The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-03-10
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Mar. 9TH, 1903.

much or TOO little when he said: "The
element of official Spanish participa
tlon IN the explosion has been practi.
cally eliminated" and then added that
the administration had received moth.
ing but what had been made public
concerning the investigation of the
destruction of the Maine. The only
thing eliminated by what has been
made public is the accident theory
therefore, unless he has information
which has not been made public,
Secretary Long was doing what all
other naval officials had been positive
ly ordered not to do, o,-theorizing-when
he used that language. He did not
better the case any when he stated
that his only reason for saying that
official Spanish participation had been
eliminated from the case was the state
ment of the Spanish charged affairs at
Washington that there were no mines
IN Havana harbol. AS Mr. Long had
just left Cabinet meeting when he
used the words quoted above there
isn't the slightest doubt that they were
deliberately used for purpose. I will
not go to the extent that some DO,
and charge that it was intended either
for notice to the Naval court of in
qulry of the sort of verdict desired, or
as a notice to the country that a
policy of peace -at-any-price was to be
followed, but it certainly has not
served to strengthen confidence in
the intention OF the administration to
stand up vigorously for national honor,
regardless of cost or consequences.
About the only thing done this
week by the administration looking
like business was the making of "a con-
tract for $I,ooo,o 900 supply of pro,
jectiles, for the new high-power guns
of our coast defenses.
That no immediate action is ex-
pected on the Maine catastrophe was
shown by the departure for Cuba, this
week, of party including Senators
Thurston, Money, and Gallinger, and
Representatives Amos J. Cummings,
and William Alden Smith. These
gentlemen are going directly 20
Havana, on private yacht, for the
purpose of doing little investigating
on their own hook, and they expect
to get information that will be useful
when the matter gets before Congress.
They expect to be gone about ten
days.
There is quite stir among men,
bers of the House over a report that
Car Reed intended to try to rush the
rest of the appropriation bills through
and to force an adjournment of Con
gress, in order to prevent a declara-
tion of war, or any other action on
Cuba. Apaper was at once circulated
by republicans among republicans
pledging the signers to vote against
adjournment under any circumstances
before satisfactory action had been
taken on the Cuban question, and
enough signers have already been OBJ
tanned to block any adjournment
scheme, with the aid of the demo
cratic and populist votes, which have
been promised.
A bill for the conditional repeal of
the Federal tax or currency issued by
State banks has been introduced D.
Senator Platt, OF New York, much to
the surprise of democrats, who have
at various times sought the repeal of
that tax, which they have always con-
sidered unjust. Mr.. Platt's bill author
ICES State banks to deposit with the
u. S. Treasurer the BONDS of any
State, City or County and to receive
In exchange circulating notes to the
extent of 50 per cent of the deposits
and 10 per cent of the capital stock of
the bank. The securities to be held
in trust for the redemption of the
banks circulating notes, just as U. S.
bonds are now held for national bank
notes.
Ex-Gov. Colcord, of Nevada, is in
Washington trying to persuade the
republican leaders that unless they
abandon the single gold standard the
party will be overthrown. He said
on the subject: 81 am a republican,
but / do not believe that the party
can continue in power by advocacy of
the single gold standard. During the
last few months l have travelled exten-
sively, and everywhere I find most
bitter opposition to that policy. The
democrats will press this view for all
it is worth, and by so doing will sweep
the country, unless there is great
change from existing conditions. The
American people really want bime-
talism-gold and silver-and if silver is
restored to its former place as money,
will be content to let Congress estab
L Il