The Press., 1898-06-16
Washington Letter.
washington, June IS, 1898.

The conundrum of the day Is, where is | shafter's armyP That 1t was for some reason detained at Tampa for several days after 1t had embarked on the transports is known, but that is about all that Is known, owing to the censorship of news. Only the very gullible accept the story given wide publicity, that the transports were held at Tampa because of the fear that they might be captured by mis- terious Spanish fleet that had been report ed to be engaged in doing the Flying Dutchman" act in the vicinity of Havana. These transports are known to have gone to Key West and are supposed to be well gether probable that the first positive in- formation the public gets about these troops will tell of their capture of Santl- ago, where Admiral Sampson has so we'll prepared the way for them. They cannot get the honor of first raising our flag on Cuban soil; that already belongs to Samp- sons marines, who are now in possession of Guantanamo Bay.
 Hurry orders have been sent to General Coppinger and to Lee, who are to com- mand the army sent to capture Porto Rico, to get the men ready for embarka- tion with as little delay as possible.
 There have been numerous reports re- cently, originating in Europe, that Spain had or was about to ask Austria, or some other nation to ask the U. D. to state its term for peace. These rumors are be- lieved to have been started for the pur- pose of feeling public opinion in this country. Not only has the Austrian minister not made any peace overtures to this government but he evidently does not expect to have any important busi- ness in Washington before fall as he is going to the New England coast, with his entire staff, this week, to remain away all summer. According to prominent European diplomats, no peace overtures will be made on behalf of Spain until this government intimates to the diplomatic corps that such will be acceptable, and that 1t would be willing to discuss the terms upon which 1t would agree to peace. If that is really the view of the European nations, Spain would better deal direct with this government. We did not seek this war. but having got into it, and having won nothing but victories, it would be absurd to expect us to ask for peace. It Is the whipped power that must ask for peace, and the longer Spain defers the asking the worse she will be licked. The fighting power of the U. 5. grows stronger each day, while that of Spain grows weaker.
 If there had been no bond clause in the war revenue bill, as reported from con- ference, 1t would have come very near to receiving a unanimous vote in the senate, instead of going through by a vote of 43 to %. The opposition to any other claus es of the bill was nominal, although a number of them, including the coinage of $1, 800, 900 of silver every month, some of the stamp taxes, and the tax on tea, were not altogether satisfactory. President Mckinley promptly signed the bill, and now the people have the chance to buy at par one-half of the $4OO. .OOO, ,OO0 in bonds authorized to be issued by the new law it is hoped that 1t may not become neces- sary to issue the other $2OO, ,OOO, 900. AL Fthough these bonds will only pay three per cent. interest, the big financiers are so certain that they will command a premium that they will gladly take them all. Small investors will have the first opportunity to buy. What they fail to take in 30 days will go to capitalists in big blocks. Senator Wolcott is one oi those who believe that the people will take them all. He said: ''The people of the country will take up these bonds as 8 manifestation of their patriotism and their pride in the country"
 It Is now settled by agreement of the house, after large majority. including members of all parties, had shown its power that the Hawaiian annexation reso. lution shall be voted upon Wednesday afternoon. It's adoption Is certain Speaker Reeds friends are trying to square him with the friends of annexation by declaring that he has been misrepre. sented; that he never had any idea of al lowing his personal opposition to annexa. tion to cause him to try to stand in the way of a majority of the house getting tc a vote on the resolution. Some of the leading annexationists assert that the speaker has killed his political future, but wise politicians are not yet investing any money in mourning for the alleged corpse
 The post office department officially denies that statement that private mai Is being opened by it's employees at Key West, or Tampa, or anywhere else, and adds that private mail during the war Is as safe as in time of peace.
 Secretary Alger thus answers the critics of the war department II do not believe that history records an instance where SC much has been done in a military camp aign of this magnitude in the brief time that has elapsed since hostilities began challenge the records. There Is an abundance of supplies at the disposal oi the government. Everything needed fol the army Is either on the ground or IT the process of transit. Within a week ,ol a fortnight at the most, the required supplies and equipment will be delivered to the troops. In two weeks every man 1T the army will be fully equipped for the war"
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