The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1898-07-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
LFrom onr Rcgular Corrc.pondent.l

Gen. Skaters army, by its VIC
tories in every engagement that any
portion of il has had with the Span
iards since its landing in Cuba, is
demonstrating to the world what we
knew all the time; that the Ameri-
can soldier was no whit behind the
American sailor in fighting quail
ties, and rs fighter the American
sailor has never been surpassed.
Shafter has driven the enemy into
the main notifications surrounding
Santiago, and if he is not intertered
with from Washington will soon
capture the town by assault. Fol-
the frs. time during the war we
have had a considerable number OF
killed and wounded, but every man
who volunteers to fight knows that
he must take his chances
1t is claimed by friends of the
administration that SKATER is being
allowed TO conduct the campaign
against Santiago in his own way,
without orders from Washington,
but there have been several things
said and done by members of the
administ ration which are suilicien,
to cause a doubt Of that claim to be
entertained, and if it turns out thai
Shafter waits for the achievements
that have been sent, and are to bt
sent rim, before attacking the mair
Notifications at Santiago, 1t will bt
safe to wager that the delay will bs
the result of Washington orders
For some mysterious reason the ad'
ministration has become alarmed
less the garrison at Santiago should
prove strong enough to defeat ar
attack by Shafter, and members o.
it have publicly expressed the
hope that he would not make a gen
eral attack until reinforcement'
reached him. This feeling was Sc
strong that arrangements were al
completed to send Gen. Miles Il
Tampa for the purpose OF taking
about $1,000 troops to Santiago
but for some equally mysterious
reason Miles did not go. Some sa,
that Miles feared that he would b'
: charged with trying to pilfer glor,
that properly belongs to Shafter
and persuaded the administration
to change its plans-not a Difficult
, task, in view of its habit of making
; changes from day to day.
Such hubbub has been raised
among the republicans of the Hous
by the manner in which that alleges
Currency Reform bill was reporte'
, to the House from the committe
J on Banking and Currency-tricker,
: is openly charged by some mem
bers Of the committee-that i! ha
, been found necessary to recall tn
6 bill from the calendar, in orde
I, that radical changes may be mad
. in the wording Of report and OF bill
4 Many Of the republicans OF tn
! House were unwilling to be S
strongly committed to the perpet,
II alton Of the single gold standard 9
i this bill and report made them
on the eve of Congressional can
:. paign. Some Of them say, with
wink, that after the election II
, bill vii! be taken up and passe
= without danger, and it will be dol
!, next winter or at ali extra sessic
next spring.
20 The announcement that ex.Sen
tor Blackburn, Of KY, is to be
Brigadier General in the volunte
army was a positive pleasure to
ne good many persons, for few, If an
xe ever made more warm friends du
l. ing their long stay in Congre
l., than "Joe" Blackburn did.
ne The Senate committee on CLAIM
IN has begun an Investigation direct'
a by resolution OF the Senate as
We the payment to a lobbyist Of lar
be percentage of the $2SS, 900 recent
n, paid to the Southern Method
Book Concern, by act of Congress
ty for war damages to its property
ell Nashville, Tenn. The investigate
Ike was dead easy, As Mr.. Barbt
ed agent of the book concern, to
raj the committee that 80 per cent.
the money received had been paid
nll Mr.. Stahlman, who had been t
its attorney at Washington OF 7
book concern; and he added II
'u- he considered the employment
an attorney to aid in the pushing
in, the old claim was a matter that &C
cerned only the book concern, a
Ia that he had not at any time consl
cred himself under any obligatio
Ike to inform Senators or others OF
nature Of the contract made wi
:. the attorney. Mr.. Stahlman, I
~ attorney, told the committee Il
W ~. that he had received the pay
81 :, his services, and that he did
" mention the nature OF his contri