The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-07-08

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER..
WASHINGTON, d. c., July At

Mr.. EDIToR-No more striking object
lesson in American GRIT and bravery was
ever given the world than that by the
soldiers and sailors who participated in
the terrible. but victorious campaign
against Santiago. Gen. Skaters bull dog
pcrsistcncv in steadily going ahead re-
gardlcss Of difficulties. natural or man
made until assured of victory was an in
dication that his schoolmatcs made no mis-
take when they nick-named him Bull.
The number of men killed, wounded and
overcome by the heat is appalling, when
the number of men participating in the
fighting is considered, but no larger than
might have been expected under the Cir
cumstances-thc thermometer 1O5 to 1875
and several days of almost continuous as
saulting of breast works and the charging
up hill in the face of Il hot fire from both
large and small guns. Admiral Simpsons
fleet worked in accord with Snaftcr's army
and helped once more to demonstrate that
the American soldier and sailor has no
equal on earth in all around staying and
fighting qualities.
Representative Bailey, of Texas, has the
sympathy of all decent men, regardless of
politics, in his effort to uncover the demo-
cratic Congressman who Representative
Grosvenor alleged had told him that he
was the author of an editorial slurring at
the democrats i'll the House and making
thnly yelled personal attack upon Mr..
Bailey, which appeared in a Washington
paper. Grosvenor has SO far declined to
name the man, although the editor of the
paper has joined his request to that of Mr..
Bailey that he do so, and added that if any
Congressman claimed to be the author of
the editorial in question, he lied.
Under the provisions of the bill provid-
ing for taking the next Census, the en-
ployes of the Census bureau are to be not
more than two-thirds from one political
party The new House Committee on the
Census is made up in about the same pro-
portion, eight republicans, four democrats
and one populist. Membership on this
committee was eagerly sought as it is sup
posed that its members will have little
more pull in securing Census appointments
than other members of the House Tie
four democrats on the committee are
DeNries, of California; Norton, of South
Carolina: Griffith, of Indiana, and Nc
Dowell, of Ohio, and the populist is Ridge
ley, of Kansas. No appointments under
the bill are to be made before next year,
SO far as any outsider knows, but the haste
in some quarters to get the bill through is
somewhat suspicious, and it will not be
surprising if somebody finds a way to take
care of a few friends before that time, at
Uncle Samuers expense.
There has been more swearing since the
pressiye and troublesome stamp tax than
about the extremely warm weather we are
having. 1t is only necessary to stand a
few minutes at the paying teller's window
in bank or at the receiving clerks desk
in a telegraph Office to be convinced that
revenue stamp tax is about the most OBJ
noXious of all taxes, just as the democrats
in Congress said when they were protest
ing in vain against its imposition upon the
county. Some persons were simple
enough to believe that the telegraph COM
pany would pay for the stamp that is re-
quired to be affixed to every message sent,
but they soon found out differently. Cor
porations never pay anything that their
patrons can be made to pay.
The positive statement from Europe that
Germany, France and Russia had entered
into an agreement to prevent the United
States retaining the Philippine islands, or
turning them over to England after the
war is ended, is being extensively dis
cussed in Washington. This particular
statement may or may not be true, but
that our talk about permanently keeping
the Philippines has aroused mutterings in
Europe, which may cause further trouble,
is known to all. These things are causing
it to be asked whether the game is worth
the candle. In other words, would the
possession of the Philippines compensate
US for engaging in a war with combina-
ton of European powers? OF course, the
average American is ready at all times to
resent any European interference i'll our
affairs, and should a combination of pow
ers officially say that we should not keep
the Philippines, would favor keeping them
anyway then. But would it not be wise
for this government to announce in adj
vance of any such notice that it doesn't
wish to keep those islands? Many think So
No agreement has yet been reached as
to the day on which the Senate shall vote
on the annexation resolution, but is eX-
pected that the vote will be taken this week