The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-04-29

OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON d. c., April 25th.

WASHINGTON, d. c., April 25th.
MR. EDIToR:-One country, one flag,
and one object-the licking of Spain,
That is the allprevailing sentiment III
| Washington since the war actually begun.
Now that Mr.. Mckinley has shaken off the
Hanna peace. at-any price crowd and their
bcnumbing influence, he has become thor
oughly alive to the necessities OF the sltua-
ton. This has been particularly notice
able during the past week. lie started on
the right track when he asked Congress
for authority to use the army and navy TO
drive Spain out of Cuba; he took the
proper step when he sent that ultlmatum
to Spain; again when he recognized the
dismissal of our minister by Spain as an
| act of war: again when he issued orders
| for our fleet to blockade Cuba, and yet
| again when he issued his proclamation
calling for 1000 men to serve two years
unless sooner discharged. Congress is
right behind every one of these moves and
the people are right behind Congress. The
enthusiasm is unprecedented, and every
Spanish flag captured by our warships add
to it. The only regret that is heard is that
all who desire to participate in avenging
the Maine cannot do so, as each state will
insist on furnishing its full quota of the
troops called for. The National Guard of
the District of Columbia is already on duty
in camp of instruct on, and although
only about one-third can hope to go every
man of them is anxious to start for Cuba.
The law authorizing the volunteer army
which was enacted by Congress last week,
provides for four Maj Generals, and the
impression is general in Washington that
Fitz. Lee, and Joe. Wheeler, of Alabama,
Teddy" Roosevelt, the scrappy Assistant
Secretary of the Navy, will resign that
position in order to serve on Fitz. Lees
staff in Cuba.
When once our army gets in Cuba 1t will
make short work of whipping the Span
iards, but several weeks must elapse before
that army can be gathered on the southern
coast, preparatory to embarkation for
Cuba Until then we shall have to content
ourselves with the knowledge that our
warships will gives good account of them
selves in any engagements they will have
either with the Spanish forts in Cuba or
with the Spanish warships; and we may
as we'll also prepare ourselves to hear of
the occasional capture of an American
merchant ship on the other side Of the At,
lantic by the Spanish. We can hope that
the boastful Spanish navy will come over
and fight our ships, but there are no nd-
cations now in sight that it will do so. 1t
looks as though as we will have to go after
them when we have captured Cuba. But
Cuba comes first.
The bonds authorized by the var reye
nue. bill reported to the House from the
Ways and Means committee are coin bonds
the gold idea had to be abandoned by
the few who entertained it-bearing 3 per
cent. interest. $500 OOO, 900 is the amount.
to run from ten to twenty years at the
pleasure of the government. The issue of
800, 0O0. 900 in 8 per cent. treasury certifi-
Gates of Indebtedness is also authorized.
The bill makes increases in the internal
revenue tax on beer and manufactured to-
bacco, and provides for new taxation,
mostly by stamps. similar to the system in
vogue just after the war, that will it is
estimated add $1OO,OOO,OOO year to the
government revenues.
There is very little doubt that the witty
speech of Private John Allen, of Mississ-
ippi, shamed enough republican members
of the House to save the seat of Rcpresen-
tative Carmack. of Tenr cssee, which was
contested by Josiah Patterson, who ran
against him as gold democrat and was
supported by republicans Six republicans
voted for Carmack and a number did not
vote at all. 1t had been understood that
the solid republican vote had been pledged
to Patterson by Gen. Grosvenor and other
leaders of the party, but after John Allen
had shown up in his inimitable manner the
zizzag financial career of Josiah Patterson,
emphasizing his points by a string of his
best stories, the vote was taken and Josiah
was defeated by vote of 139 to 100.
a long story might be told about the
lightning cabinet change, in which editor
Charles Emory Smith succeeded James A.
Gary as Postmaster General, but if so old
an enemy of Smith as Senator Quay was
willing to keep quiet and even move that
Smiths nomination be confirmed by the
Senate, surely others can do so, at least
until after the war is over. Just now
nothing is wanted that will not add to the
strength of the government; the first and
greatest demand is that no time be lost in
fighting the war to victorious end
Another change in the Cabinet is pend
ing. John Sherman has got to 60 He
would have gone before now, had it not
been for the desire of Mr.. Mckinley to
put Mr.. Day in his Place. There is a kick
against this from numerous influential re-
publIcans who think the position several
times too large for Mr.. Day. AS soon as
the matter can be amicably arranged Mr.
Sherman will resign, II the plea that the
work of the Secretary of State during war
times is too hard for man of his age.
A Senate committee left Washington
Saturday night in charge of the remains
Of the late Senator W althall, of Mississippi,
which will be inferred at his former home
Holly Springs.
MARYLAND MATTERS,