Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1898-07-09
FOURTH OF JULY VICTORIES.
Alabama Senator's Americans
Stamps and Stamping Not
Frightened.


WASHINGTON, July President
Mckinley probably. All things consid.
cred, never passed more satisfactory
Fourth Of July than this one. Gen.
SKATER has justified all the confidence
reposed in him by winning a series
of glorious victories at Santiago. vic
tories in which Admiral Sampson and
his gallant sailors won new honors
for the American navy, and which
add no little to the respect felt by the
world for the fighting qualities of
Americans. There is only one draw
back to the general rejoicing and that
is the large number of killed and
wounded on our side. The victories
have been glorious, but they have
also been bloody. But such is war.
The peans of victory are with rare ex.
ceptions, such as the victory of Dew
ey in Manila Bay, always mingled
with mourning cries for the gallant
dead and sympathetic tears for the
brave men wounded. Skaters vic
tories were won by assaults upon an
enemy strongly fortified, and could
not have been otherwise than bloody.
notwithstanding the persistence
with which statements to the con-
trary continue to be circulated, Presi-
dent Mckinley has not even consid-
cred issuing another call for troops,
and unless there are some unexpected
developments he does not expect to
have to consider the matter. He be-
lieves that we have enough men now
under arms. to complete the job OF
thrashing the Spaniards. which has
been so gloriously conducted up to
date.
Alabama ought to be proud of her
representatives in the U. S. Senate.
Senators Morgan and Pettus are Dem. |
ocrats, but not the obstructive kim
They are Americans first of all, ar,
as such they have been strongly sup-t
porting the Administration in its con-
duct OF the war; also in its efforts to
bring about the annexation Of Hawaii.
In the able speech in favor of annexa-
ton, Senator Pettus replied to the
charge that annexation would cause
us to build large Navy by saying
Il hope to God it will. / will well
come the day when our Navy will be
so powerful that no nation of the
world will ever dare to offer us an in
suit"
Interest in the war has not made
those who are interested in keeping
the Government Printing Office under
the civil service rules cease their eff
forts to prevent action by the Presi-
dent that will take the office out OF
the control of the Civil Service Com
mission. The Civil Service Commits
sion, which desires to hold on to the
office. has submitted plan for the
appointment of the employees Of the
Office among the several States and
Territories, and prominent men are
trying to influence the President to
let the office remain under civil-ser-
vice rule. AS soon as he can find
them, President Mckinley will take
up this matter and settle it. 1t is
still generally believed in Washing
ton that it is to be put outside of the
civil service.
The stamp section OF the War Rev
enue law has not been as troublesome
to put into effect as many had pre-
dicted. So far as Washington is con-
cerned, the new law, which went into
effect on the Ist OF the present month
has made more amusement than real
trouble The paying tellers Of banks
were surprised at the large number of
their depositors who didn't know that
revenue stamp had to be attached to
their checks. but they didn't cash any
checks until the required stamp had
been stuck on. About every other
person who filed telegram registered
a kick when informed that it would
not be accepted until stamped, and
wanted to know why the telegraph
company did not stand this tax.
Some dealers are trying to profit
largely by the stamp tax by adding
FIVE or ten cents to the price of arti-
cles which are taxed, something like
one eighth Of one cent, but their GUS
toners as a rule are calling them
down.