispoSes of IA sen
| sational story sent from Washin gton
There is not Il word of truth in the story
| that have the slightest misunderstanding
| with Consul General Lee growing out o
nv letters on the Cuban question. Gen
eral Lee and | are the best of friends, ant
there is not the least particle of chance
of our disagreeing. Twas as much amused
over the newspaper publication that Their
was to be duel between us as the Genera
will be when he sees it
The much talked OF bill authorizing thu
President to appoint delegates to any In
ternational Monetary Conference that ma.
he called, has been introduced IN the Sen
ate. This is measure for which every
! boly in Congress will vote, and whicl
nobody, in or out of Congress, believe
will ever amount to il row of pins, SO ia
as increasing the use Of silver as money i
concerned.