Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-05-05
l77777
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON. Nav 3. 1898,


The publication of the plans to invade
Cuba this week to the extent of capturing
port and landing six Thousand men from
the regular army, to make junction with
the Cuban army and operate against the
Spaniards, few hours after it had been
determined upon by the authorities, aroused
the administration to the necessity of TAX
ing some cps to prevent the publication
OF intended war movements in advance OF
the movements themselves, as there isn't
the slightest doubt that such publications
are cabled to Spain as soon as they appear.
The result is an order that no military
information shall be G ven out by subor-
climates of the department, and lest the
argus-eyed newspaper men might see some
scrap of writing that would give them a
clew to intended movements they are to be
barred out of all the Offices in the war and
navy departments.
Every scrap of news from our warsnips,
whether relating to the capture Of Spanish
prizes, the silencing of Spanish forts or the
gallant action of our Aslatic squadron, In
creases public confidence in the fighting
qualities of our navy, and the hope tbat
the order will soon be issued to give Samp-
son a chance to batter down the fortitiea-
lions at Havana.
Uncle Sam has too many resources to
allow the activity in the fighting branches
of his establishment to interfere with the
orderly conduct of business in the far
more important peaceful branches The
war will not be felt to any marked extent
in the industrial and commercial progress
of the country, and Uncle Sam will con-
tinue to do his part by looking after our
postal system, public lands, granting
patents to inventors, ETC., without neglect
Ing the war.
1t is not creditable. but it is nevertheless
true that many politicians Of his party are
showing much more anxiety to succeed in
their efforts to get Mr.. Mckinley to ap-
point their favorites officers in the volunteer
army than they are In making efforts to
help rush the war to a speedy close. In
addition to a number of appointments that
will be at his disposal under the law re-
organizing the regular army, there are 3S4
officers to be appointed by him in the
volunteer army twelve Major Generals,
81 Brigadier Generals and The following
staff officers 81 Lieutenant Colonies, 100
Majors lat Captains, and 68 First Lieuts.
The scramble for the staff positions espec
iallv is being participated In by men who
make no pretense of having any other
claim or ability to fill the places than their
political pull In the appointments so far
announced Mr. Mckinley has not yielded
much to political influence, and he has told
a number of Democratic Senators and Re-
representatives. that he did not intend that
politics should determine single one OF
these appointments, but it is greatly feared
that he will not be able to stand the pres
sure when it comes to the staff appoint
ments.
The Democrats who voted against the
Republican war revenue bill, which passed
the House by a vote of 181 to 131-only
six Democrats voted for the bill-did not
do so because they did not believe in pro-
yiding the government with all the money
that it will need to lick Spain, and any
other European nation that attempts to
NEEDLE with the thrashing process, but to
show their disapproval, not only of the
method by which this bill provides for
raising money, but of the method resorted
to by Mr.. Dingley and his Republican ass0-
ciates of the Ways and Means committee in
preparing the bill The Democratic MEM
bers of the committee were not asked to
help prepare the bill, but an attempt was
made TO cram it down their Threats after it
was prepared, although it is undemocratic
all the way through, because all of the
taxes it imposes will fall heaviest upon the
poorest of our people, and the richest and
most favored classes and corporations will
not be made to bear their share of the
burden. The Democrats also believe that
the authorization of the issue of $500, 00O,-
600 in bonds was unnecessary at this early
stage OF the war, and that all of the money
needed could be otherwise provided for any
way A caucus of Democratic Senators was
held to discuss the bill, now in the Senate
committee on finance. More than three
fourths of those present indicated their
intention to take the same stand the DEM
ocrats did against the bill, but in Difference
to those who said they intended to vote for
the bill as war measure no caucus action
was taken. One of the latter was Senator
Vest, who said he would vote to strike out
the bond clause of the bill, but would after
wards vote for the bill whether the bond
clause was struck out or not. The Popu-
lists and Silver Republican Senators will to
man vote against the bonds, but it is ex-
pected that the whole bill, bonds and all,
will pass.
Senator German says he retired from the
Craftsmanship of the Democratic caucus,
which he held for SO many years, for per-
sonal reasons, and because his term will
expire next March, and he certainly ought
to know better than those who are giving
other reasons for the change. Senator
Turpie, of Indiana, succeeded Mr.. German
as chairman of the Democratic caucus