The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1897-12-09
NASHlNHTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent

WASHINGTON, D. G., December 8, 1897.
"After a careful and consci ,ntious
study OF the situation from an impartial
and dieinterested standpoint, and in the
light of the observations WI ch l have
made upon my tour, it : my candid
Judgment that the change VS. have ex-
perienced from universal depression and
and dissatisfaction to general prosperity
and contentment in the short period of
eight months under the administration
of Mckinley is phenomenal, incompar.
able and without precedent in our his.
tory" That is the testimony Of Assist
ant Secretary of War Meikeljohn, who
has Just returned from six weeks tour
of the military posts of the government
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, during
which he came in contact with all sorts
and conditions of men, and had q good
opportunity to observe the general con.
dition of affairs. The fact that Mr.,
Meikeljohn travelled through the same
states and territories in 1894, when the
country was just beginning to fully real
ize the terrible effect of Clevelandism
and free trade, enabled him to form
more vivid impressions of the contrast
between then and now. OF the trip
from which he has Just returned, he
said: II made point of conversing
with men in all walks of life, and sought
to get the views Of those who were en-
gagged in variety of occupations Twas
the universal testimony, and my person
al observation confirms it, that an era of
prosperity has dawned for the United
States such as has not blessed our peo.
pie since the good times we enjoyed un,
der the Mckinley tariff"
Judge Day, Assistant Secretary of
State, settled all rumors connecting his
name with the successorship to Attorney
General McKenna, when that gentleman
succeeds Justice Field upon the bench
of the U. S. Supreme Court, by stating
that he he had for personal reasons de.
clined the portfolio of Attorney General,
which President Mckinley offered him.
So far as anything to the contrary is in
Washington, Judge Day finds his pres
ent position con-, enial and has no in
tention of leaving it.
With few exceptions Republican Sena.
tors and Representatives are of the
opinion that President McKinley's
handling of Cuban matters has been
such as to justify Congress in leaving it
entirely in his hands. Many who were
in favor of the House adopting the joint
resolution, adopted by the Senate, at the
extra session, declaring in favor of the
recognition of the belligerency of the
Cubans, now express their willingness
to leave the whole business to be dealt
with by the President. Representative
Cannon the veteran chairman of the
Appropriation committee, said jocularly
of the situation: II don't know what
in the world we shall do for speeches,
now that they have turned all the
Americans free."
Chairman Cannon, of the House Ap
preparation committee, speaking of the
general policy of that committee in pre-
pairing appropriation bills at this session
said: II belieye in liberal, but not
an extravagant policy in making sppro
priations, ,and until our revenues increase
shall oppose entering upon new enter.
prises requiring the expenditure of gov
eminent funds" As an expert upon
financial matters, there is no man in
Congress whose opinion carries more
weight than that of Mr.. Cannon. He
says that by the close of the present fis,
cal year. the Dingley tariff bill will be
producing sufficient revenue to meet the
legitimate expenditures of the govern
ment. As to the probable length of the
session he said: "We should be away
from here easily by the first of June"
He doubts whether any important leg
lslation will be accomplished, owing to
the condition of the Senate.
Representative, Stone, of Pa, will en-
deavor to secure action on the immigrs,
ton question at this session of Congress
Speaking of the necessity of such action.
he said: Pennsylvania is today suf-
fering from horde OF alien laborers who
have poured into our mining regions,
and have nearly driven native Ameri.
cans out, because the latter cannot com.
pete with the pauperized foreign ele
ment. 1t is shame and disgrace, an
outrage that Congress should not allow
to continue. These fellows, from abroad,
have standard Of living but little. if
any, superior to the Chinese, and their
presence is awakening the same discon.
tent and indignation that the presence
nf the Asiatica evokod m the Pacific