The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-06-23
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Iron our rrrnIar correspondeni.

WAsHINsToS, ID. c., June 20.-The wa
news is rapidly approaching The hghtini
zone. IL is now known that Gen. Shafter'
army has arrived at its point Of debark
] alton and that nearly all of the men have
I been landed in Cuba, and are getting
ready to open the fighting campaign OF
land, and it is believed that the fret eI.
: petition to the Philippines has arrived al
Notwithstanding to the program it IL
due there today. Unless the Spaniards
; put up a much stouter resistance than is
expected Gen. Shafter is likely to he in
possession of Santiago before the close OF
the present week. 1t is probable that il
our troops have arrived at Manila. they
will with the assistance of Dewey's feet
60 ahead and take that city without wait
ing for the arrival of the rest OF the troops
Gen Merritt will leave San Francisco
at once with the third and last expedition,
for the present. II is understood in
Washington that as soon as our troops
are in possession of Manila President DC
kinley will issue a proclamation annOunc-
ing the military occupation OF the Philip
pine Islands and declaring them to he
under control OF the U. S. Members o.
the Cabinet take no stock in The European
reports connecting Germany with n scheme
to obtain possession of the Philippines,
either through purchase or by force, and
| it is an open secret that the Germans
would have to fight it they tried to inter-
fere in any way over there, further than
may be permitted by Admiral Dewey for
the protection of the interests OF German
citizens.
The report that a Spanish feet had sail
ed from Cadiz for Cuba is treated lightly
by the administration, because it is not
thought that Spain would be apt to do
anything that would please US so much as
would the senGins of its last fleet where
We could get a wback at it.
Labor leaders representing a cOnstitu-
ency of more than 100000 have been
wrestling with the Senate committee on
education and labor to overturn the argu-
ments presented by shipbuilders, and
others against the new eight hour bill,
which has been passed by the House, and
to secure favorable report on the bill
from the committee. The labor men
called attention to the failure Of the cor
porations to say word against the bill,
which merely makes the present eight
hour law operative, when it was before the
House; also to the fact that the bill would
not interfere with or hamper government
war contracts, because it expressly
exempts from its operation military and
naval work in time of war. In answer to
the argument that with their men only {
working eight hours II day-forty- eight
hours Il week-American shipbuilders ,
could not compete with Europeans, it was
shown that the men in the shipyards on {
The Clyde, where more ships are built |
han III any one country, only work fifty q
hours a week. =
The hight for the annexation of Hawaii I
s regarded as having been virtually won \
when the JOINT resolution was adopted by
| more than a twO-thirds vote of the n
louise, although the minority in the +
senate is known to intend TO put up their |
,est fight in the contest which opened to- +
lay i'll that body. But the opposition
ghts under difficulties that make il a
Practically impossible for them to win. a
hey have got to do all the speech max a
ne, which must he continuous after the :,
morning hour, each day that the Senate
its, in order 10 stave off vote until adj p,
and they cannot secure adj n,
without consent OF the House, a,
ven if they could tire out sufficient m
lumber OF Senators to get an adjournment n
Otion through the Senate. 1t is there m
IRE regarded as certain as anything not -
It accomplished can he that the Senate 90
Ill adopt the annexation resolution be- %
re Congress adjOurns. The adjourn l.,
ent Of Congress will depend entirely a.
how "a 70 Re. bs
ready TO adjourn at any time, after 40
at
Secretary Gage has changed his opinion w.
'out the willingness OF those who have A.
40 or less to invest to absorb the entire =,
OO,OOO,0O0 i'll bonds to be issued under ~
thority Of the war revenue fct 1t is ~,
Nv practically certain that the big bid 90"
rs. some Of whom offered premium of F.
per cent, will not get any OF the bonds, w.
the act under which they are issued ~,
yes The small Investors the first chance 90,
buy all they want at par, and it seems ,io
rtaIn that they will want them ALL w
Secretary Alger characterized as "an ~.
amOus la" the report that clash be- w.
cen himself aud Gen. Miles had result pr
in taking cOmand OF the army away -
m Miles. Gen. Miles is in Washington, SCI
ding constant conferences with Pres- H.
1t Mckinley and Secretary Ager con- ~ ~
ming the Porto Rico expedition, which o o"e
Will command in person, and which ~
be started as soon as the government o a.
5 the ships necessary to transport ''r ~
army :
he Cabinet has been discussing the aat
slble need OF more troops, and knowing
,nteers ~ raa d,no ~, '"i Oi that
additiona, c.II !. -, ',o, ~ ~" y, accC
in camn so a. - ha, o % '""'.eu int
dition should j. 10 r,,Und ~ P.opei pc
tpone the general invasion of Cuba "us
II iall-some assert that the invasion
already been definitely postponed daoa
i that time. ores