The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1898-06-16
washington Letter.
washington. june 10, 1898.

The conundrum of the day is, where is
Skaters army2 That it was for some
reason detained at Tampa for several days
after 1t had embarked on the transports
Is known, but that is about all that is
known, owing to the censorship OF news.
Only the very gullible accept the story
given wide publicity that the transports
were held at Tampa because of the fear
that they might be captured by mis-
terious Spanish feet that had been report
ed to be 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 well
on their way to Santiago, but 1t Is alto
gether probable that the first positive in
formation the public gets about these
troops will tell Of their capture of Santi-
ago, 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 belongs to Samp-
sons marines, who are now in possession
of Guantanamo Bay.
Hurry orders have been sent to General
Coppinger and to Lee, who are to COM
mand the army sent to capture Porto
Rico, to get the men ready for embarka-
ton 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 U. 5. to state its
term for peace. These rumors are be-
lieved to have been started for the pur-
pose of feeling public opinion in this
country. Not only has the Austrian
minister not made any peace overtures to
not expect to have any important bust
ness In Washington before fall as he is
going to the New England coast, with his
entire staff, this week, to remain away
European diplomats, no peace overtures
will be made on behalf of Spain until this
government intimates to the diplomatic
corps that such will be acceptable, and
terms upon which it would agree to peace.
If that is really the view of the European
nations, Spain would better deal direct
with this government. We did not seek
this war, but having got into it, and
having won nothing but victories, it would
be absurd to expect us to ask for peace.
It is the whipped power that must ask
for peace, and the longer Spain defers
the asking the worse she will be licked.
The fighting power of the U. s. grows
stronger each day, while that of Spain
grows weaker.
If there had been no bond clause in the
war revenue bill, as reported from con-
ference, it would have come very near to
receiving unanimous vote in the senate,
instead of going through by vote of 43
to %. The opposition to any other claus
es of the bill was nominal, although a
number of them, including the coinage of
81 500, 900 of silver every month, some of
the stamp taxes, and the tax on tea, were
not altogether satisfactory. President
Mckinley promptly signed the bill, and
now the people have the chance to buy at
par one-half Of the $4OO, 900, 600 In bonds
authorized to be issued by the new law
it is hoped that it may not become neces-
sary to issue the other $500, 100000 AL
Though these bonds will only pay three
per cent. interest, the big f1nanciers are
so certain that they will command a
premium that they will gladly take them
all. Small investors will have the first
opportunity to buy. What they fail to
take in 30 days will go to capitalists in
big blocks. Senator Wolcott is one of
those who believe that the people will
take them all. He said: 1.-The people of
the country will take up these bonds as a
manifestation of their patriotism and their
pride in the country"
1t Is now settled by agreement of the
house, after large majority, including
members of all parties, had shown its
power, that the Hawaiian annexation reso-
luton shall be voted upon Wednesday
afternoon. It's adoption Is certain.
Speaker Reeds friends are trying to
square him with the friends of annexation
by declaring that he has been misrepre-
sented; that he never had any idea of al
lowing his personal opposition to annexa-
ton to cause him to try to stand in the
way of a majority of the house getting to
vote on the resolution. Some of the
leading annexationists assert that the
speaker has killed his political future, but
wise politicians are not yet investing any
money in mourning for the alleged corpse.
The post office department officially
denies that statement that private mail
is being opened by it's employees at Key
West, or Tampa, or anywhere else, and
adds that private mail during the war is
as safe as in time of peace.
Secretary Alger thus answers the critics
of the war department ~ do not believe
that history records an instance where SO
much has been done in military camp
align of this magnitude In the brief time
that has elapsed since hostilities began
| challenge the records. There Is an
abundance of supplies at the disposal Of
the government. Everything needed for
the army is either on the ground or IN
the process of transit. Within week or
fortnight at the most, the required
supplies and equipment will be delivered
to the troops. In two weeks every man in
the army will be fully equipped for the
war;
Florida on Wheels.
Coming to Stafford an official Florida