Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-04-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
SPECIAL CORRESpoNDENCE. |


surprising, for his psrplexities will
really begin after the court of inquiry
has subm tied it's report. 1t is to b.
assume | tha' this report will deal o.
scntially with the ascertaine,l facts of
the Maine disaster and tleir bea ing
upon its causes. Then will come
complicated problems as to how to
proceed in securing just the redress
that internationa! law and the honot
of the nation requires. No president
was ever placed under more tryias
ordeal, nor We're ever the con-
sequences more momentOus. Two
cour.s of inquiry will present thei,
verdicts from the judgment of the
civilized world. If the Spanish court
reports tha' the wreck was due to an
internal explosion. as it is, of course,
in its interest to do, and the American
verdic. is that it was the result of an
external explosion a series of compli,
cations must arise, and assuming tn,
verdict of our own court to be the
correct one the question still remains
as to the fact OF negligence of
connivance on the part of Spain. That
the president is sorely pe:plexed over
the issues that are liable to con-
front the situation, whatever the
boards report may be, is seen in his
reported assertion that even though
the report should show the Maine to
have been destroyed by external
agencies and the mine exploded by
Spanish officer the court must produce
the direct authorizations of the Spanish
government to that officer for the act
before the Unitel States can accuse
Spain of being particeps crininis in
the act. That the president should
want plain and indubitable case be-
fore putting himself ON record in
such mOmentOus crisis is nat
ural. That he does not endorse
the view that if the naval corrt
shoul find that Spanish o4icer fired
the mine that blew up the Maine, this
fact would make the Spanish govern
ment officially responsible. will sur
prise many people. But in any event
the president will take no positive
step unless Congress is with him, and
it is upon Congress probably that tn,
weight OF responsibility will finally
fall. We are on the eve of mos i'm
portant events. Only short time
remains for the prophets to speculate
upon results. But the country will
accept no peace that is tinged in the
slightest with dishonor, political ex-
pediency or cowardice, though no in
telligent citizen Graves war, with all
its costs of treasure and blood, merely
Tor the sake of war.
HAWAIIAN ANNEXATION Although
the appropriation bills are far adj
vanced and will soon become laws,
he question of the anexation OF Ha-
waii may yet hold Congress here
onger than is now expected. The
of the treaty and the sub
of the resolution for annexa-
ion will, beyond doubt, cause long
lebate in the Senate, because many
of the senators will take the occa-
sion of all open discussion of the sub
ect to repeat their speeches against
1t is the intention of the
friends of Hawaii not to lengthen the
lebate unnecessarily by long speeches, !
nd every effort will he made to get
he resolution to vote az soon as pos
'ible. tits claimed that there are fifty
i've votes for the resolution in the
Senate, and this is good majority,
md can force vote in a reasonable
line. But it is also understood that
'ix or eight of those whose votes are
'equired are pronounced friends of
Cuba, and declare that the annexation
'esolution shall not be passed until
something is done in the Cuban
natter. This is realized to be u
menace to the resolutions, because
'ix or eight votes. working to q
,ertain extent with the opposition,
'an prevent final vote and cause in
leinite delay. Although the Senate
las no provision for the previous
question, nor can time be set for
'ote where there is objection, it has
llways developed that where clear
was in favor of any measure,
t was not difficult to secure the
liking of time for the vote. In
he long struggle over the silver
question and the repeal of the Sher-
nan law, the strength of the opposi-
ion rosted entirely Oh the fact that
here never was majority for the re-
zeal until the compromise was effected,
nd then almost Immediately when
he opposition discovered it was in
he minority, the vote was taken and
he bill passed. The friends of Hawaii
re not afraid to let the resolution 60
o the House, for although Speaker
Reed is outspoken in his opposition,
is known that majority there favor
and that it will pass. If the Cuban
uestion is out of the way, the Ha-
Iaiian resolution will be adopted be.
ore adjournment.
CONGRESS WELL ALONG-Ith has been
long time since Congress has been
o far advanced in its work so early
n the session as it is at the present
ime. Although it is not yet April the
louSo HuS paSScu uIl Uut TWO HppfO-
ration bills, and these can be ready
or the Senate in few days. 1t is for
his reason that there was so much
ak recently of an early adjournment.
he stories started from the fact that
enators and members all were con-
inced that if there was no open
upture over the Maine explosion
congress would be able to get away
y the first of May. Senator Aid
ich said: 1--WE all naturally sup
osed that when Congress finished its
'ork it would adjourn. But there is
o idea of adjourning before its work
done" BY this he meant that the
egular work of Congress would be
nished soon, and that the members
ould wait upon the president and
Ill him that they were ready to adj
,urn, and if he had nothing further
, communicate, this would be done.
Heavy Incendiary Loss.