Middletown transcript., 1898-07-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.

things considered, never passed more
satisfactory Fourth of July than this
one. Gen. Shafter has justified all the
confidence reposed in him by winning a
series of glorious victories at Santiago
victories in which Admiral Sampson
and his gallant sailors won new honors
for the American navy, and which add
no little to the respect felt by the world
for the fighting qualities of Americans,
There is only one drawback to the gen
eral rejoicing and that is the large
number of killed and wounded on our
side. The victories have been glorious,
but they have also been bloody. But
such is war. The peans of victory are
with rare exceptions, such as the victory
of Dewey in Manila Bay, always
mingled with mourning cries for the
gallant dead and sympathetic tears for
| the brave men wounded. Shafter's
victories were won by assaults upon an
enemy strongly fortified, and could not
have been otherwise than bloody.
Notwithstanding the persistency with
such statementsto the contrary continue
to be circulated, President Mckinley
has not even considered issuing another
call for troops, and nnless there are
some unexpected developments he does
not expect to have to consider the
matter. He believes that we have
enough men now under arms, to COM
plete the job of thrashing the Spaniards,
which has been SO gloriously conducted
up to date.
Alabama ought to be proud Of her
representatives in the U. S. Senate,
Senators Morgan and Pettus are demo-
Gratis, but not the obstructive kind.
They are Americans first of all, and as
such they have been strongly supporting
the administration in its conduct of the
war also in its efforts to bring about
the annexation of Hawaii. In an able
speech in favor of annexation, Senator
Pettus replied to the charge that annex
alton would cause us to build a larpo
navy by saying: 81 hope to God it
will. will welcome the day when our
navy will be SO powerful that no nation
Of the world will ever dare to offer us
an insult"
Interest in the war has not made
those who are interested in keeping the
Government Printing Office under the
civil service rules cease their efforts to
prevent action by the President that
will take the Office out of the control of
the civil service commission. The civil
service commission, which desires to
hold on to the Office, had submitted a
plan for the apportionment of the en-
ployes OF the office among the several
states and territories, and prominent
men are trying to influence the Presi.
dent to let the Office remain under civil
service rule. AS soon as he can find
time, President Mckinley will take up
this matter and settle it. It is still
generally believed in Washington that
it is to be put outside of the civil
service.
The stamp section of the War Reve.
nue. law has not been as troublesome to
put into effect as many had predicted.
So far as Washington is concern ed, the
new law, which went into effect on the
LIST Of the present month, has made
more amusement than real trouble,
The paying tellers of banks were sur
prised at the large number of their de- |
positors who didn't know that revenue
stamp had to be attached to their
checks, but they didn't cash any checks
until the required stamp had been stuck |
on. About every other person who
filed telegram registered a kick when |
informed that it would not be accepted |
until stamped, and wanted to know why
the telegraph company did not stand
this tax. Some dealers are trying 10
profit largely by the stamp tax by
adding five or ten cents to the price Of |
articles which are taxed, something
like one eighth of one cent, but their
customers as rule are calling them
down.
The opposition to annexatio is dying
hard, but there is no doubt that it j.
lying. 1t is doubtful whether it has
strength enough to keep up the fight all
his week. 1t is expected that a vote
will be taken in the Senate on the an
1exation resolution this week. If the
resolution be adopted by the middle Of
he week, this will probably be the last
week of this session of Congress, as
here is little else in the way of adjourn
ment.
Nobody in Washington is disturbed
% any noticeable extent on account of
he story from Berlin that GERMANY
France, and Russia had formed a COM
oination for the purpose of opposing
sither the U. S. or England taking per-
possession of the Philippine
Stands, after the war is over. 10 the
irst place, nobody believes that such a
has been formed, but even
t it were officially known to be in ex.
stence, it would not influence this gov
'rnment in the slightest degree. The
inal disposition of the Philippines will
% settled in accordance with what we
wish, and not what any European