The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1898-07-01

From our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON, June 27.-Gen. Shafter's army
by its victories in every engagement that any
portion of it has had with the Spauiards since
its landing in Cuba, is demonstrating to the
world what We knew all the tine; that the
American soldiers is no whit behind the Amer
lean sailor in fighting qualites,and rs fighter
the American sailor has never hcci surpassed,
Smarter has driven the enemy into the main
Notifications surrounding Santiago and if he
is not interfere with from Washington will
soon capture the town by assault For the
first time during the war we have had con-
siderable number of killed and wounded, but
every man who volunteers to fight knows that
he must take his chances.
1t is claimed by friends of the administration
that Shafter is being allowed to conduct the,
campaign against Santiago in his own way,
without orders from Washington, but there
have been several things said and done by
members of the administration WHICH have
been SUFFICIENT Ia cause doubt of that claim
to be entertained. and il it turns out that
Shafter waits for the reinforcemcntS that have
been sent, and are to he sent him before attack
ing the main fortihcations.at Santiago, It will
he YrrI sale to wager that tue delay Will be
the resIFt 81 Washington orders. For some
mysterious reason the Administered ion has be-
come alarmed less the garrison at SANTIAGO
should prove strong enough 10 defeat an at
tack by Shafter, and membera OF 1t have
publicly ex pressed the hope that he would not
make a general attack until the reinforce
ments reached him. This feeling was 50 strong
that arrangements were all completed to send
General Miles to Tampa for the purpose of
taking about $1,000 troops to Santiago, but
for some equally mysterious reason Miles aid
not go. Some say that Niles feared that he
would be charged with trying to pilter glory
that properly belonged to Shafter, and per-
suaded the administration to changeit plans
not a difficult task, in view of its habit of
making changes from day tC day, ... .r
Such Il hubbub has been raised among the
republicans of the House by the manner in
which that alleged Currency Reform bill was
reported to the House from the committee on
Banking and Currency-trickery is openly
charged by some members of the committee
that it has been found necessary to recall the
bill from the calendar, in order that radical
changes may be made in the wording of the
report and of the bill. Many of the republI,
cans OF the House were unwilling to be sc
strongly committed to the perpetuation o. ths
single gold standard as this bill and report
made them, on the eve of Congressional
campaign. Some of them say, with wink
that after the election the bill can be taken III
and passed without danger
The announcement that ex-senator Black.
burn of Kentucky, is TO be brieadier gene
raj in the volunteer army was positive plea
sure to many persons, for few, if any, ever
made more warm friends during their long
service in Congress than Joe" Blackburn did
The Senate committee on Claims has begun
the investigation directed by resolution of The
Senate as to the payment 10 a lobbyist CT i
large percentage OF the $3sS,Ouo recently
paid to the Southern Methodist Book concern
by act of Congress. for war damages to its
property at Nashville, Tenn. The investi
CATION was dead easy, as Mr.. Barbce, agent OF
the book concern, told the committee that %
per cent of the money received had been paid
| to Mr.. Stahlman, who he'd hc1n the attorney IA
Washington OF the book concern; and he
| added that he considered the employment OF
an attorney to aid in pushing the settlement
of the old claim was matter that concerned
only the book concern, and that ii had not a
any time considered himself under any obi
cations TO inform Senators or Others of thu
nature of the contract mace with the attorney
Mr.. Stah4rlan, the attorney, told the committed
that he had received the pay for his services
and that he did not mention the nature of hi.
! contract while the matter was pending il
Congress, because to have done so would have
been to prejudice the claim, and to prevent it:
| being voted upon on its merits. Those two
witnesses appear to have told the committee
everything it was directed to find out. There
| is come curiosity to know whether the com
mittee will recommend any action and if Sc
what. If it llc q crime to employ an attorney
to lobby a claim through Congress, about
every claimant who hrs had or now has claims
\ before that body has been or is guilty.
1t will be seen this week whether the thirty
odd Senators who are opposed to the annexa
ton of Hawaii can succeed i'll preventing the
fifty-odd Senators who favor annexation get.
ting the annexation resolution to Il vote. The
screws are being put on by the majority. Some
| of the opponents of annexation frankly adj
NIT that they will not aid in tlibustering to pre-.
vent u vote, but others still say that they will
resort to any sort of tactics TO stave OFF Il vote
Butting ones head against brick wall i:
neither pleasant nor profitable, and the
| chances are that the opposition will gracefully
throw up the sponge and allow the resolution
to be adopted without attempting IL lengthy
tiIibuster, after they have all had their say
against annexation