Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1898-11-04
THE CUBAN BONDS.
THEIR HOLDERS WILL DEVISE
ANOTHER PLAN

For Having Them Recognized
Campaign Buncomc-Republican
Leaders Thoroughly Frightened
Over the Congressional Situation
Attorney General Griggs De
clincs to Prosecute the Trusts
The Political Outlook Satisfac.
tory.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Oct. IS, 1898.
The suspicion is growing daily that
one of the cause.-the principal one
of delay in the peace negotia-
tons at Paris is the influence of
the holders OF the $500,0O0,O0O in
Spanish bonds that Spain calls Cuban
bonds. These bond-hOldcrs have salts
fled themselves that public opinion in
the United States would never con-
sent to the payment of any portion Of
these bonds by this country, even if
officials could be persuaded" to agree
to such payment. They are now
working on another tack. They wish
to secure promise from this govern
m cnt, entirely outside OF the treaty of
peace Of course, that it will use its in
ll,,a 1, al, H.
that is sooner or later to be set up, to
recognize these bonds. They know
very we'll that no such promise can be
made officially, but they believe it can
be secured in such a way that it can
be made effective. A hint Of the work
in this line that has been done at the
Paris end of the line was contained in
a recent news paragraph cabled over,
which stated that one Of the American
Commissioners had said the Cuban
government, after its establishment,
and not the U. S. peace commissioners,
would lie the proper party for Spain TO
negotiate with concerning Cuban
bonds. If the capitalists who are try
ing to make this exchange can get
those bonds recognized by Cuba, with
a sort Of tacit consent by this govern.
ment, they can pocket at least $780,
100000 in profits. That may be con-
sidered as the stake in the game now
being played.
The semi-otiicial statement sent out
from Washington, that Mr.. Mckinley
had sent an ultimatum to Spain,
threatening 10 withdraw the American
Commissioners and declare the truce
at an end if the Spanish commissioners
did not proceed more rapidly with the
negotiations OF the treaty of peace is
nothing more nor less that bit of
campaign buncome, put out solely for
effect upon the Congressional cam
paign. Members of the administra.
ton have been very careful not to
father this statement, or even to adj
nit that it is true, but it originated
from a source that the administration !
constantly makes use of to get things
before the public. 1t is absolutely
certain that no ultimatum has been !
sent.
The publication of the letter from
Chairman Bahcock, of the Republican
Congressional Campaign Committee, !
to Senator Penrose, imploring him 10
show the letter to prominent Re
publicans who are opposing the Quay |
ticket in Pennsylvania, in order to get |
them to try to save the party the loss
of number Of Congressional dis
tricts. indicates how frightened the
Republican managers are at the out
look. This letter WAS not intended |
for publication, but was to be shown
around to Republicans only. There
are good reasons for saying that Mr..
Mckinley would not care a continental
If Quay was defeated, if his defeat does
not cause the loss of enough Repre-
sentatives to give the House to the
Democrats, and it is just the same
with Roosevelt, in New York. If Mr..
Mckinley could be assured that the
Republicans would retain control of
the House, even by largely reduced
ma ority. he would be perfectly willing
to see Quay and Roosevelt defeated.
He has bad it in for Quay long time,
and he fears the election of Roosevelt
may make him dangerous rival for
the Republican nomination in 1900.
How much that had TO do with his re-
fusal TO go from the Philadelphia
Peace Jubilee to New York and make
II speech, only himself knows.
1t would be something entirely new
for a Republican administration to
make anything even resembling
fight against tie trusts. Therefore no
one was surprised when Attorney
General Griggs said in reply to a ques-
ton rs to whether his office intended
to take advantage of the Supreme
Court decision that the railroad trust,
known as the Joint Traffic Associa-
tion," was illegal. to prosecute other
trusts: "This office is not looking
for jobs. II has all the work on hand
that it can stagger under now" While
the Department of Justice probably
has lots of work TO do, tner, is little
doubt that the right sort of an At
torney General could use that anti.
trust Supreme Court decision to make
things very lively for the trusts, and if
the present force of the department
was insufficient to do the work, it could
easily be increased, If it were made
known why the increase was desired.
Secretary Kerr, of the Democratic
Compaign Committee,
declines to make public statement
of all the Congressional districts he
expects to 60 Democratic, because
there are some of them that tho Re.
publicans do not regard as in serious
danger but he expresses confidence
that the Democrats will control the
next House by n good working
and his looks express his
nlainer than his words .Io