The St. Johns herald., 1898-04-02
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Fools and E'I,eir Fool Tricks
 As E0 Autonomy.
WASHINGTON, March 26, 1898.

:
 As E" Autonomy.
 From Our Regular Correspondent
 WASHINGTON, March 26, 1898. This week will probably determine
 whether Mir. Mckinley is sagacious
 enough to retain the undivided support
 ot congress in hls Spanish policy. It
 will all depend upon the action he take on the report of the naval court of in- quiry, which he now has, If he acts promptly and properly on that report and then sends the report and a state ment of what he has done to congress. he will be squarely and unanimously supported by congress to any extent
 But if he plays into Spain's hand by making weak demand and delays the matter by keeping the report away from congress, there will be trouble right away. A large majority of both branches ot congress have made up their minds that Senator Proctor was right when he said that no settlement of the Cuban question could possibly be satisfactory that left the island under the Spanish flag, and if MT. Mckinley doesn't lay
 his policy along that line, he will proba- ply find congress taking the matter out of his hands. He can control the situa- tion if he does the right thlng; other wise not. Much will depend upon his first move, which should be made this week
 A statement prepared at the Pension office shows that more than $l0,000, ,000 have been legally paid ny pensioners to | pension attorneys during the last seven years. Just how much the attorneys l have illegally gotten from the pension CTS is more or less uncertain. but there il data enouE' iu tue pension office to show that the illegal exationa mole than equal ;ha legal fees. lis not sur r.isine that tae pension atte.ney. should be able to maintain a powerful lobby.
 It is a relief, in the midst of so much war talk, to read of the triumphs of peace. as shown in the greatness and progress of American industry through it's association with the United States patent system. In an annual report of thirty pages, Hon. A. P Greeley, acting commissioner of patents, has incorpor- ated much valuable and information for inventors, patentees, manufacturers, capitalists, publicists, and, in fact, for everybody who is interested in industri- al progress, of which the press synopsis that has been published gives very faint idea. This pamphlet will be mailed free upon request, by the commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. c.
 Fool talk is as plentiful in Washington as fools are everywhere, but it need not catch anybody who chooses to use lit tie bit of common sense, in analyzing it. For instance, just to see how absurd, when this test is applied, is the story. 1 European powers had united for the purpose of demanding that the govern ment of the United States should state whether it intended to annex Cuba, and if so, that it should proclaim a tariff policy for all time that would not be af- fected by changes of administration The ahsurdity of European nations de- manding what any bright school child knows to be impossible under our form of government-the binding of its sue cessois by an istration-efectu- ally disposes of this story, but others equally absurd are continually started.
 Many senators and representatives are sharpl y critiCising the administration for ceuntenancing the presence in Washing ton of the three alleged CuJan commits sioners, who jointly with the Spanish minister form what they are pleased to call. the "reciprocity commission" ana who have actually had the audacIty 10 take the preliminary steps towards the negotiation of reciprocity treaty with | Spain, to include Cuba. What adds to the audacity is the fact that these so- callt commissioners are not acting in ! good faith, are not what they claim to be, but are engaged in lobbying for | continuance of autonomy in Cuba, al- | though to do so they have to practically 1 call liars several United States senators, Consul General Lee and every intelli- gent newspaper correspondent who has recently been in Cnba, as all of these i have declared in unmIstakable terms that autonomy has been from the first a flat failure. It is thought by number gentlemen who are familiar with the game that these agents of Span are try ing to play, that the administration would be justlfable in sending them home, but it is whispered that the ad- ministration wants them just where they are. and that notwithstanding the continent of cOnCress and of the public