The Press., 1897-01-14
Washington Letter.
waahlnaton. yAn. lIth, lsa7.

Washington, Jan. lith, 1897.
 Presldent-elect Mckinley doeent wish thls congress to take any action upon any of the Cuban resolutions. This has been hlnted for some time, but now 1t Is fully known. Senators Cullom, of H., and Tnurston, of Nebr., who have both had recent consultations with Maj. Mckinley aud who previous to the holiday recess of congress were among the most persistent n lvocates ofimmediate action by congress in behalf of Cuba, are now counselliug d lay and pointing out reasons therefor. If Representative Money, of Miss, who h ls 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 toll what he learned In Cuba in a speech, but when asked about 1t, Mir. Money de- olined to either confirm or deny 1t.
 When the advocate of any idea does something to get that idea laughed at, he does 1t 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 a more powerful factor than argu ment in causing the whole Cuban question to be shelved for time. The Mills reso lution recognizes the independence o Cuba, and declares that the president should act in harmony with congress but the humor lies in its tall, which provides that a minister to Cuba shall be appoint ed, and appropriated $10,000 to pay hii salary and expenses. So far as known the only capitol the Cuban junta has es tabllshed Is the saddle and the most per sIstent office-seeker would hardly care to be minister at such a capital.
 Everybody Is talking about the personal attack made on Mir. W. R. Hearst, tho owner of daily papers in New York anc in San Francisco, by RepresentativeJ John son, of California. in his speech in favor of the Pacific Railroad Funding Bill Much of Mir. Johnson's language was SC indecent that the newspapers declined tC print 1t. Why Speaker Reed allowed such a speech to be made on the floor o the house Is one of the conundrums of the hour.
 The Loud bill, closing the second class mail to books, and to sample copies oi newspapers, got through the house by 6 majority of 39, but its opponents are con hdently asserting that 1t Is as dead as a last years nomination, because 1t 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 well understood by all the senators that 1t will be useless to attempt to get a vote upon any bill that can muster a score of senators who are earn estly opposed to 1t.
 Somehow the Idea got out that Hon Thomas E. Watson, of Ga., late populis candidate for vice. e-presldent, would appea before the house elections committee il his own behalf when the contested cleo tion case of Watson vs. Black was called but MT. Watson was not present. Hi interests were looked after by foar law yers, and Representative Black, who wal present, had the same number to, helI him retain his seat.
 The free homestead bill has the righ of way in the senate this week, so far al the republican steering committee coulc grant 1t. It Is thought that a majority O senators favor this bill but It's opponent are making a sturdy fight to prevent itt getting to a vote.
 While nothing Is perfect, excepting, O system of handling money in the U. S. treasury Is so nearly so that 1t 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 five sheets, each containing four $10 bills mysteriously disappeared, and up to this time no clue has been found to show tht way they went. The last furry of thii acrt was fifteen years ago, and the dis crepaney was caused, not by theft but by an error in the counting machine. Thit time the m Achines made no mistake, anC unless the missing money Is found Treas urer Morgan will have to make 1t good as he Is personally responsible.