The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-04-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Prom oar resnIsr Correspondent }

. hASHiNGTON, Aptll ll.-NON tHa'
" the uncertainty is over there is less
excitement in Washington than there
has been at any time since the news
Of the blowing up of the Maine was
" received. 1t was not the probability
Of war that caused the excitement,
but the fear that in some way tricky
Spanish diplomacy would get the best
OF MS without giving us an oppOrtnn
ity to fight That fear existed more
, or less up to the moment that the die
was cast by the Presidents message
asking Congress to provide for i'm
mediate forcible Intervention to drive
the Spanish flag out Of Cuba. Al
though the official announcement Of
an armistice in Cuba declared by
Spain is generally believed to be
merely another trick, it was feared
that it might cause the President to
postpone his message or to change
his mind about sending it in. Now,
those fears are all past, Gen Lee and
all the Americans who desire to leave !
are safely out of Cuba, and the mes
sage is before Congress. Consequent
ly there is feeling of contentment
because it is known that long deferred
Justice is about to be meted out to
Spain by the United States; that
vexatious delays are over.
Congress is practically a unit, al
though there are a few individuals
who would prefer proceeding a little
differently, and by the middle of the
week the authority will be placed in
the Presidents hands to use the U.
). army and navy to drive the Span :
iSh ont of Cuba, and before the week
closes Cuba is likely to be surround 5
ed by the most formidable fleet of a
warships this country has ever assem- =
bIed under one commander, and the
steps will have been taken that will Il
send the necessary troops to be land t
ed on Cuban soil to cooperate with .
our ships. The plans are all made, n
the ships have up steam and only Il
await the final order to start. The a
'nly thing that can upset our pro- ST
gram now is the showing of the white Of
Gather by Spain, but those who are ia
thoroughly conversant with the b,
spanish character as well as with
xistlng political conditions in Spain
hink that big bluff at making an
ggressive war upon the United States
VII be made and kept up until there "a
danger not only of Spain losing 40
'nba but her other colonies and her nm
ntire navy. Then she will, through co
he European powers, sue for peace. sa
leanwhile, it is known that the TIT
parish programme is not to openly sw
5ht our navy, but to try to use it's tn,
SteHt cruisers and torpedo boats and br'
'rpedo boat destroyers to damage GU GU
lr commerce and sea-coast towns 90
at enteavor to keep out Of the way for
our heavy fighting ships. They sal
Ill find, however, that this will be a eve ',.
ry dangerous sort Of game to ell nat
Ige in. VIII
What world of contrast it is? tut me
lille Congress is listening to sal,
eSSage from the President that mig
Fans war, thousands of happy con
lIdren are gathered upon the ' "",
ounds at the rear Of the White en-,
'use engaged in the sport-peculiar so
Westinghouse rolling Easter tRI
IS to the music of the entire Marine "o''
nd, which plays at the express order r
the President to add to the enjoy bees
mt of the little ones. There can set
little doubt that the President as nfs'
looks out over these Joyous the
Idren finds far more enjoyment in thus
tempIating their play than he does NOR
looking forward to the war. I 10 +,
some idea of the amount of work tuall
is now being done at the Wash ard:
ton Navy lard-nOt upon ships, ~
upon guns, gun carriages and Who
be gained from Yo
iortnightly pay roll, which If 20
cunts to $4,000. Tn
Il view Of the war now almost up
is, the following opinion of Col.
liotchkiss, of Virginia, who was wan
'tonewall Jackson's staff, is in drure
sting, if not important; 81 put will ,
ry small valuation on big battle Sapar
5. They are formidable in looks. years
what can they accomplish? If OF pf' ed
OF them fired at each other sinai mature
ousIy and both struck, two ships the I'M
d undoubtedly go to the bottom. aG a.
shot will settle the business Of II n" !. 4,
'eSt one ever bnlt. They are too and III
Sy too heavy, too slow to get
= The best fighter is the one
can retreat quickly, AMI to do
there muSt be littla ,n,o1;,.