The Opelousas courier., 1898-07-02
Washington, d. e., News.
From our Regular Correspondent.
Washin gton, June q, 1898.

Gen. Shafter's akjy, u, its vic
fories in every ,1ngagementl thai
my portion ofs.t has had with the
Spania5hfetffs> s,kce it's landing in
Cuba, is demonstrating4to the
world that we knew all the time
that the American soldier, is not
a whit behind the American sailor
in fighting qualities, and 'as a
fighter the American sailor, has
never been surpassed. Shafter
has driven the enemy into the
main Notifications surrounding
Santiago, and If he is not inter-
fered with from Washington will
soon capture the town by assault.
For the first time during the war
we have had a considerable num-
ber killed and wounded, but every
man who volunteers to fight knows
that he must take his chances.
It is claimed by friends of the
administration that Shafter is be-
ing allowed to conduct the cam
paign against Santiago in his own
way, without orders from Wash
ington, but there have been sew
eral things said and done by men,
bers of the administration which
have been sufficient to cause Il
doubt of that claim to be enter
tanned, and if it turns out that
Shafter waits for reinforcements
that have been sent, and are to
be sent him before attacking the
main fortifcation at Santiago, it
will be very safe to wager that
the delay will be the result of
Washington orders. For some
mysterious reason the administra-
tion has become alarmed less the
garrison at Santiago should prove
strong enough to defeat an attack
by Shafter, and members of it
have publicly expressed the hope
that he would not make q general
attack until the reinforcements
reached him. This feeling was
so strong that arrangements were
all completed to send Gen. Miles
to Tampa for the purpose of TAX
ing about $4,000 troops to Santi-
ago, but for some equally mystic
rious reason Miles did not go.
Some say that Miles feared that
he would be charged with trying
to pilfer glory that properly be-
longed to Shafter, and persuaded
the administration to change its |
plans-not a difficult task, in view
of it's habit of making changes
from day to day.
Such a hubbub has been raised
among the republicans of the
House by the manner in which
that alleged Currency Reform bill
was reported to the House from
the committee on Banking and
Currency-trickery is openly char
ged by some members of the COM
mittee-that it has been found
necessary to recall the bill from
the calendar, in order that radical
changes may be made in the word
ing of the report and Of the bill.
Many of the Republicans of the
House were unwilling to be so
strongly committed to the per-
petuation of the single gold stand
ard as this bill and report made
them, ON the eve of a Congress
sional campaign. Some of them
say, with a wink, that after the
election the bill can be taken up
and passed without danger.
The announcement that ex-Sen-
ator Blackburn, of KY, is to be
a brigadler general in the volun-
teer army was positive pleasure
to many persons, for few, if any,
ever made more warm friends
during their long service in Con-
gress than "Joe" Blackburn did.
It will be seen this week wheth-
Or the thirty-odd Senators who
are oppose to the annexation
Of Hawaii can succeed in prevent
ng the ffty-odd Senators who IA
1or annexation getting the an
resolution to al
vote. The screws are being put
IN by the majority. Some of the
Of annexation frankly
admit that they will not aid
n filibustering to prevent vote,
out others still say that they will
'esort to any sort of tactics to
'tave off vote. Butting ones
1ead against brick wall is neith-
II pleasant nor profitable, and the
chances are that the opposition
will gracefully throw up the
sponge and allow the resolution
o be adopted without attempting
/ lengthy filibuster, after they
lave all had their say against an
lexation. |;
Wa d;root offont;op IN tho Cd |