Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-12-01
WASHINGTON LETTER.
from Our Regular Correspondent

and filling of the peace commissioners
and the weekly crisis, on paper, always
ACCOMPANIED by an alleged ultimatum
: sent by this government. There has been
but one question to be settled since TINS
government demanded the Philippines.
The price we are to pay for them. That
question is still unsettled. Why, some
OF the Spanish bondholders could doubt
less tell, When it is settled we will have
the treaty OF peace and not before. mat
Mr.. Mckinley could quickly settle this
business by sending an utlmatum is I'M
questioned also that he ought to do It,
; but it is humiliating, in the extreme. to
have men close to the administration an
nouncing every week that one has been
sent, when a day or two afterwards 1t
becomes apparent to all the world that
it has not.
1t is the easiest thing in the world to
get people accustomed to and Indifferent
to large public expenditures. Only few
years ago tie appropriation OF billion
dollars by republican congress aroused
the public opinion of the country. and
elected a democratic president and con-
gress. Since then, about every congress
has been a bilion-dollar congress, and
the present congress, which has already
appropriated almost billion dollars, will,
by the end Of the coming short session.
L. l.
is true that considerable portion oi this
money is chargeable to the war, but out
side OF the war, the public expenditures
are entirely too extravagant, and might
he largely curtailed without lessenin- The
efficiency OF the government.
Mr.. Mckinney has shown his adroitness
as poll ician by deciding not to recon-
mend any legislation at the coming ses-
sion Of congress for Porto Rico or the
Philippines, and to keep the islands un-
der military rule Tor awhile. lie knows
that the question Of legislation Tor the
islands will be 4 troublesome one and
prefers that it shall not be taken up until
his party has Il majority in both blancLes
Of congress.
Assistant Secretary OF War Meiklejnhn
wishes to be the Hanna-McKinley candi-
date for the senate from Nebraska and
his friends say that he thinks he will be,
the conditions being that he shall prom
Use TO support the administration in all
( things in the senate. and that he shall
secure solid Mckinley delegation from
Nebraska to the republican convention in
1900. The same sort Of pledge is being
exacted as the price OF administration
support of all the other candidates for the
senate, in states where the legislatures to
elect senators are controlled by the re-
pub'cans. Mr.. Mckinley seems reason.
ably certain of denomination, but Boss
Hanna will take no chances and will, if
in his power, clinch the thing long before
the convention is held. 1t iS to carry ont
this clinching programme that the repub-
ican national committee is to open head
quarters in Washington, at once, and
keep them open until after the presiden.
tial election. 1t is also a part of this
scheme to exhibit the strength OF the
administration machine to Car Reed as
Il warning.
1t is announced that the Canadian
American commission, now sitting in
Washington, has made great progress, but
the announcers take good care to accom-
pany the announcement with the state
ment that the agreements reached by the
commission have been only upon minor
matters, and that the important questions
are still up in the air. 1t is further stated
that none of the agreements reached are
to be binding unless agreements are
reached upon everything, which indicates
that the great progress is largely i'm
aginary.
The republican L. s. district attorney,
for South Carolina, spent two entire days
consulting with the administration. upon
what should he done by the attorney
general, ii anything, about the race trou.
bles in that state. The district attorney
was not enthusiastic over the probable
success Of the plan Of trying to get in
dictmen;s against white men for partici-
pating in riots, from federal grand jury,
which has been adopted 10y the admins
traton, but hc will have TO Try It on, ii
the administration insists; he wishes to
continue drawing his salary. Telbert
the assistant postmaster, who was driven
away from Mccormick, has decided to
, remain in Washington and try to catch Il
, government Job on the strength OF his
"martyrdom."
1t has been definitely settled that Mr..
, Mckinley WILL in his annual message to
congress, recommend that the regular
army be increased to 100000 men, and
that he will indorse the recommendation
of Secretary Long that three battleships
and twelve cruisers be built, and twenty