The Charlotte Democrat., 1897-01-28
NOTHING FOR CUBA.

McKinIey's Policy - Huntington's
Lobbyists Out of a JOb.-The Free
Homestead Bill. No Trouble With
Lee, Says Money.
| Correspondence of the NEWS.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 18th, 1897
Poor Cuba: The formal announce
ment that John Sherman had been
compelled to become McKinley's
Secretary of State, in order to make
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 suspicion for some
time that Mckinley occupied very
nearly the same attitude towards
Cuba that President Cleveland does,
and Mr.. Sherman has made that
suspicion a certainty by, saying: 81
do not believe this government should
interfere between Spain and the
Cubans. I do not believe this gov.
ernment should attempt to settle the
war or take any steps putting upon
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 pre-
sence of Mckinley and after he had
accepted the Secretaryship of State,
there isn't the slightest doubt that it
is an advance statement of McKin-
ley's Cuban policy. 1t is several
shades worse than the present Cuban
policy. President Cleveland has at
least tried to bring about peace.
| Mckinley proposes to do absolutely
nothing and to let the butchery con-
tinue indefinitely This may result
in stirring up the friends of Cuba in
Congress. There are now in Wash
ington petitions signed by six hun
tred thousand American citizens,
asking Congress to recognize the In
dependence of Cuba.
It is evident that Speaker Reed
doesn't expect Representative Boat
ner, of La, who was unseated at the
last sessition of Congress and re-
elected to fill the vacancy and for a
full term beginning March 4th next,
to be unseated 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 democrats who favors protection
to a certain extent, to fill the demo
cratic vacancy on the Ways and
Means Committee. Representative
Bailey, of Texas, who was given the
vacancy of the Rules Committee,
was it is said given his choice of the
vacancies by Mr.. Reed. Charles
Crisp, son of the late ex-Spea ker was
given the vacancy on the Post Office
Committee, and Representative
Stokes, of S. G. that on the Commit.
tee on Agriculture.
The republican steering committee
of the Senate has given the Nicar'
aqua Canal Bill the first place IN the
order of business of the Senate
which is merely another way of kill
ing the time during the four days {
week the leisurely Senate conde
scends to sit during this session, al
they know that the bill has nc
chance of getting acted on in th'
House.
Those members of Huntingdon
lobby, who are not regularly on hi
paw roll, found themselves out OF /
lob, when the House sat down 81
hard on the Pacific Railroads Fund
ing Bill. The question of Legislation
on the subject is still being consider
ed, but Huntington seems at last t
realize that the numerous lobby h
had at work in Washington did tn
funding bill more harm than good
and from now on, the lobbying vii
not be so openly conducted. If ther
is any legislation on this matter it
likely to be along the line of the bil
which has been reported favorably t
the Senate, and which is now BEN
. considered by the House COMMITTEE
1t provides for a commission Of Cab
net officials with authority to settl
the whole business.
If the free homestead bill fails
get through, Speaker Reed will MAI
numerous Western enemies who WI
b be heard from if he is again cand
date for his party's Presidents
nomination. The bill when passe
k by the House only provided for fri
homesteads in Oklahoma, but befol
the Senate passed it, amendmen
r were added, extending the area
free homestea6s. When the bl
went back to the House, instead
allowing the House to vote on Il
s Senate amendments SO that the bl
could be sent to Conference, if thu
were not accepted by the Hous
~ Sneaker Reed sent the bill back
, the Committee on Public Lands, al
it's friends are whispering that he d
it for the purpose of having the b
;. smothered.
* Representative and Senator
Money, of Miss, thus disposes OF
sensational story sent from Washln
: ton: "There is not a word of tru
in the story that I have the slighte
misunderstanding with Consul. Gel
y eral Lee growing out of my lett
=. on the Cuban question. General L
and | are the best of friends, a
. there is not the least particle oi
" chance of our disagreeing. | was
much amused over the newspaI