Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1898-05-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.
'rH IAL CORRESPONDS OF THE soHrroR.l
Washington, May 10th, 1898.

PRESIDENT Mck1nley1S greatest anXl-
ETY. to- day arises from the fear that
the Cape Verde Spanish feet, now
believed to be headed for Cuba, may
escape the fleet of Admiral Sampson,
which did such good work in destroy
ing the Notifications in the harbor at
San Juan, Porto Rico, last week, and
the flying squadron of Commodore
Sch ley, which is now being given its
first opportunity to show what it can
do in the fighting line, and get safely
into some Cuban harbor. It will make
no difference in the end-not q vessel
in that Spanish fleet will escape de-
stru ction or capture-but it would be
much easier to destroy the fleet on
the open sea than it will be after it
gets into a fortified Cuban barbor.
And besides, that feet has supplies
for the Spanish in Cuba which it is
very desirable to keep away from
them
The coming of the Spanish feet has
naturally resulted in holding up all
plans for the invasion of Cuba, but
they are only postponed until the fleet
can be got at and destroyed, not
abandoned. The postponement of
the invasion of Cuba, is really very
advantageous to us, as it will enable
US to make the invasion with larger
and much better prepared army. 1t
has been found that many of the vol
unteers are poorly equipped, and it will
take time to gather the new equip
ment for them. Spending a short
while in camp will also be greatly
beneficial to the volunteers; it will
get them in a condition to stand a
campaign in Cuba.
The several fights which have tax
en- place in Cuban harbors between
our blockading ships and the Span
iards during the last few days have
been entirely satisfactory to the adj
ministrations. Formidable batteries
have been destroyed, two Spanish ca
bles have been cut, many Spaniards
have been killed, and our loss has
been comparatively small. The crews
of the blockading ships have proven
thems elves brave and fearless in car
rying out the most dangerous orders
the men who cut the two cables in
the harbor of Cienfuegos having done
SO in open boats, under heavy fire
from batteries and small arms.
There are a lot of rumors in circu-
lation concerning Speaker Reeds OPP
position to the adoption of the joint
resolution for the annexation of Ha-
wall, which was favorably reported to
the House last week, and his inten-
tion to prevent it's being voted upon.
Theresis no foundation for these ru
mors, further than the wishes of those
who started them. The resolution
will be voted upon, and will be adopt
ed by a large majority. This state
ment is made on undoubted authority.
There is no possibility that the
amended war revenue bin which has
been reported to the Senate from it's
Finance Committee can ever become
a law. In fact, there is doubt wheth
er it could pass the Senate in it's pres
ent condition. In addition to strik
ing out the clause authorizing the is
sue of bonds-the only certain way in
which the government can at short
notice raise all the money that. may
be needed to fight the war to victo-
rious end-the amended bill provides
for an additional issue of greenbacks
amou nting to $3.50, 100000, PROPOSE
ton that the House overwhelmingly
voted down before passing the bill,
and the coming of the SO called seign
orage of the silver bullion owned by
the government, $42,000,000 in sill
yer certificates to be issued in ad
vance of the coinage. Representa-
tive Steele, of Indiana, a prominent
member of the House Ways and
Means committee, said, after reading
the bill reported to the Senate: "The
majority of the Senate Finance Com
mittee seem to think that this gov
eminent can carry on an expensive
foreign war on wind.' Chairman
Dingley said of the amended bill:
"The Bryan democracy appears to
have abandoned free silver and gone
back to fiat money, pure and simple.
I am wondering what the republi-
cans who left their party and enlisted
under the Bryan banner in order to
secure the free and unlimited coinage
of silver will say to that proposition.
WHAT'S the use of going to all the
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