The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-19
4 Government Bunco.

One Of the intimate friends of Mr..
Mckinley has been good enough to de-
clare on the floor of Congress that the
Executive never entertained the slight
est idea OF bullying the Senate and
House into a convenient adjournment
in advance Of action upon the Maine
report and the Cuban question. The
gentleman in question spoiled his
/ speech with some fireworks to the eff
/ feet that Congress is an Independent
body" and that. therefore. the Presi-
/ dent never could have thought of such
thing.
There are several reasons for taking
the inspired utterances Of Mr.. Grosve-
nor Of Ohio cum grano sails" In the
first place his statistical and Spanish
prcclivities lay him open to question.
In the second. unless he wished TO per-
petrate a joke, the independence Of that
part Of Congress, Of which he forms a
whiskered and pyrotechnic unit, is not
generally regarded as at all an indie
pendent" body. On the contrary, il is
universally considered to consist of the
Falstaffian bulk of Thomas Bracket
Reed. Mr.. Grosvenor knows this as
we'll as anybody else; but it is always
convenient 10 ignore fact and to stick
to the old legislative fiction. His de-
NAL does not stagger the truth, that the
Administration has the strongest desire
to get rid of Congress, and to be left
free 10 settle the massacre of Havana
and the independence" of Cuba on the
lines laid down by the international
Spanish Cuban bond syndicate.
Mr. Hanna, Mr.. Grosvenor and sew
eral other close friends of the President
are declaring to press correspondents,
that the whole matter of our foreign
| relations would be better left to the Adj
ministration. Congress has had one
! lesson in trusting to tin the case of
! the Kansas Pacific bond deal. Con
gress and the country know how that
! little affair eventuated. 1t was a small
matter, involving only a limited num-
/ Der Of millions. This is a great one,
with three hundred millions of plumber
! for the gang if it can be carried out.
Hence it would be highly convenient for
! Congress to be out of the way. 1t will
i be gotten out Of the way if money ard
/ influence can be made effective 10 that
end
Not without piety and politeness
however! The report of the Maine
Board of Inquiry viii be presented, or
so much Of ii as may suit the purposes
Of the Administrator. A carefully edited
summary of the consular reports from
| Cuba will be also submitted. Accord
/ ing to present information, no recon-
| mendations viii accompany the com
1 munications. But the agents of the
party in power in both chambers will
be coached to fight against any action
whatsoever. They Will urge upon THEN
| colleagues the argument that the Ex-
| ecutive Is engaged in diplomatic move
ments, and must not be disturbed; that
he can be trusted to pull the country
| through without interference on the
part Of representatives of the people.
1t is disclosed today that, when the
J Maine report ultimately Is given to
| Congress, a demand Will be made upon
! Spain for indemnity, and a reason
| able time" accorded for a reply. Ad-
| ministration organs state that, before
that time shall have expired, it is 10 be
presumed that Congress will have fin
shed Is work. and gone home. Then
| there viii be smooth sailing for the
! bond deal; for the Intervention of for
eign powers, and for anything requisite
and necessary to the purpose. of com
| pelling the Republic of Cuba 20 saddle