Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1898-04-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.

ILLS WSSh lHdu al tulHS SloS.
The widest sort of statements
have been .Iade and for a time
found believers. In fact, every
body, including the president,
the cabinet, and both branches
of congress, is in a state of ner-
vous tension which cannot posi-
bly, last much longer. Just when
everybody was expecting the
presidents message recommend
ing forcible intervention IN Cuba
to go to congress, and the action
thereupon by congress to practi-
|cally open the war with Spain,
the announcement came like a
thuderclap that the message
would not be sent in until next
week, because Gen. Fitz Lee had
telegraphed the president that
he could not get all the Americans
out of Cuba before then and that
he did not consider that the life
of any American who remained
in Havana until after the mes
sage was made public would be
worth row of pins. This ex-
clse for delay was such a valid
one that no objection could be
raised to it, but congress is i'm
patient, and has been made more
SO by the old game of stereotyped
telegraph messages sent from
their constituents at the request
Iof parties in Washington who
have undertaken to change the
overwhelming sentiment Of con-
gress by manufacturing a demand
for peace.
But the pendulum has taken a
short swing to the other side, and
circumstances have made peace
talk more prevalent, where the
made-to-order kilograms failed.
But if peace is maintained it will
not be by the action of congress,
]but by the clean backdown of
Spain. Quite a respectable num-
1ber of the best informed men in
Washington, including the pres
ident, are expecting that Spain
will agree to every demand the U.
IS. has made, including the re-
Ilinquishing of its control of Cuba.
But the overwhelming majority
still believe we will have war
with Spain, and the admiuistra-
ton has not slackened any of its
preparations for war. On the
contrary, it is hard at work get
ting everything i'll readiness to
follow up the action of congress
on the presidents message with
"a strong naval and military
demonstration against the Span
4 iards in Cuba. The Foundation
for these peace expectations is
/ the influence of the European
powers upon Spain. They first
4 tried to exercise their influence
of the European powers upon
Spain. They first tried to exer-
else their influence upon this
4 government, but were speedily
told that it was useless; that the
government had fully determined
upon bringing Spanish misrule
lin Cuba@ which has been a source
of annoyance and disgust to our
people for years, to an end. Then
they started in upon Spain and
are now trying to persuade he1
| that it will be much wiser, not
to mention the difference in cost,
| to get out of Cuba without wal
with the United States than te
| have to get out and get thrashed
besides. That is good logic, and
|if the European powers will und
ertake to protect the government
|of Spain against its own people
lit may be acted upon. But if i
|isn't acted Upon before that mes.
sage goes to congress, it will bt
Etoo late.
Gen. Schofield, late commando
J, in-chief of the U. S. army, ha;
taken a desk at the war depart
and is acting in an advisor,
capacity tq Secretary Alger
Although retired, Gen. Schofel,