The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-06-16
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From our regular correspondent

WASHINGTON, ~. ", Juhc '"' 'O"''
conundrum of the day is. where Is Shaf
ter's army? That il was for some reason
detained at Tampa for several days atte'
t had embarked on the transports IL
known, but that is about all that is known
owing TO censorship of news. Only thu
very gullible accept the story given Wild
publicity, that the transports were held a
Tampa because of the fear that they NIGH
be captured 10y a MYSTERIOUS Spanish hee'
that had been reported to lie engaged in
doing the Flying Dutchman" act in the
vicinity Of Havana. These transports are
known to have gone to Key West and are
supposed to be we'll on their way to Santi-
ago, but it is altogether probable that the
first positive information the public gets
about these troops will tell OF their cap
ture of Santiago, where Admiral Sampson
has so we'll prepared the way for them
They cannot get the honor of first raising
our flag on Cuban soil; that already be-
longs to SIMPSONS marines, who are now
in possession Of Guantanamo Bay.
Hurry orders have been sent to Gener-
ais Coppinger and Lee, vino are to COM
mand the army sent to capture Porto Rico,
to get the men ready for embarkation with
as little delay as possible.
There have been numerous reports re-
Gently, originating in Europe, that Spain
had or was about to ask Austria, or some
other nation, TO ask the L. 5. TO state its
terms for peace. These rumO.s are be-
lived to have been started for the purpose
of feeling public opinion in this country.
Not only has the Austrian Minister not |
made any peace overtures to this govern
ment but he evidently does not expect to
have any important business in Washing
ton before fall as he is going TO the New
England coast, with his entire staff, this
week, to remain away all summet. Ac-
,ording to prominent European diplomats,
10 peace overtures will be made on behalf
If Spain until this government intimates
o the diplomatic corps that such will be
accepted and that it would be willing to
Iiscuss the terms upon which it would
gree to peace. If that is really the view
# the European nations, SPAN would bet
err deal direct with this government. We
id not seek this war, but having got into
/, and having won nothing Len victories,
would he absurd to expect us to ask
Or peace. 1t is the whipped power that
lust ask for peace, and lhe longer Spain ,
efers the asking the worse she will he .
cked. The fighting power Of the L. 5. /
rows stronger each day, while that of q,
pain grows weaker.
If there had been no bond clause in the =,
ar revenue bill, as reported from confer I
! &c, il would have come very near to re-
Ewing unanimous vote in the Senate, -
stead of going through by vote of 43 =
- The opposition TO any other clauses =
the bill was nominal, although a num- +
II of them, including the coinage of ST. q
O,OOO OF silver every month, some of the ,;
amp taxes, and the tax on tea, were not .,
together satisfactory. President McKin- !
= promptly signed the bill, and now the D
ople have the chance to buy at par one (,
If of the 500, 0O0, 900 in bonds author
ID to he issued by the law-it is hoped
at it may not become necessary to issue
e other 5000, 100000. Although these Co
nds will only pay three per cent inter.
!, the big tinanciers are so certain that so
~ will soon command premium that
~ will gladly take them all. Small in III
'tors will have the first opportunity tot ,
y. What they fail to take in 80 DAYS ~
! go to capitalists in big blocks. SEN wo
r Wolcott is one of those who believe gi'
t the people will take them all. He
d; "The people Of the country wilI'take W.
these bonds As a manifestation of their 49,
riotism and their pride in the country" ser
is cot settled by agreement of the pos
use, after large majority, including
nbers of all parties, had shown its pow mel
that the Hawaiian annexation resolu- >,
shall be voted on next Wednesday az an,
'oo"' us auoptlOh IL certanin. Speak Init
leeds friends are trying to square him ere
the friends of annexation bv declar. |
that be has been misrepresented that nlil
.L,., '""' dat
never had any idea of allowing his per-
n opposition to annexation to cause To-,
to try to stand in the way of major en-
d the House getting to a vote on the boa
tuition. Some Of the leading annexa- HIS
lists assert that the Speaker has killed r, d
political future, but wise politicians y
not yet investing any money in mourn At ;
Tor the alleged corpse. q
he Post Office Department officially de- war
the statement that private mail is he. NJ
opened by its employees at Kew West. Va,
ampa, or anywhere else, and adds that S"e'
ite mail during the war is as safe as -
me of peace. ~ ut
cretary Alger thus answers the crit N
The War Department: 81 do not he. soon
that history records an instance 5.
e so much has been done in militia. prin
ampaIgn of this magnitude in the cav
time that has elapsed since HOSTILE ~
began chaIIonoa IL NN''