Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-04-16
WAR EXCITEMENT.
The Intense Interest Shown
by Washington Crowds,
The Maine Coast Has Nothing to
Fear from Spain.
'oss'py News o. the Nations Capitol Some
Maine Visitors There.

ci'lhb Capitol Hill about sunrise one Of
t,' IL, mornings when Congress is going
~ discuss war measures. There. on the
niSh marble steps. he will see a double
Inc of bedraggled humanity men and
women. who have remained out the
Sic"tcr part OF the night to be first for
the seats in the public galleries of House
ana Senate when the sessions open at
noon.
The Capitol, it should be remembered.
stanas back To the city of Washington
i,'dpel. TOT Gen. Washington the first
resident, thought that the city would
go" out over the smooth plain to the
east. The land sharks however, grabbed
up all the property in that localitv held
IL at tXorbitant prices. and the city grew
over the rough and unduutng territory
20 the back of the Capitol So the Cap
itoi SUM fronts to the east and to enter
.ne ouli'@nS properly-without going in
ne pack doors-one has to climb a high
NH unless he rides on the electric cars
mere DN proceeding over Il broad stretch
OF OF asphalt and climbing three or four
hlt'hlS OF marble steps, one enters prop
" ~ the seat of national government OF
curse one can enter through the base
lnent, along the splendid marble CORR
aors and thence by elevator to the floor
OF House and Senate. That is the way
pie go.
Nevertheless. on these ascending mar
pie sttps without. the people who are I'M
doi' to secure cards Of admission TO the
private galleries congreg;tte and on the
great days the long black line. against
me me background of white. can be seen alt
through the early morning steadily
growing longer as more people assemble
Wen dressed ladies alght from the cleo
trlc cars that carry passengers to within
4 dozen rods of the Senate wing and has
zen at double quick to take their places in
waiting And scores even hundreds of
mem are disappointed after hours of
WAITING. tor the galleries accommodate
comparatively but a few people and only
IL fringe OF those who come can be adj
mitted.
Washington does not get SO excited over
the news al impending war as does the
country at large. Accustomed to tn.
presence of important personages and to
great national transactions the residents
mere are apt to look With calm indiffer-
e'Ice on the passing show of nations
AFFAIRS. 1t is the old story of distance
lending enchantment to the view The
constant acceSslons of visitors from the
states form Il distinct contrast in the
interest displayed in congressional pro-
ceedngs.
And to the casual visitor there is little
Ii anything to show that the nation is
preparing for war and within a few days
may be directing its great warships to
engage in deadly combat with those of a
foreign power, not to mention the COM
pications that may grow out of the con-
met ana perpleX our statesmen more than
the actual direction of the hostlities
mere are busy men going in and out OF
hu;1sina ;, go -.at 20 ti'''iI'
with frowning old field pieces. relics of
former wars at the entrances. But the
90 ~ Inns - Always true III peace as wei
as IN time of war. Down the dmly
" hteu coffidofs, clerks ana ofhcerS lit
about. but the visitor could not guess
were he an entire stranger to current
events, that they were engaged in war
preparations. over at the White House
senators come and go in occasional
groups but an air of quiet prevails there
also. 1t is only when one gets inside the
rooms and the offices of the DEPARTMENTS
and of the White House talks with the
officials and eniovs their confidence does
he sec the actual evidences of how earn
cstly every nerve is hrine strained ia nI,t
thc l.,,,ntr,. ~, n VA, fnn-ina ~, ,..,,a ui;th
no Sa,;ao,a y" "''i A'''''ie ~ ~'fN "''''
AS the press dispatches have already
announced the cabinet held an important
meeting on Easter Sunday. The Journal
correspondent was at the White House
at the time in common with other news
PAPER men, but to the eyes of the few
NlSlthfS who wandered up under the
lnaipmoth porte cochere and applied al
Wv door 10 KNOW II theE could be ad-
united TO tn" east room. there was moth
lag but most peaceful scene. 1t was an
ideal day ot a Washington spring. Flow
trS were in fright bloom around the
spacious grounds and directly in front of
the White House. in line with Sixteenth;
Stf"et Il magnihccnt fountain was plas
ing, the sound OF the Spouting waters as
strong as those OF Il SeySer. over across
pennsylvania avenue. green as Maine
'ci'i III June with trees III nan zeal ana
hirhS singing on every bouSh, was f-afay-
cue square park, Win the equestrian
STATUE OF Cen JACKSON me warrior
president. looming prominently IN view.
lhc rear OF Name people that the
Spaniards may attack the towns along
me coast is not taken at All seriously by
IN" senators ana representatives from
Maine In the first place Maine Is too Tar
away to make it possible for Spanish
cruisers or priVateers to operate. In the
old days privateers proceeded under can
vas nut IN the present DAY they must go
under steam. AS Senator FRYE SAID the
other DAY az soon as the war breaks OUT
there is no doubt that our war vessels
will capture Cuba and Porto Rico which
Will cut Spain out Of ali places I" OBTAIN
coal. nearer That the cape DeN erde IS
Lands, winch are on the coast Oh AFRICA,
There are only TWO or three spanish
cruisers. OF the most modern type. tnat
can carry coal enough to come across the
Atlantic and so back again. To- say MOTH
ing of going up to the coast OF Maine Tor
Il cruise. Without coal the modern cruiS-