The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-05-28
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent

tecting American citizens in Cubs
gees a great deal further than protect
ing them in their political rights, as
he has fully made known to Congress
1t includes protecting them from the
starvation that is staring so many OF
them in the face, as a result of the
policy of Gen. Weyler in cooping them
up in the cities and towns Of Cuba
where there is no opportunity for those
who are dependent upon their labor
for living for themselves and families
to obtain employment. President Nc
Kinley has asked Congress to appro-
pirate money to furnish food, clothing
and medicine for these Suffering Am
ericans, and Congress viii promptly do
it, and the relief will be distributed by
U. s. officials. The Spanish minister
wanted to have the distribution made
by Spanish officials, but he was
promptly informed that it could not
be done; that as long as Spain had by
its policy caus ed these people, Ameri-
can citizens and non-combatants, to
be deprived of the work by which they
lived, it should have seen that they
were in some other way provided for;
that having failed to do its duty, the
q. S. would relieve its own citizens,
either by birth or naturaliz alton, with
out help or hindrance from Spain.
That is as far as the matter has gone,
but there is little doubt that the send
ing of relief to Cuba for suffering Am
orleans by this government. is the first
step towards Intervention, either
peaceably or by force, to put an end
to the barbarous condition OF affairs
on the island 1t will follow as a nat
ural sequence. If present conditions
were allowed to continue, the q. s.
Government would have to establish
permanent relief depots in every town
on the island The first duty will be
to clothe the naked Americans, feed
the hungry and see that the sick get
proper nursing and medicine; then
the conditions that brought about the
suffering will have to be changed.
There will be no occasion for trouble,
unless Spain makes it. If she does, so
much the worse for Spain.
Mr.. Frank A. Vanderlip, who has
been acting as private secretary to
Secretary Gage, since he entered the
and who has been nominated
to be Assistant Secretary of the Treas
ury, is one of the youngest men who
ever filled this important position, but
his ability to properly perform its
duties is unquestioned. Although Mr..
Vanderlip is only 32 years old, he has
had an extended financial experience,
having been for eight years financial
editor of the Chicago Tribune, and
ever since his school boy days close
student of finance and political
economy.
From republican point of view,
Florida neither gains nor loses to any
marked extent by sending ex-Repre-
sentative Stephen r. Mallory to the
Senate in place of Mr.. Call, whose
term expired with the last Congress.
Although Mr.. Call served three terms
In the Senate, he was more widely
known because of the little episode
connected with his wearing fancy
socks and taking off his shoes while
the Senate was in session, than for
any craftsmanship displayed during
his eighteen years service.
The tariff debate will not begin until
next week, although Senator Aldrich
will, on Thursday of this week, call
the bill up for the purpose of making
a statement covering the views of the
republicans of the Finance Committee
on the amendments. No agreement
has been reached as to the length of
time the bill will be debated by the
Senate, but the talk of individual SEN
ators of all parties indicates that the
debate is likely to be much shorter
than it was several weeks ago suppos-
ed that it would be. Republicans of
the House take no stock in the story
that the tactics by which the Senate
compelled the House to accept its
amendments to the Wilson bill, are to
be again brought to bear, and many
of them do not hesitate to say that if
the attempt is made, it viii fail. My
own impression is that the House
would remain In session until the
openin, of the regular session, next
December, before it would accept all
of the Senate amendments.
Even as staunch an advocate of the
civil service law as Senator Lodge said
at the last meeting of the Senate Com
mittee that is investigating that sub
ject that he considered it absurd TO
have placed stable-men, char-women,
form-carriers, watchmen and other un-
skilled laborers In the Government
Printing Office In the classified service
Public Printer Palmer appeared In