The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1898-05-06
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
WASHINGTON, D. c., May end.

| WASHINGTON, D. c., May end.
MR.. EDIToR:-The publication of the
plans to invade Cuba this week to the eN-
| tent of capturing port and landing six
thousand men from the regular army, to
| make junction with the Cuban army and
| operate against the Spaniards, a few hours
after it had been determined upon by the
authorities, aroused the administration to
the necessity of taking some steps to pre-
vent 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 given out by subordlnates of the
department., and lest the argus eyed news
paper men might see some scrap of writing
that would give them a clew to intended
movement they are to be barred out OF
all the offices in the war and navy depart
ments
Every scrap of news from our warships,
whether relating to the capture of Spanish
prizes, the silcncing of Spanish forts or
the gallant action of our Asiatic squadron,
increases public confidence in the fighting
qualities of our navy, and the hope that
the order will soon be issued to give Samp-
son chance to batter down the fortitica-
tions 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.
true that many politicians of his party are
showing much more anxiety to succeed in
their efforts to get Mr.. Mckinley to APP
point their favorite officers in the volun-
teer 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 reor
ganizing the regular army, there are 54s
officers to be appointed by him in the vol
unteer army-twelve major generals, "a
brigadier generals and the following staff
officers: 81 lieutenant colonies, 100 majors,
147 captains, and 6s first lieutenants The
scramble for the staff positions especially
is being participated in by men who make
no pretence Of having any other claim or
ability to fill the places than their political
pull. In the appointments so far an
nounced Mr.. Mckinley has not yielded
much to political influence, and he has
told number of democratic Senators and
Representatives that lie 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 pressure when it comes to the staff APP
pointments.
The democrats who voted against the
republican war revenue bill, which passed
the House by vote of 1871 to 131-only
six democrats voted for the bill-did not
do so because they did not believe in
providing 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
by Nj. Dingley and his republican asso-
ciates of the Ways and Means committee
in preparing the bill. The democratic
members 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 I'M
democratic all the way through, because
all of the taxes it imposes will fall heav
lest 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 5000, 100000 in bonds was unnec
essary atthis early stage of the war, and
that all of the money needed could be 9th
erwise provided for anyway. \ 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 democrats did against
the bill, but in Difference to those who
sand they intended to vote for the bill as a
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 afterwards
vote for the bill whether the bond clause
was struck out or not. The populists and
silver republican Senators will to a man
vote against the bonds, but it is expected
that the whole bill, bonds and all. will pass.
Senator German says lie retired from
the Craftsmanship of the democratic eau
Gus, which he held for so many years, for
personal 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
To The Ladies'.