The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-05-26
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c., May %, 1898

movements of our army and navy
absolutely secret. Other officials in
both the War aid Navy Departments
know of some of the movements and
contemplated movements, but all of
them are known only to those three
men. They are not known even to
the other members of the Cabinet,
they having themselves requested
that the knowledge be kept from
them. Although this policy and the
rigid censorship of all telegraph mat
ter sent from points where informa-
ton of contemplated movements may
be obtained has only been fully into
effect for a week, its good effects are
SO apparent that there is no doubt of
its being maintained throughout the
war. Information of anything ac-
complished, or of any battle on land
or water will be promptly given outfit
is only news that would indicate CON
templated movements that is with
held. Among the announcements
that may confidently be expected
they may be made any day-is that
the invasion of Cuba has been success
fully made, and that the Spanish fleet
now in Cuban waters, has been met
and whipped. The two announce
ments may be simultaneously made,
as there are indications that the army
and navy are moving together with
those ends in view.
1t is expected that the committee
on rules will this week report to the
House a special rule for the consider
alton of the joint resolution providing
for the annexation of Hawaii. The
adoption of the resolution by a ma
jority of nearly or quite one hundred
is certain when a vote taken, but it
cannot be voted upon until a special
rule is reported.
There is politics, and very dirty pol
itics at that, being played in connec-
ton with the war revenue bill, which
is still before the Senate. There is
nothing patriotic about the motive of
the silver men who are a majority of
the Senate Finance committee for
striking out the clause authorizing
issue of bondsaaand certificates of in
debtedness, and inserting in their
place authority for issuing nearly
$200.000,000 in paper currency-$150,
100000 in greenbacks and $42 900, 900
in silver certificates. And there is, if
possible, even patriotism in the man
ner in which those democratic Sena-
tors have promised to join the repub-
icans in voting to strike out this fiat
money clause and reinsert the clause
authorizing bonds and certificates of
Indebtedness are being urged toignore
their promises and vote for fiat money.
The radical silver men who are engi-
neering this movement have been dis
appointed because the first month of
the war has not resulted to sending
gold to premium. They know that if
the bond clause is in the bill as it
finally goes through that there will
be no probability of any suspension
of gold payments by the administra-
ton, no matter how long the war
may last; and they believe that if they
can get fiat money authorized, instead
of bonds, that gold will at once go to
premium, and that that will in some
way be beneficial to the silvertes and
detrimental to the republican admin
istration and party. Nice game for
men who call themselves Americans
to be engaged in, in the face of an ex-
pensive-almost a million day is
now being spent-foreign war, now
isn't it?
Major General Merritt, who will be
commander of the U. S. troops sent to
the Philippine Islands as well as Mill
tary Governor of the Philippines, has
received his final instructions and
started for his faraway post. He ex-
poets to sail from San Francisco about
bilC hicu vi lLlS StIluN Will COLI
sist of about 10000 men, nearly one
third of them regulars.
There is much misinformation
throughout the country concerning
the functions of the Naval War Board,
usually mistaken referred to as the
STRATEGY Board" The Naval War
Board is not charged with conducting
the naval portion of the war at all.
Its functions are entirely advisory.
The duty of the board is to keep track,
as far as possible, of the movements
of our ships as well as those of the
enemy, and in the performance of that
duty some of its members are on duty
night and day at the Navy Depart
ment studying the dispatches that
are constantly being received. Or
ders are only given by the President
or the Secretary of the Navy, and, as
a matter of fact only the general or
der to find and destroy the Spanish
navy has been issued fredericksburg
son, who has been left free to use his