Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-03-25
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Trom our regular Correspondent

Naval Court OF inquiry n PViiOO'
storm Of excitement is raging and
it is constantly growing in intensity.
Congress is making brave effort
TO wait patiently, but it is only
succeeding, because it must wait;
It's members are human and their
stock OF patience is practically eX
hausted. There are a thousand and
one rumOrs as to what the President
will do with the report, but the
impression prevails among Senators
and others who have talked the
matter over with the President and
members of the Cabinet, that II
will depend on the nature OIL 'he
rcport how soon it will be sent 10
Congress and made public. II u
merely shows that the Maine was
blown up from the outside by un'
known parties, it will P ohably be
sent to Congress right away, but L
| it shows that the explosion was due
to the action of any Spanish officials
it would probably De withheld
until every prepa' alton 10 make
aggressive war was completed as
the President knows, as docs every
body else, that in that case, as
soon as the Official facts were laid
before Congress, war would be de-
clared
Signs of coming war are plentiful
| in Washington. The House Naval
| Committee has added millions to
the regular Naval Appropriation
bill, by providing for additional
battleships, torpedo boats and tor
pedo boat destroy biI!@ are now
under consideration to provide Tor
an extensive increase in both The
army and navy; hundreds OF oihclal
notices OF recruits wanted are being
prepared in the Navy Department.
SO a. to be ready to be used IN.
every city in the country at short
notice-they arc being sent out oyI
mail. so that in case it becomes
necessary to use them the depart
ment will only have 10 wire s.
agents to 90 ahead. There Is an
unusual hustle in every bureau OF
the War and Navy Department.
and in addition to the kilograms
received over the wires in the
building there is a continual stream
of telegraph messengers going IN
and out. This is not only dun g
Office hours, but goes on ali day
Sunday and the greater portion OF
every night. The work at the Gun
and Carriage and Ammunition
shops in the Washington Navy Yard
is continuous. three shifts OF men
each working eight hours long.
Such big hole has been made in
the S5O,OOO,OO0 emergency appro
priation that there is already talk
of another big appropriation. AL
this does not, of course, make ii
certain that we shall have war, but
it certainly serves TO increase the
chances in favor Of war.
The new Spanish Minister is both
brainy and audaciOus. In addit
ion to bringing three Cuban Com.
missioners to Washington TO open
negotiations with our reciprocity
commissioner for commercial
treaty with Spain, Just as though he
really believed in the possibility OF
the conclusion of such a treaty,
under existing circumstances, Senior
Polo has made strenuous efforts to
have the world believe that the
only r.ason autonomy in Cuba has
not been fully accepted by the in
surgents and peace restored to
Cuba has been the war like attitude
of this country towards Spain and
the presence of the strong h9et Of
Its warships at Key West. 1t is
limpossiole not to admire the 10
genuity and industry of this Spanish
diplomat, but that does not prevent
a number OF prominent Senators
and Representatives thinking that
he and his dummy Commissioners
should be given a little mint that
their talk and conduct is bringing
them dangerously near to being
classed as lying lobbyists. 1t is
not pleasant to hear these persons
assertaing that autonomy, which
Scnatoss Proctor, Gallinger, and
, Money. who have personally in
vestigated declare to be mlsera
bic failure, is success. 1t is a
, little too much like calling our
Senators liars. Their object is TO
/ try TO make friends for autonomy in
CONGRESS. but the evidence against