The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-03-25
Washington Letter.
From our regular Correspondent.

WASHINGTON, ID. &. Mar. ~, 1898
President Mckinley is one of the
hardest worked men in the country
just now. He has not abandoned
hope that peace may be preserved with
honor, but he is working night and
day to place the country in a position
to wage a successful war against Spain
just as though he were certain that
war is to come. His head has not
been turned even little bit by the
extraordinary confidence reposed in
him by Congress, in putting by
unanimous vote $5O,0OO,OOO in his
hands to be used for national defense.
He is cool and deliberate, just as he
has been from the first. He calmly
/ ignores the sensational reports CT this
or that European nation being about
to form an alliance with Spain, and is
as fully determined as ever to main
tain National honor at all hazards.
A'O0"i'Ho' dHuilS NaTlOuS contrary
assertions, it is a fact that neither the
President nor the Secretary of the
Navy has received from any member
OF the Maine Court of Inquiry, single
word intimating what the report of
the Court will be. They have, of
course, like all ether intelligent men,
formed an opinion from the evidence
that has appeared in the columns of
respectable newspapers, of what the
probable nature of the report as far as
1t concerns the explosion, will be- but
they have no inside knowledge of what
the court has done Or will do, and ex-
pect none, anymore than they would
expect advance intimation OF what a
decision of the U. S. Supreme Court
would be In any given case it might
have under consideration. There will
be no delay in acting as soon as the
report, which the President will accent
as final, is made, and Spain will not he
allowed to delay responding to the de-
mands of this government, if it be
shown that the Maine was blown up
from the outside, and of that there is
now very little doubt. While the
President is keeping his own counsel
as to the demand that will be made
upon Spain, it can be set down as
certain that it will be one that will be
indorsed by the entire American peo-
pie, just as the Presidents policy has
been up to the present time, and it is
generally believed that it will include
proposition for definite settlement
OF the trouble in Cuba. There are al
ready strong indications that Spain
has adopted policy of delay, which
1t Will seek to carry out, but it will
seek in vain. 1t will either have to
meet our demands promptly or fight.
No Quaker could profess greater
brotherly love for the United States
than does the new Spanish Minister.
who was presented President McKin-
ley Saturday. He talked as though
peace were assured and that his great
est anxiety is to complete recipro-
city treaty with us. This talk isn't
throwing any sand in anybody's eyes.
Congress is very decidedly opposed
to anything that might be construed
by the world as an alliance between
the U. S. and Great Britain. The
feeling against "entangling foreign
complications" is quite as, strong now
as it was in the DAYS of George wash
ington. We do not need any help
from England to fight our battles, and
we do not intend to help England to
fight her battles This feeling has
been strongly expressed since the idea
became prevalent that England was
trying to make use of the possibility
of war with Spain to inveigle the
u. S. into an alliance offensive and de-
fensive with her. It is all very pretty
to talk about an alliance between the
English-speaking people being strong
enough to dominate the world, but the
U. S. isn't in the dominating business,
and has no idea of going into it. Be-
sides, it has many and growing COM
mercial interests that are necessarily
directly opposed to those of England,
and other European nations. Having
successfully played a lone hand for
i more than century, and managed to
make more progress than any other
| nation on earth, it isn't likely that
the U. S. would care to hamper itself
with partner now.
/ The building of three new battle
ships, to be as good as the best now
afoat, and one of them to be named
Maine, is authorized. by the Naval APP
rorOpriatiou Ril1