The Press., 1898-12-01
Washington Letter.

Washington Nov. 2S, 1898. I It is all over now, except the Spanish weeping and waiing That ultimatum, | With a time limit attachment, did the business. Spain has accepted our terms of peace and agreed to give up the Philip pines and accept the money offered as salve to it's wounded honor There are a number of details such as providing | for restoration of commercial relations between the U. s. and Spain, which will delay for few days the completion and signing of the treaty, but the principal work of the peace commission has been accomplished, and Spain, and the rest of the world, has been shown, that when the U. s. adopts position, it maintains | it, regardless of semi-hostile attitudes taken by other nations. Neither American diplomacy nor American fighting are like ly to be sneered at in any section of the world for many years to come. The U. s. has acquired a prestige among the great nations of the world that will make unborn generations of Americans proud to belong to the nation that has proved its right to be counted among the leaders, both in the accomplishments of peace and of war.
 Many of the most careful observers of senatorial sentiment are predicting that the anti-expansionists will be strong enough in talk, if not in votes, to prevent the ratification of the treaty of peace at the coming session of the senate. While more than one-third of the senate would have to vote against the treaty to reject it, ten or twelve senators can, if so mind ed, prevent a vote being taken on it be- fore the short session of congress expires. It Is to justify this sort of thing that the -expansionists are trying so hard just now to work up public sentiment against the acquisition of the Philippines by the U. $. It will be time wasted, even if the antis succeed in preventing vote at the short session. The senate can be called in extra session, immediately after the expiration of this congress, with the cer- tainty that the treaty will be ratified. Washington is just now the scene of some Central American diplomacy, in which this country's interests in the Mic aragua canal is one of the principal fact ors. President Iglesias, of Costa Rica, is in Washington as a guest of the U. s. government. He has had talks with President Mckinley, Secretary Hay and other prominent officials, and the pTesi- dent has given a state dinner in his honor He claims that no concession to build the Nicaragua canal is worth the paLer it is written on until O. K'd. by Costa Rica, and promises that Costa Rica shall act in accordance with the wishes of this govern ment. Another prominent Central Ameri- can, who is in Washington as a private individual, paying his own hotel bills, is MT. J. D. Gamez, ex-president of the con- gress of Nicaragua, and candidate for presidency of the United States of Genital America, if that combination holds to- gether long enough to have president MT. Gamez has had talk with President Mckinley, in which matters relating to the Nicaragua canal, were mentioned, but the object of the visitor was to gain, not to give information. The idea has gone abroad that this government is likely to undertake the construction of the Mica ragua canal in the near future, and num- erous individuals banker after some of | Uncle Sam's money. A New York firm l heads a syndicate, which claims to have obtained new concession, which 1t would probably gladly sell the old compan y that stopped work because it's noneygave out, claims that its original concession stills holds good, and representatives of the Central American republicans are likely to claim anything that they sup pose might bring them benefit. Uncle Sam won't have any difficulty in getting all these claims waived, If he is willing to put up the price. The Panama canal company Is also represented at Washing ton for the purpose of trying to prevent any canal legislation by congress.
 A consular report from Venezuela shows that Havana has energetic business men who may surprise some of our men who will go over there expecting to have everything in the business line their own way. According to this report, firm ot Havana bankers have purchased ten thousand head of cattle in Venezuela, and are shipping about two thousand of them to Cuba ports, every month at a large profit The cattle are shipped alive, as the climate of Cuba makes it undesirable to attempt to handle refrigerated dressed beef.
 The fight against Representative-elect Roberts, of Utah, is getting warm, and fl 1t keeps up will almost certainly result in his losing his seat in the next house al. most as soon as he takes it. Mir. Roberts is polygamist having some say three and some four wives, and those who are making the fight against him say that his election was put out as a feeler by the Mormons, and that If he is allowed to re tain his seat in congress, the open practice of polygamy will again be common among the Mormons. Senator Cannon, who is Mormon, but who never had but one wife says polygamy had nothing whatever tC do with the election of Roberts.
 
 How Rats Multiply.