Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-08-10
Washington Letter.
From our Regular Correspondent

IRON our Regular correspondent
WASHINGTON, August 5, $685.
Now that peace is at hand, upon
our own terms, President Mckinley
is being congratulated on his success,
full conduct to a speedy conclusion OF
the war. He receives these congratu-
lations very modestly, as he thinks
that no small portion of them are
due to the people who have stood so
solidly behind him from the day that
he asked for the first war appropria-
tion. He IS particularly gratifed at
the unanimity with which the press
of the country have supported his
efforts-no such support has been
given to any other administration in
the conduct of war, in the history OF
the country, and he has every right
to feel proud of it.
Although the occupation of Porto
Rico is going ahead at the rate of q
town or two day, and without OPP
position, more troops are being sent
to General Miles. 1t is expected
that a cessation of hostilities will
take place before an attack is made
upon San Juan, but as Porto Rico
is to become American territory it is
thought that the presence of con-
siderable American army will have
q good effect upon the inhabitants.
who are so favorably disposed to the
exchange of the Spanish flag for
Old Glory that no large army will
Of the island More troops are also
to be sent to General Merritt, and it
is feared that they will be needed to
properly deal with the Philippine in
surgents.
The news that representative Bah
cock, Of Wisconsin, had defeated the
opposition to his denomination was
received with much pleasure by Re-
publicans in Washington, especially
at the headquarters of the Republl,
can Congressional Campaign commit
tee, of which Mr.. Babcock is chair
man. His efficiency as a campaign
manager is such that his failure to be
returned to congress would be re-
garded as party misfortune.
A very interesting statement of the
receipts and expenditures of the
government for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, was issued this week by
Assistant Secretary Howell, OF the
treasury. Owing to war expendi-
lures in the last quarter, there was
a deficit of $3S, O47, 247 for the year.
That was, of course, to be expected.
But the most interesting portion Of
the statement to those who con-
tended that the Dingley tariff law
would produce all the revenue needed
to run the government is that show
ing that for the last five months
February to June inclusive-of the
fiscal year the Dingley tariff law pro-
duced revenue exceeding our ordinary
expenditures on q peace footing by
more than $9,OOO,OUO.
Representative Hull, Of Iowa, who
is in Washington in connection with
his duties as member of the Re-
publican Congressional Campaign
committee, thinks that unforeseen
conditions at the close of the war
are certain to make an extra session
of congress necessary, unless the
work Of the commission that will be
charged with the duty Of preparing
the formal treaty Of peace between
the United States and Spain shall be
dragged well into autumn. The SEN
ate will have to be called together to
ratify the treaty as soon as that
document has received the signatures
of the representatives of the two
governments, but that can be done
without calling the house together, if
President Mckinley SO desires; he
will simply call an executive session
Of the senate, such as is held at the
beginning of every administration.
Secretary Long has notified the
owners of all vessels chartered for
use as auxiliary cruisers, with the
exception Of the Yale and Harvard,
which will be used as transports by
the War department, that the gov
eminent has no further use for the
vessels and will turn them over as
rapidly as possible.