The Press., 1898-05-19
Washington Letter.
Washington, May 1e


 Washington, May 16, 1898.
 If either Admiral Sampson, with his fleet fresh from the destruction of the Spanish fertilization in the harbor of San Juan, Porto Rico, or Commodore Schley, with his flying squadron which is itching for chance to distinguish itself, can meet and fight the Spanish Cape Verde fleet this week, the end of the war will be in sight. There is no douht that either Sampson or Schley can crush the Spanish fleet, if they can only get at it, but there is a doubt about their getting at it. This Spanish fleet has been playing at nowyou- see-it and now-you-don't-see-it It is now thought to be trying to get to Cuba without fighting either of our big fleets. If it suc- ceeds, the war will be considerably pro longed, and that is evidently what Spain desires, in the hope that if the war is pro- longed some other European power or pow CTS will get mixed up in it. Owing to the the Spanish Aeet they will have the choice of fighting or running should they be met by either of our fleets. The most formid- able fighters in both our fleets-the moni- tors and the battle ships-are too slow to to keep up with the Spanish fleet, if it de- sires to run away without fighting. It is only question of time when every ship in this Spanish fleet will either be destroy ed or captured; if they fight our fleet it will be immediately, if they get into a Cuban harbor it will be matter of few weeks. This week will tell which.
 The blockade of Cuba, which during the past few days has been accompanied by some stirring fighting, which we got the best of, besides cutting two important Spanish cables, will be continued, but the landing of an army in Cuba has been post poned until after that Spanish fleet is wiped out.
 A very distinct reminder of the civil war is the more or less active, although of course not open, criticism of the civilian staff appointments made by President Mckinley, which is heard among army officers and their friends. Among the ap- pointments especially criticised as having been made solely because of social infiu- ence are the following John Jacob Astor, who knows nothing whatever about mili- tary affairs, to be Inspector General with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel; James G. Blaine, who has tried and failed in about as many things as possible, and who doesn't know enough tactics to be a cor poral, to be assistant Adjutant General with the rank of Captain: Russell B. Harrison, whose escapades, business and otherwise, doubtless added many gray hairs to his fathers head, to be Assistant Inspector General with the rank of Major; Charles B. Miller, whose appointment is due solely to his father being an old friend of the President; Fred w. Alger, who is the son of soldier-Secretary Alger-and who makes his military debute as Assistant Adiustant General with the rank of Captain; C.. Creighton Webb, closely connected with the Vanderbilt family; John A. Logan, whom the Gov. of Ill. declined to make colonel Lloyd Carpenter Griscom, son of the President of the American Steamship Line; J. B. Foraker, Jr., son of Senator Foraker Larz Anderson, social swell of Washing ton, and Rush Huidekoper, 8 Newport veterinary surgeon. all of whom have be- come captains or majors. As a majority of the staff are regular army officers few greenies are not likely to impair it's work.
 The democratic senators, some of whom are very much in favor of annexation, de- clined to make the annexation of Hawaii a party question, but there is movement among members of the party in the house. to which has been favorably reported a joint resolution providing for annexation, to hold eausus for the purpose of trying to commit the party to opposition to an- nexation. In view of sentiment of the country on the subject such action would be very poor politics.
 The war revenue bill was so extensively amended by the senate finance committee before it was reported to the senate that it is really new measure. The amended bill is far from satisfactory to the tobacco interests, which were not pleased with the doubling of the tax on manufactured tobac- co-from to 12 cents pound, because 1t increases that tax to 16 cents a pound. The proprietary medicine and toilet arti- cle makers are protesting and saying that the stamp tax on their wares is entirely too great, The representatives of the brewers are not saying much, because they have got more in the bill as it now stands than they expect to have when the bill is passed, and they regard 1t good policy to keep mum. The striking out of the bond clause by the committee has not alarmed the administration. It was ex- pected from the committee. It Is under stood that 8 majority of senators are pledged to vote to restore the bond clause. So confident are treasury officials that this will be done that they are going right ahead preparing the printed blanks that will be needed in distributing the bonds. The provisions for issuing $150, ,O0O, 900 in greenbacks, and for issuing $42, 1000, 900 in silver certificates in advance of the coin age of the seigniorage on the.silver bullion owned by the government, are not likely to be in the bill when 1t becomes law.